Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.4
Review updated Mar 27, 2018 at 04:24 pm
Latest change: Writing modified Sep 03, 2021 at 04:51 pm
Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless Picture
7.0
Mixed Usage
7.1
Neutral Sound
7.3
Commute/Travel
8.1
Sports/Fitness
6.7
Office
5.4
Wireless Gaming
5.3
Wired Gaming
6.2
Phone Calls
These headphones were replaced by the Anker SoundBuds Curve Upgraded 2019

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are sports-oriented headphones with long battery life and a well-balanced sound. They're comfortable, with a stable ear-hook design for exercising and working out. They're compact enough to fit into your pockets, and they're decently well-built, although the audio cable is a bit thin. Unfortunately, they don't block that much noise, meaning that they may not be the best headphones for loud, noisy environments, and their sound may be a bit too bass-heavy for some.

Our Verdict

7.0 Mixed Usage

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are decently versatile headphones well-suited for sports, thanks to their stable, compact, and wireless design. They have long battery life and decent build quality. However, they don't feel as durable as some wireless in-ears that we've tested. They have a moderately well-balanced sound with a bit too much bass for fans of neutral sound, and they don't block a lot of noise for in-ears, so they may not be the best headphones for loud, noisy commutes. On the upside, they're easy to carry on you at all times and should be good enough for most uses.

Pros
  • Stable and portable design.
  • Comfortable fit.
  • Very low leakage.
Cons
  • Mediocre-at-best noise isolation.
  • Slightly thin audio cable.
7.1 Neutral Sound

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are decent for neutral listening. They have a fairly balanced sound with an almost flat mid-range and a good treble, so they don't sound as sharp as some of the other in-ears we've tested. Unfortunately, they pack a bit too much bass, which overpowers the instruments and vocals in the mid-range, but fans of extra bass may find it pleasing. They also have small closed earbuds that cannot create an adequate soundstage. It means they won't be the best headphones for more neutral listeners but should sound good enough for most, especially if you like a little bass.

7.3 Commute/Travel

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are decent for commuting and traveling. They're compact, comfortable, and easy to carry around on your person. Also, their low leakage performance can somewhat compensate for their poor noise isolation by playing your music at higher volumes. However, they don't block much noise and shouldn't be your first choice for loud, noisy commutes.

8.1 Sports/Fitness

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are great for sports. They have a stable ear-hook design and come with a couple of stability fins and multiple tip sizes to help you find a secure and comfortable fit. They're very breathable, easy-to-use, and portable enough to have on your person at all times. However, the buds will slip out of your ears occasionally during more strenuous exercise depending on the quality of the fit and seal you can achieve with the provided tips.

6.7 Office

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are okay for office use. They'll let some office chatter seep into your audio due to their poor isolation. However, they don't leak much and won't be audible to anyone around you. This means you can also mask some of the ambient noise by playing your music at higher volumes.

5.4 Wireless Gaming

The Anker SoundBuds Curve aren't suitable for wireless gaming. They have a mediocre-at-best microphone and a bit too much latency. They also have no companion app, meaning that they won't be as customizable as many gaming headsets, and their Bluetooth connection is not compatible with consoles.

5.3 Wired Gaming

The Anker SoundBuds Curve aren't suitable for wired gaming.

6.2 Phone Calls
  • 7.0 Mixed Usage
  • 7.1 Neutral Sound
  • 7.3 Commute/Travel
  • 8.1 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.7 Office
  • 5.4 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.3 Wired Gaming
  • 6.2 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Feb 11, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  3. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  4. Updated Jun 25, 2019: We've updated the Build Quality score as we felt they were previously scored too low when compared to similar models.
  5. Updated Mar 27, 2018: Review published.
  6. Updated Mar 25, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Mar 25, 2018: Early access published.
  8. Updated Mar 23, 2018: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  9. Updated Jan 18, 2018: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Compared To Other Headphones

Comparison picture

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are decently well-rounded in-ears for sports. They have a stable ear-hook design with additional stability fins and a decently well-balanced sound that packs a lot of bass. They're lightweight, portable, and decently well-built. Unfortunately, although they are stable, the earbud tips may sometimes slip out of your ears, and the audio cable is thin and doesn't feel very durable.

For other options, see also our recommendations for the best budget wireless headphones.

