When comparing Phiaton BT 100 NC vs Anker Soundcore Q20i, the Slant community recommends Phiaton BT 100 NC for most people. In the question“What are the best budget active noise-cancelling earphones/headphones?” Phiaton BT 100 NC is ranked 2nd while Anker Soundcore Q20i is ranked 6th. The most important reason people chose Phiaton BT 100 NC is:
You get a lot of useful features from the BT 100 NC which includes decent noise cancelling, Bluetooth as well splash resistance, which makes these earphones great for casual or active use. Sound reproduction has great clarity as well as full mids and okay bass, and should work well with many music genres.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Combines good sound, splash resistance, noise cancelling and wireless connectivity at a great price
You get a lot of useful features from the BT 100 NC which includes decent noise cancelling, Bluetooth as well splash resistance, which makes these earphones great for casual or active use. Sound reproduction has great clarity as well as full mids and okay bass, and should work well with many music genres.
Pro Detailed and clean sound
Bass is not emphasized yet is full and has good punch so the sound does not sound lean. The mids are warm and full, so guitars, vocals and drums sound great. The highs are slightly emphasized, which brings out a lot of detail from the music, but can also make cymbal and “s” sounds quite harsh.
Pro Collar design houses all earphone controls
You’ll be able to control the various earphone functions using the buttons and switches on the BT 100 NC’s collar. It houses the earphones’ battery and noise cancelling circuitry along with the buttons for answering and ending calls, play/pause/skip/previous tracks, volume adjust and the noise cancelling switch. Aside from being easy to reach, the collar also takes as much weight off of the earpieces as possible, so they stay inside the ears well.
Pro Good battery life
You’ll get a good amount of wireless listening time off of these earphones. Battery life with noise cancelling and wireless activated is around 8 hours, while you can get 12 hours of noise cancelling when these are used in wired mode.
Pro Okay noise cancelling
While not the best, the noise-cancelling is decent and can reduce noise that may mix in with your music. You’ll still be able to hear some low pitched noise like the sound of engines though.
Pro Earpieces can be stored in the collar
You can bring these earphones on the go without the earpieces flopping all over the place when they are not in use. There is a space in each end of the collar where you can dock the earpieces for easier transport.
Pro Double connection
When working on your laptop and need to pick up your phone, the headphones will automatically switch to the device you need.
Pro Wired usage
Also supports wired listening.
Pro Long battery life
Cons
Con Bass-light with slightly aggressive treble
If you love powerful bass or non-fatiguing treble, then the BT 100 NC’s sound signature may not be for you. The bass is present, but the quantity may not be enough. The slightly emphasized treble can make the sound harsh and can be fatiguing to listen to for long periods, especially if you are sensitive to treble.
Con Collar design may be uncomfortable
The collar rests on your neck. While lightweight, you may find this piece of plastic to be annoying, especially when doing vigorous moves when running or working out.
Con Switching issues
Switching between devices, e.g. between TV and phone by clicking the power button 2 times, does not seem to work as it should. Maybe this will be fixed in a firmware upgrade.
Con Too much bass
The default bass is too much, it can be reduced with the equalizer in the app. This is a matter of taste of course.
Con Awkward control buttons
The buttons for volume up/down and the power button are combined and a bit too small to use comfortably.
Con Only 2 colors
While the older Q20 was available in three colors, the Q20i is only available in black and navy-blue.