In the world of TWS that tends to revolve around snug fits and noise cancellation (active as well as passive), "open" wireless earbuds are the odd buds out. These do not come with tips that go inside your ear but instead just lie over your ears, leaving them slightly 'open' to hear other sounds (hence their name). They generally do not have features like ANC or transparency mode, but instead are designed to actually let you hear sounds around you while you are listening to your favourite track or making a phone call. This makes them great for those who use TWS outside their homes or office areas, as it lets them hear sounds like traffic and public announcements. And if you wish to try one of these without spending a bomb, the Soundcore V30i from Anker are perhaps your best option. They were launched in 2023 at a price of Rs 4,999 but are now often available at half that price - Rs 2499 - and sometimes, even lower than that. Big and a little bulky, but comfortable to wear And at that price, they are certainly staggering value for money. The Soundcore V30i come in a large case, which at 110 mm is almost twice as wide as the AirPods Pro (44.3 mm). The buds themselves are larger than your routine TWS. They comprise two capsule-shaped buds which come with ear hooks that can be placed around your ears. At around 10 grams each, they are heavier than your routine TWS (an AirPod weighs around 5 grams). Along with the case, the Soundcore V30i weigh about 75 grams, which is again more than many TWS (AirPods weigh around 32 grams!). However, while their size is noticeable, they are comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time. The hook is made of soft plastic and did not irritate or chafe the back portion of our ears. Wearing them correctly is a bit of an art, though. You need to place the hook part around your ears and then place the buds right over your ear. This might sound easy but finding the location where you can hear the sound best takes some doing. The hooks are flexible so you can twist them to find the best location. Pairing them is as easy as pressing a button behind the case, which puts the buds in pairing mode. Each bud also comes with a tiny touch button for controls. Controlling the V30i is as simple as pressing that single button - a double press to take or end a call, pause a track or move to the next one and so on. The controls can be customised using the Soundcore app, which is available for both Android and iOS. The V30i use Bluetooth 5.3 and provides a very stable connection, but can be connected to just one device at a time, which could annoy those who like to keep switching between devices. You can also choose to use them one at a time if you wish. Very good audio, without shutting the world out In terms of audio quality, the Soundcore V30i sound surprisingly good. We were expecting the experience to be a mixed one, as the buds do not go inside your ear and are actually designed to leave the ear partially open to allow external sounds to come in. While the bass is not intense (do not go by the 'robust bass' tag on the cover of the package) , we got impressive detail and clarity from the large 14.2 mm drivers on the buds, with decent mids and treble. While external sounds like people talking and the sound of traffic can be heard, the audio on the buds dominates them comfortably, relegating them to the distant background. So if someone calls out your name, you will be able to hear them even if you have maxed out the volume on the buds. Incidentally, the volume levels are impressive but again, because of the design, it is not as loud as in-ear buds. The Soundcore app comes with a number of very detailed equaliser settings, letting you change the audio signature to suit different kinds of needs (podcasts, films, music genres and so on), and all of them actually make a significant difference in terms of the hearing experience, instead of being a token presence. Call quality is an area where the Soundcore V30i shine. We got amazing clarity on calls and those we spoke to also remarked how clear our voices were, rating them very close to AirPod levels, which is extremely impressive in buds that are priced at a fraction of Apple's premium TWS. We found them perfect to be worn whenever we were in public areas, whether it was on a stroll, a morning jog or even while sitting in a cafe. Their audio is loud enough to be heard while letting you hear reasonably loud noises around you. Think of it as sitting in front of a television with very good speakers - you will enjoy the sound, but will not be cut off from sounds around you. You are not going to get audiophile-level sound but will still get quite clear sound with plenty of detail. The perfect outdoor budget buds! All of this makes the Soundcore V30i perfect for outdoors, where other people and objects have to be kept in mind. They also come with IPX5 water resistance so can be used easily in the gym, although they cannot be taken into a pool. However, gamers and intense workers who want buds to shut out the world (and shut it up as well) will not like these. Battery life is superb - we got close to a dozen hours on the buds, with the case adding another 24 hours. All in all, you can get through close to a week of heavy usage on a single charge! The Soundcore V30i do have mild issues though. Although there are no ear tips to fiddle around with, you will still need to move the buds to find their perfect place for you. The single button control system is simple but the button is a little too touch-sensitive which can result in accidental touches (we would advise you to not allocate any command to a single touch), and can also make controlling the buds a bit of a task. Some might also find the carrying case a little too bulky to be carried comfortably. Those who love bass and really loud volumes will find these a little too 'tame' for their liking, and well, their being large-ish and noticeable might not go down with those who want their TWS to be tiny and minimalistic. But those are minor niggles if you are looking for a pair of wireless earbuds that you can wear outdoors, which stay in your ears, have great battery life and which let you know what is going on around you without needing to get into transparency mode. At Rs 4999, they were an expensive proposition, given their audio quality, but at Rs 2499, they are terrific value for money for those who want clear sound, while being aware of what (and who) is around them. We can see many folks using them as a "second" pair of buds that can be worn outdoors and at work, leaving high-quality audio with ANC to a different set. For Rs 2499, they are a terrific deal and definitely worth a try.
