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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Philips SHP9500 offer an excellent sound quality with a very good soundstage, making them great for an immersive music experience at home, but they're open-backed so they don't isolate noise well, making them less suitable for noisy environments or commuting. They're also very comfortable for long listening sessions, but don’t have a built-in microphone for calls or any wireless functionality. The Soundcore Life Q30, with active noise cancelling and a closed-back design, are more versatile for various environments, including travel and exercising. They also have a long battery life and are suitable for wireless use, but they provide a less accurate sound quality compared to the SHP9500, and their comfort and soundstage aren't rated as highly. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Philips SHP9500
- Excellent for music
- Good for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Soundcore Life Q30
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.2
7.1
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the Soundcore Life Q30 is good.
Gaming
7.2
5.3
The Philips SHP9500 is good for gaming, while the Soundcore Life Q30 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
4.8
The Philips SHP9500 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Life Q30 is poor.
TV and Video
9.0
5.4
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for TV and video, while the Soundcore Life Q30 is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5
8.7
The Soundcore Life Q30 is very good for noise reduction, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
Battery
N/A
44.0 Hours
The Philips SHP9500 does not have a battery. The Soundcore Life Q30 has 44 hours of battery life.
Cost
$48
$80
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Philips SHP9500 has a price of $48 and the Soundcore Life Q30 costs $80.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
4.9
5.1
The Soundcore Life Q30 and Philips SHP9500 are both poor for phone calls.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Philips SHP9500 and Soundcore Life Q30 both have very good build quality.
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How the Philips SHP9500 and the Soundcore Life Q30 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Philips SHP9500 | Soundcore Life Q30 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$48 | $80 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Philips | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2013 | August 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.3/10 | 5.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.1/10 | 5.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 5.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 44 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.7 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 294.8 Grams | 263 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Philips SHP9500
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Lab
Brian Stone | April 2020
"You can’t go wrong with the Philips SHP9500 for their price. Their audio quality is superb, and the fact that you can use them for just about anything you can think of makes them well worth your money"
Soundcore Life Q30
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Addict
Peter Susic | December 2021
"Every once in a while, headphones with an excellent price/performance ratio arrive that truly deserves all attention. Anker Soundcore Life Q30 are one of those headphones. Of course, they aren’t perfect, but they do most things better than their competition. Or they give you the option to make them better."
Get a great deal on the Philips SHP9500 or the Soundcore Life Q30
About Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
About Soundcore
Soundcore is a sub-brand belonging to Anker Innovations. Starting in 2014, initially marketing wireless, Bluetooth, speakers, Anker now offers an array of, budget-friendly, wireless earbuds and headphones that directly compete, especially in the Active Noise Canceling field, with other brands several times as expensive.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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