I Used the Soundcore R50i NC for a Week — Here’s What I Think!

After living almost a week with the Soundcore R50i NC, I feel I can give you a pretty good idea of what these earbuds are actually like and whether they’re worth considering. I’ve used them for everything from long music sessions at the office and binge-watching episodes to taking calls in traffic and even testing the ANC against a noisy vacuum cleaner. Along the way, I had a few “wait, what?” moments, found some things I genuinely liked, and also came across a few things that could have been better. So, let’s skip the usual stuff and dive into what really matters.

Soundcore R50i NC Specifications:

• Design: In-ear fit, all-plastic build
• Dimensions and weight: Unspecified
• Water resistance: IP54 dust/splash resistance
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 (multi-point support)
• Sound driver: 10 mm dynamic drivers
• Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
• Noise cancellation: Yes (up to 42dB)
• Battery: Up to 45 hours of music playback with ANC on (earbuds + case)
• Control: Touch controls
• Companion app: Soundcore (Android | iOS)

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Design & Comfort 

First up, the case. It feels pretty well-built, and the earbuds are also easy to take out and put back in. And the interesting part is that—IT’S A 2-IN-1 CASE! I can also use it as a phone stand. So yeah, no more balancing the phone against a water bottle just to watch my favorite series, especially while eating.

As for the fit, I first tried out different ear-tip sizes and did a fit test in the Soundcore app to find out what worked best for me. After that, I binge-watched around eight episodes, had long music sessions at the office, and even fell asleep with them once. And guess what? They were still in place when I woke up the next morning. So, I’d say they’re pretty comfortable for me.

Sound Quality

Coming to the sound, it’s pretty good overall. The default tuning is good too, although it’s a little bass-heavy. I also noticed that the sound can feel a bit muffled or congested with ANC on, while it sounds much clearer with ANC off.

You can also play around with different sound modes and configurations in the Soundcore app. I tried them out, and honestly, this part is quite subjective. The Acoustic mode, for example, felt a little flat to my ears, while the Bass Reducer noticeably toned down the bass. I found that useful with some pop songs where I didn’t want the bass to overpower everything else. So, you can play around with the different options and see what works best for you.

There’s also a customizable EQ, so you can adjust the bass, treble, and other levels if you want to fine-tune the sound. I also played around with it, and the changes were quite responsive.

I had a little “wait, what?” moment while testing the stereo separation with Charlie Puth’s Left and Right. Turns out, Mono Audio was enabled on my phone, and I had confidently blamed the earbuds until I tried them with my colleague’s device. At that moment, Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero started playing in my head: “It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem, it’s me.” Hahahah.

And… while using these at the office, I was happily jamming to my songs with my earbuds on, but turns out my colleague was also enjoying them right beside me because of the audio leakage. She told me she could hear everything clearly, even the lyrics. So, yeah, that was disappointing. 

But I hope she vibed with my music taste. (Ofc, she did).

ANC & Transparency 

Now, coming to the ANC, this is probably one of the things that impressed me the most. It significantly reduces the surrounding noise, whether I’m indoors or out in traffic. Of course, it doesn’t block everything—you can still hear some low-frequency sounds—but it cuts out enough noise that I can focus on my music without much distraction.

Here’s the real test. My sister was vacuuming the room this Saturday while I was just chilling and teasing her, but that vacuum sound got so annoying that I thought, “Let me test these earbuds and see what they can actually do.” And honestly, they got more than a passing mark. Once I turned on ANC, I could only hear the vacuum slightly in the background, and my ears finally felt at ease.

You also get different ANC modes in the Soundcore app, including Adaptive and Manual, along with different levels to choose from. I personally preferred the Manual mode since I could adjust it to my liking.

Transparency mode, though, is just okay. You can definitely hear the difference when you turn it on, but I didn’t find it very useful in real-life situations. If someone is talking to me, I still prefer taking the earbuds out to hear them properly. So, while the mode works, it’s not something I found myself using much.

Call Quality 

I had a good experience with calls too. I tested them in traffic, and even with all the surrounding noise, my voice was still clear enough for the other person to understand me easily. I also tested it the other way around—while the other person was outdoors with the earbuds on, and I could still hear them clearly. 

So, if the earbuds can handle calls this well in traffic and outdoors, indoor calls are naturally going to be even better—and they actually were. Overall, I was quite happy with the call quality. 

App Support

The Soundcore app also gives you quite a bit of control over the earbuds. I tried out the touch controls and changed the default double-tap gesture for play/pause to a single tap, which felt more convenient to me. You can also customize gestures for skipping tracks, answering calls, and Gaming Mode. There’s also a fit test, along with different sound and ANC options that I’ve already talked about earlier. So, I’d say, good job, Anker.

Battery & Everyday Use 

Soundcore claims up to 40 hours of battery life, although I didn’t specifically test that figure. In my everyday use, the earbuds themselves held up pretty well. I used them throughout the day and didn’t have to worry much about the earbuds dying during my regular listening sessions.

However, the case didn’t provide as much backup as I expected. When the earbuds were completely dead, I left them in the case for around an hour, but they only reached about 10%. And that 10% gave me roughly 30 minutes of listening time. So, while the earbuds lasted well enough for my usual use, the case’s charging speed and backup could definitely be better.

Verdict 

After living with the Soundcore R50i NC for almost a week, I’d say it gets most of the important things right. The sound quality is good overall, with a slightly bass-heavy default tuning, and the EQ options in the Soundcore app give you plenty of room to adjust it to your liking. The ANC is also one of its strongest points, especially when you want to cut down surrounding noise. Add the comfortable fit, decent call quality, and useful 2-in-1 case, and there’s quite a lot to like here.

That said, the transparency mode wasn’t particularly useful for me, and there’s noticeable sound leakage once you turn the volume up. The charging speed through the case could also be better.

If you can strech your budget a little for stronger ANC and better default tuning, the OnePlus Nord Buds 4 is also worth checking out.

But overall, if your priorities are good sound, effective ANC, comfort, and everyday usability, the R50i NC still makes a pretty solid all-rounder.

Soundcore R50i NC Pros and Cons