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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and gaming use, the Sennheiser HD 400S would be a better choice due to its higher overall sound quality and performance in gaming scenarios. However, if active noise cancelling is crucial for you, especially for air travel or noisy environments, the Soundcore Life Q20 stands out, plus it offers wireless convenience and a significantly longer battery life. The Sennheiser HD 400S scores better in comfort and calls, while the Soundcore Life Q20 has superior noise isolation and is optimized for AAC codec which is beneficial for Apple users. Buying the Sennheiser might save you some money, but the absence of wireless capability and active noise cancelling can limit its use in various circumstances compared to the Soundcore Life Q20. 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 Sennheiser HD 400S
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Soundcore Life Q20
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Gaming
8.6
5.2
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for gaming, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.2
4.9
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.6
4.7
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
TV and Video
7.6
5.3
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for TV and video, while the Soundcore Life Q20 is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.3
8.7
The Soundcore Life Q20 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is poor.
Battery
N/A
32.3 Hours
The Sennheiser HD 400S does not have a battery. The Soundcore Life Q20 has 32.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$60
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The Sennheiser HD 400S has a price of $50 and the Soundcore Life Q20 costs $60.
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Key similarities
Music
7.1
7.0
The Sennheiser HD 400S and Soundcore Life Q20 are both good for music.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Sennheiser HD 400S and Soundcore Life Q20 both have very good build quality.
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How the Sennheiser HD 400S and the Soundcore Life Q20 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser HD 400S | Soundcore Life Q20 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Soundcore | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2019 | November 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.2/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.2/10 | 4.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.7/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.7/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.2/10 | 5.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 32.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.8 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 213 Grams | 258.5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Sennheiser HD 400S
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphone Dungeon
Jim | August 2022
"Sennheiser has done it again. The HD 400S performs well beyond its price range and is one of the better budget model headphones I’ve tried. It has very few bells and whistles and offers a simple means of listening that still delivers amazing clarity and quality. If you need a good first pair of headphones or need something that you can take out of the house, then the HD 400S is definitely for you."
Soundcore Life Q20
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2022
"As far as headphones that cost under $100 go, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a really solid option. Like any good tool, it does the job well without much guff, and it’s affordable to boot. Sure: it’s not going toe to toe with any of the higher-end models of ANC headphones out there—but the headphones do well enough for commuters that it’s a good stand-in if you were never planning on spending a bunch of money anyway."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser HD 400S or the Soundcore Life Q20
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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