Anker SoundBuds Curve Upgraded 2019

The Anker SoundBuds Curve Upgraded 2019 Headphones are a slightly improved version of the Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless. The SoundBuds are almost the same headphones but with a much longer battery life, a lightly better in-line remote, and IPX7 rating for water resistance (though we don't currently test for this). 

Anker SoundBuds Sport Wireless

The Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless are a much better headset than the Anker SoundBuds Sport Wireless. The Curve have an ear-hook design that's a bit more stable for the gym and working out. The Curve also have a much better sound quality, a longer battery life, and a more comfortable fit that does not enter the ear canal as deeply as the Sport. On the other hand, the more in-ear fit of the Sport makes them a bit more suitable for noisy environments. The Sport are also a bit more compact than the Curve since they do not have ear hooks.

Anker SoundCore Spirit X Wireless

The Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless and the Anker Soundcore Spirit X Wireless are practically the same headphones, with very slight differences. The Spirit X are slightly better due to their higher sweat and water resistance, and their in-line remote offers better tactile feedback. You also get a cinch for easier cable management. If you have a Bluetooth 5.0 source, you might get better wireless range and connection stability with the Spirit X. On the other hand, the Curve have lower latency, support the aptX codec, and are even more affordable. These two headphones are great budget options, but if you don’t really care for the additional sweat resistance, the Curve will satisfy most users.

JBL Endurance Sprint Wireless

The Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless are slightly better headphones overall when compared to the JBL Endurance Sprint. The Anker offer better value for your money with a decently well-balanced sound and a better, more comfortable in-ear fit than the JBL. The Anker also have a longer battery life and a slightly more stable fit, since the in-ear seal of the earbuds is not affected as much as the JBL's when the headphones move around. The Anker also have a better, more precise control scheme than that of the JBL. However, the JBL have a better design, a more high-end look and feel, and block more noise for busy commutes. The JBL also have a few unique features like the magnetic ear hooks, which some may prefer over that of the Anker. They also have a slightly better-balanced sound than the Anker, although they do not get as loud.

Sony WI-SP500 Wireless

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are much better sports headphones than the Sony WI-SP500 Wireless. The Anker offer a much better value for your money, thanks to their better sound quality, more comfortable and stable fit, and their long battery life. On the other hand, the Sony have NFC pairing and a slightly better wireless range. The Anker are the better choice for sports and most use cases, especially in the budget range.

AfterShokz Trekz Air Bone Conduction

The Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless are better and a cheaper alternative for typical sports headphones, but if you really want to hear everything around you while training, the AfterShokz Trekz Air Bone Conduction might be a better choice. The AfterShokz have a better build quality with thicker cables and rubberized coating. On the other hand, the Anker are more portable, come with a good hard case, and have a longer battery life.

1More Piston Fit

The Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless are way better headphones than the 1More Piston Fit. The Anker are more comfortable, better-built, have great audio reproduction, and shouldn’t have any stereo image issues. The 1More are wired, so they don’t have latency issues like the Anker, have a better in-line microphone, and you won’t have to worry about battery life. This shouldn’t outweigh the better sound and comfort of the Anker. Even if the Anker are a bit more expensive, they provide a better value to performance overall.

AUKEY Latitude Wireless

The AUKEY Latitude Wireless are better mixed-usage headphones than the Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless. The AUKEY have great isolation performance, are a good option for commuting, have an excellent wireless range, and can connect to two devices simultaneously. On the other hand, the Anker are noticeably more comfortable and are more stable for sports due to their ear-hook design. Athletes might prefer the Anker, as they also have overemphasized bass.

SoundPeats TrueFree/True Wireless

The Anker SoundBuds Curve and SoundPeats TrueFree/True Wireless perform similarly for mixed usage, but overall, the Anker have better sound quality and are more comfortable, making them better headphones. However, the SoundPeats create a better seal inside the ear and isolate more background noise, which means they might be better for bus and subway rides. These two budget headphones have a great price-to-performance ratio. The Anker might be better for sports, thanks to the ear-hook design and better sound quality, while the SoundPeats are better for commuting and traveling.

