The Anker Soundcore 2 is a portable Bluetooth speaker that's battery-operated, so you can easily bring it with you outside. It even has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. However, like a lot of small speakers, it struggles to reproduce low-bass, and it doesn't get very loud. It doesn't offer any sound customization features, either. However, its 15-hour battery life is ideal for long listening sessions.
Our Verdict
The Anker Soundcore 2 is disappointing for music. This speaker struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you don't feel the thump in bass-heavy genres. Vocals and lead instruments are present in the mix, but higher-frequency sounds like the upper harmonics of vocals can be dull or dark. It doesn't get very loud, and there's some compression when you play it at max volume. There aren't any sound customization features.
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Supports stereo content.
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Doesn't get very loud.
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No sound customization features.
The Anker Soundcore 2 is inadequate for videos and movies. It struggles to produce low-bass, so you don't feel the deep thump in action-packed scenes. Dialogue should be clear, but higher frequencies may be dull or veiled. While it can play stereo content, its soundstage is narrow and not very immersive. Also, it doesn't get very loud, and there's compression when you play it at max volume. Its latency with iOS and Android devices is pretty low, which is nice.
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Supports stereo content.
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Doesn't get very loud.
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Poor directivity for soundstage.
The Anker Soundcore 2 is alright for podcasts. It has a balanced mid-range, so vocals are clear and present, but they can also sound a bit veiled due to the underemphasized treble range. It doesn't get very loud, and there's some compression present at max volume. However, its portable design makes it easy to bring your speaker along with you.
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Portable design.
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Doesn't get very loud.
The Anker Soundcore 2 is poor for voice assistant. As part of our methodology, we use recorded voice commands to activate the speaker. However, the speaker didn't respond to these commands in our testing. While it responds to commands in a normal speaking voice, this isn't part of our testing process.
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Doesn't get very loud.
The Anker Soundcore 2 is okay for outdoor use. It's well-built, and its 15-hour battery life should last for long days on-the-go. It also has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Since it's battery-powered, you don't have to worry about plugging it into an outlet to use it. However, it doesn't get very loud, and there's some compression at max volume.
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Portable design.
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Doesn't get very loud.
- 5.4 Music
- 5.1 Videos/Movies
- 6.6 Podcasts
- 3.3 Voice Assistant
- 6.6 Outdoors
- Updated May 08, 2024: We've added a comparison between this speaker and the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 in Portability.
- Updated Jan 22, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Jan 19, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Jan 11, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jan 07, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Anker Soundcore 2 comes in 'Black', 'Red', and 'Blue'. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect the other color variants to perform similarly. We also tested the Upgraded version of this speaker. Unlike the previous model, it supports True Wireless Stereo (TWS), so you can pair two Upgraded Soundcore 2 speakers together to create a stereo pair.
If you come across another version, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is a small speaker that you can bring outdoors. It has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Like many small speakers, it struggles to reproduce low-bass, and it doesn't have any sound customization features. Also, its soundstage has poor directivity, resulting in a narrow and directional soundstage that isn't very immersive.
The OontZ Angle 3 and the Anker Soundcore 2 are similarly-performing speakers, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The Anker supports voice assistants from your paired smartphone, but it doesn't have the best performance. Its sound profile is better-balanced, though both speakers struggle to produce low-bass. However, the Oontz can get louder, and it has less compression at max volume.
The JBL Flip 5 is a better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 2. The JBL has a more neutral, balanced sound profile, and it also comes with a companion app that makes it easy to pair it with another speaker. However, the Anker supports voice assistants, and it has a longer battery life.
The Anker Soundcore 3 is a better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 2 overall. The Soundcore 3 can produce a more extended low bass than the Soundcore 2, and its companion app comes with a graphic EQ and presets you can use to customize the speaker's sound to your liking. Though the speakers can't get very loud, the Soundcore 3 has fewer compression artifacts at max volume. That said, the Soundcore 2 is better built and comes with an AUX input, unlike the Soundcore 3.
