Clear sound, surprisingly good bass and a secure clip-on design make the Soundcore AeroClip 2 easy to like. Just don’t expect them to silence the London Underground, and those of us with generously sized ears have something else to consider.
I want my music to sound good. I also want to know what’s happening around me. The Soundcore AeroClip 2 manage that combination rather nicely.
These open-ear earbuds clip around your ears rather than sitting inside your ear canals, leaving you connected to your surroundings while your playlist does its thing.
And the sound? Genuinely impressive. There are a couple of catches, including my ears and a brief disagreement with the charging case, but there’s plenty to love here.
Proper sound without plugging your ears
The first thing that impressed me was how much bass these little earbuds deliver. Considering they don’t sit inside your ears, the sound has a surprising amount of weight. It’s clear, enjoyable and far from the thin listening experience you might expect.
There’s plenty of volume available, too, although I didn’t feel the need to push it particularly high during ordinary listening.
For anyone who likes a little technical detail, Soundcore lists 12mm drivers and LDAC support on compatible devices. For me, the important bit is simpler: I really enjoyed how they sounded.
Music on, world still there
Walking down the street is where the open-ear design makes sense to me. I can enjoy my music without feeling completely shut off from everything else.
As a woman, being aware of my surroundings matters to me. These let more of the outside world remain audible, rather than putting me in my own little bubble.
The buttons behind the ears are handy, too. Someone wants to speak? Pause the music and have a conversation. You can hear background sounds while listening, but that doesn’t mean you can follow everything someone is saying over your playlist.
A word for the generously eared
Now, the fit. They really do hold themselves in place, which is a big positive. But a secure grip and the right fit are not quite the same thing.
If, like me, your ears are heading into King Charles territory, this is the bit to pay attention to. The fit wasn’t right for my larger ears, even though the clips held securely.
That won’t be everyone’s experience, but I wouldn’t assume a clip-on design automatically suits every ear. If yours are on the generous side, try them on before buying if you can.
Fantastic sound is one thing. Ear compatibility is another.
The charging case briefly defeated me
Putting them back into the charging case for the first time took me far longer than it should have.
If you’re a bit fumbly like me, you might also find yourself working out which way everything is supposed to go. Once I figured it out, it seemed so obvious that I wondered why I’d been trying the other way in the first place.
A small learning curve, rather than an ongoing problem. But yes, the case won round one.
The Tube is where things fall apart
The biggest listening drawback became obvious on the London Underground.
These aren’t noise-cancelling earbuds for shutting out your surroundings. That openness is lovely on a walk, but much less useful when a train is making an absolute racket.
Podcasts were practically impossible to follow on the noisy stretches. Music struggled, too. You might recognise a favourite song, but recognising it and properly enjoying it are very different things.
Soundcore also promotes AI-assisted voice isolation for calls. That is about helping the person on the other end hear your voice, not cancelling the train noise you hear. Those calling features aren’t what this listening verdict is based on.
My verdict
For everyday listening where I want to remain aware of what’s around me, there’s a lot to like: clear sound, satisfying bass, useful buttons and clips that stay put.
The fit needs checking, particularly if you have larger ears, and the open design isn’t the answer to a noisy commute.
Otherwise? Fantastic sound and plenty of everyday appeal.
Lovely for a walk. Not my pick for a roaring Tube carriage and fellow generously eared people, lol. Buy it now on Amazon
