soundcore AeroClip 2 evaluate – ‘I attempted a brand new model of headphones and now I’m transformed’

Open-ear headphones may not be for everyone but with the new AeroClip 2 line, soundcore might have just struck gold

Open-ear headphones have always unnerved me a bit. In my past experience, they’ve felt flimsy, liable to fall off at a moment’s notice and unable to properly fulfil their promise.

But I’m now a convert. I’ve been lucky enough to try out Anker’s soundcore AeroClip 2s and, to paraphrase an Oscar-winning film, I can now hear everything everywhere all at once.

As I sit writing this piece, I’ve got Sam Fender in my ears but can also have a chat with my partner and hear my dog eating his tea. It’s strangely comforting to have complete awareness of your surroundings, without losing the ability to drown out the world when you want to.

Shifting from earbuds to open-ear headphones, worn resting outside the ear canal, is a bit of a transition, but now I’ve seen the light and I’m not sure I could ever go back.

The AeroClip 2s are unbelievably comfortable, worryingly so in fact, as after about five minutes I completely forget I’m wearing them. The ‘C-bridge design’ basically just means that a speaker sits on the outside of your ear canal, with a connector wrapping around to the back of your ear to hold them in place. And even during a jog or a workout, they don’t move an inch.

It’s a pretty spectacular feat of audio engineering and one that means you don’t have to make any compromises.

No longer do you need to pause your podcast to hear a platform announcement in a crowded train station, or turn your music down to a whisper to listen out for oncoming cars.

And it’s just as impressive when it comes to calls. The AeroClip 2s use a Thus AI chip to isolate voices from background noise and provide high-quality call audio in most settings.

During my couple of weeks testing them out, I tried a series of experiments, calling my girlfriend from increasingly loud places and speaking increasingly quietly. And even though it probably earned me some confused looks from passers-by, the AeroClip 2s passed every test with flying colours.

But I know what you’re thinking – that’s all well and good but what about some numbers? I hear you.

Eight hours of battery life, extended up to 32 hours with the case, and up to five hours when they’re in call mode.

And most importantly, the price. Despite this glowing review, the soundcore AeroClip 2 are actually a relatively budget-friendly option, retailing at less than £160.

At that pricepoint, it’s hard to find much to complain about. Even if, like me, you’ve been sceptical of open-ear headphones, it might be time to make a change.

The soundcore AeroClip 2 are available from today (September 22) for £159.99. You can buy them on Amazon or direct from soundcore

For those wanting to try out open-ear headphones at a cheaper pricepoint, you could try the soundcore V20i, currently available on Amazon for £32.99

Or for a premium offering, you could try the SHOKZ OpenFit headphones for £219