+ Show more

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic

The Anker SoundBuds Curve have a surprisingly decent-looking, sporty aesthetic. They have thick and flexible ear-hooks, and the matte finish makes the earbuds feel a bit more premium than the similarly designed SoundPeats Q9A Wireless. The inline remote and the cable, however, feel a bit cheap. They also do not come in as many color schemes as the JBL Endurance Sprint to match your tastes and preference but, their understated look will work for most.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.05 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are comfortable. The tips don't enter as deeply into the ear canal as most in-ears, which removes a bit of the soreness and pain some listeners experience during long listening sessions. Unfortunately, the rubber tips sometimes slide in the ear canal, which can be slightly distracting and uncomfortable for some. On the upside, they come with six tip options to help you find the right fit, so it shouldn't be much of an issue.

6.5
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Decent
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls No

The Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless have a simple three-button layout with no additional features. It's an easy-to-use and efficient control scheme that provides all the essential functions; call/music, track skipping, and volume controls. However, the buttons are a bit small, and even if they're easy to find on the in-line remote by touch, bigger buttons with a bit more feedback would have been preferred.

8.8
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 1.2 °C

The Anker SoundBuds Curve are very breathable headphones. Like most in-ears, they don't cover the outer ear, which remains relatively cool when exercising and working out. They cover a bit more surface area than typical in-ears due to their ear-hook, earbud-like design, but it's a negligible difference and won't make you sweat like on-ears or over-ears do.

8.7
Design
Portability
L 2.6"
W 2.1"
H 1"
Volume 5.4 in³
Transmitter Required No

The Anker SoundBuds Curve Wireless are easy to carry around on your person. They're compact, lightweight and you can fold them to fit into a pocket, bag, or purse. They're slightly larger than in-ears like the AUKEY Latitude Wireless or Jaybird Tarah Wireless but are still very portable and come with a decent case.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 3.2"
W 3.2"
H 1.4"
Volume 14 in³

These headphones come with a good hard case to protect them from minor impacts, scratches, and falls. The case shell is not as hard as some of the other cases we've tested, but on the upside, it's compact and can fit into a pocket.

7.0
Design
Build Quality

Update 06/25/2019: We revised the Build Quality score. The score and text have been adjusted.

The Anker SoundBuds Curve have a decent build quality. They have thin audio cables and the earbuds and ear-hooks are fairly dense and relatively sturdy, making them better built than some cheaper sports-oriented like the Mee audio X6 Plus Wireless. They feel better built and more premium than the similarly designed SoundPeats Q9A Wireless, but the audio cable is thinner.

8.0
Design
Stability

These headphones have a stable ear-hook design that's great for sports. They won't easily fall off your ears, even during intense workout sessions. They also have a couple of stability fins included in the box that helps with the fit, which makes it even more stable. However, the earbuds will slip out of your ear canal from time to time. They won't fall, but the change in the seal when they move around slightly changes the audio, which may be an issue for some. If you prefer a truly wireless design, check out the SoundPeats TrueFree.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Anker SoundBuds Curve headphones
  • Earbud tips (x6)
  • Stability fins (x3)
  • USB charging cable
  • Carrying case
  • Manual

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
5.16 dB
Treble Amount
-2.72 dB
9.2
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.16 dB

The Anker SoundBuds Curve's frequency response consistency is fantastic. If the user can achieve a proper fit and an air-tight seal using the assortment of tips that come with the headphones, they should get consistent bass and treble delivery every time they use the headphones.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
6.5
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.94 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
6.7 dB
Mid-Bass
5.26 dB
High-Bass
4.03 dB

The Anker SoundBuds Curve have okay bass accuracy. Their LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 10Hz, which is excellent. Low-bass, responsible for the thump and rumble in bass-heavy genres like EDM, hip-hop, and film scores, is overemphasized by more than 5dB. This results in quite a bit of thump and rumble, which fans of bass may like. Mid-bass and high-bass are also hyped, but only by 3dB. Overall, the bass is thumpy and heavy without sounding too muddy and cluttered.

8.8
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.61 dB
Low-Mid
-0.04 dB
Mid-Mid
-1.6 dB
High-Mid
-1.86 dB

The Anker SoundBuds Curve have an excellent mid-range performance. The overall response is even and flat but recessed by about 2dB. This nudges the vocals and lead instruments towards the back of the mix by giving bass and treble a bit more emphasis.

8.8
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.56 dB
Low-Treble
-1.23 dB
Mid-Treble
-0.59 dB
High-Treble
-10.65 dB

These headphones have amazing treble accuracy. Low-treble is even and within 0.75dB of our target. Mid-treble is also well-balanced but a little uneven between 8Khz and 10KHz. This could make some sibilants (S and T sounds) slightly lacking and some others too sharp. Overall, their treble response is well-balanced, which is important for good reproduction of vocals, leads, and cymbals.

7.9
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.44 dB
Dips
0.81 dB
8.8
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.2
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.18
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
0.93
Weighted Phase Mismatch
1.35

These headphones' imaging performance is excellent. The weighted group delay is at 0.2, which is very low. The GD graph also shows that the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were very well-matched, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects (instruments, voices, footsteps) in the stereo image.

1.3
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
3.9
Acoustic Space Excitation
1.8

Their passive soundstage performance is bad. This is because creating an out-of-head and speaker-like soundstage is largely dependent on activating the resonances of the pinna (outer ear). The design of in-ears and earbuds fully bypasses the pinna and doesn't interact with it. Also, because these headphones have a closed-back enclosure, their soundstage won't be perceived to be as open as that of open-back earbuds.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App
8.0
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.238
WHD @ 100
0.093
Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
Unknown
Power
On
Connection
Unknown
Codec
aptX, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
In-line
Isolation
6.1
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-14.85 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-2.69 dB
Mid
-16.48 dB
Treble
-26.82 dB

The Anker SoundBuds Curve have a mediocre isolation performance. In the bass range, where the rumble of bus and airplane engines sit, they achieve about 3dB of isolation, which is barely noticeable. In the mid-range, important for cutting out speech, they isolate by more than 16dB, which is good. In the treble range, occupied by sharp S and T sounds, they isolate by about 27dB, which is decent.

8.4
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
31.14 dB

The leakage performance is great. Like most other closed-back in-ears, these headphones don't leak much in the bass and mid-ranges. A significant portion of their leakage is in the treble range and between 3KHz and 6KHz, which is quite a narrow range. The overall level of the leakage is not loud either, peaking at around 57dB SPL at 1 foot away, which is about the same as the noise floor of most offices.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-Line
Yes
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
5.8
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
369.71 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3.44 dB
HFE
2,523.3 Hz
Weighted THD
1.666
Gain
41.56 dB

The Anker SoundBuds Curve's microphone has a sub-par recording quality. The LFE (low-frequency extension) of 369Hz means speech recorded/transmitted with it will sound noticeably thin. The HFE (high-frequency extension) of 2.5KHz is poor and results in speech that's muffled and lacking in detail. It also negatively affects the understandability of speech.

6.1
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
13.07 dB

The in-line mic is mediocre at noise-handling. In our SpNR test, they achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 13dB, indicating they're best suited for quiet environments and will struggle to separate speech from ambient noise in moderate and loud situations.

Active Features
6.4
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
12.7 hrs
Additional Charges
0.0
Total Battery Life
12.7 hrs
Charge Time
1.5 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port micro-USB

The Anker SoundBuds Curve have a continuous battery life of 13 hours and only take about 1.5 hours on average for a full charge. This makes them a decent option for casual and heavy users, but unfortunately, they don't have many power-saving features to extend their battery life. They will stay paired to your device until the battery runs out or they're out of range, so if you forget to switch them off, the battery will continue to drain, which isn't ideal.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

These headphones don't come with a compatible app for added customization options. You can check out the Jaybird Freedom 2 or the Jaybird Tarah Wireless if you want in-ear headphones with a highly customizable sound.

Connectivity
6.6
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
4.1
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
90 ft
PC Latency (SBC)
163 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
140 ms
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
156 ms
Android Latency
78 ms

The Anker SoundBuds Curve don't have multi-device pairing or NFC support. On the upside, their hold-to-pair procedure is not difficult to use and not as frustrating as some Bluetooth headphones due to the decent feedback of the buttons on the in-line remote.

The Anker SoundBuds Curve have quite a bit of latency with PCs and iOS devices, which isn't ideal for watching movies and a lot of video content. However, their latency with PCs is lower when using the aptX codec, and they don't have too much latency when connected to Android devices. Also, some devices seem to compensate differently for latency, so your experience may vary.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

The Anker SoundBuds Curve have no wired option. If you want in-ears with a wired design and a universal in-line remote, check out the 1More Triple Driver.

Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC/PS4 Analog
No
PC/PS4 Wired USB
No
PC/PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock

These in-ear buds don't have a dock. If you want headphones that are versatile and have a dock, try the SteelSeries Arctis 7. However, they aren't as compact or easy to carry around on your person.