The JBL Go 3 and the Anker Soundcore 2 are very similarly-performing speakers, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The JBL is better built, and while it doesn't get as loud as the Anker, it has less compression at max volume. The Anker, meanwhile, supports voice assistants from your phone, and it has a longer battery life.
The Anker Soundcore 2 is a better speaker than the OontZ Angle 3 ULTRA. The Anker feels better-built, has a better-balanced sound profile, and charges up in less time. It also has lower latency on Android devices, although some apps and devices compensate for this differently. However, the OontZ can get louder with fewer compression artifacts, and it has a companion app with bass and treble sliders to help customize its sound.
The JBL Clip 4 is better for most uses than the Anker Soundcore 2. Both speakers struggle to reproduce low-bass, but the JBL has a more extended low-bass than the Anker. Also, the JBL has a better soundstage. However, the Anker has a longer battery life and supports voice assistants from your smartphone. It can also play stereo content, unlike the JBL, which has to downmix this audio into mono.
The Sony SRS-XB13 is a better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 2. The Sony offers a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass than that of the Anker, and its soundstage is perceived as wider and more open. It's also better-built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, certifying it to be fully dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. That said, the Anker can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, which is more immersive. It can also get louder and has a longer-lasting battery life of up to 15 hours from a single charge. That said, battery life can vary depending on your usage, and your experience may differ.
The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is a better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 2. The Motion+ has a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a deeper bass than that of the Soundcore 2. It can also get louder, and is more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ and presets you can use to adjust its sound to your liking. However, the Soundcore 2 is smaller and more portable than the Motion+.
The Anker Soundcore Flare 2 is a better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 2 overall. WIth its Default EQ and BassUp feature enabled, The Flare 2 has a somewhat better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass than that of the Soundcore 2. Thanks to its 360-degree design, it has better directivity, resulting in a wider and more open-sounding soundstage. It's also more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ and presets featured in its companion app. That said, the Soundcore 2 has less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes.
The Anker Soundcore Motion Boom is a better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 2. With its BassUp feature enabled, the Boom can produce a more extended low-bass. You can tweak its sound profile to your liking, thanks to the graphic EQ and presets featured in its companion app. It can also get louder. That said, the Soundcore 2 is smaller, making it more portable.
The Bose SoundLink Micro is better than the Anker Soundcore 2. While both speakers struggle to produce low bass, the Bose's low-bass is more extended. It also has a better soundstage, a longer battery life, and a better voice assistant performance. However, it downmixes stereo content into mono, which doesn't sound as immersive. The Anker can play stereo content.
The Anker Soundcore 2 and the DOSS SoundBox Plus are very similar speakers, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The DOSS performs better with voice assistants, though neither speaker has a very impressive voice assistant performance. Also, it has less compression when played at max volume. However, the Anker is better-built, and its battery life is longer.
The Sony SRS-XB12 is a better speaker than the Anker Soundcore 2. The Sony is better-built, has a more neutral sound profile, and its soundstage seems wider. It also has lower audio latency on Android and iOS. However, the Anker has a slightly better battery performance.
Test Results
The Anker Soundcore 2 is a pretty small speaker with a rectangular shape. There's a metal grille on the front side with the Anker logo, while a rubberized material surrounds the other sides of the speaker. On top of the speaker are the control buttons and two small lights next to the Power and Bluetooth buttons. This speaker also comes in several different colors.
This speaker is incredibly portable. It's small and lightweight, so you can easily carry it in one hand. Also, since it's battery-powered, you can take it outdoors without having to worry about plugging it into an outlet. It lacks a dedicated carrying handle, like the Anker Soundcore Boom 2, but it's small enough that it'll fit in all but the smallest hands.
The Anker Soundcore 2 has a good build quality. The metal grille helps protect the drivers, and the rubberized material on the other sides of the speaker feels durable. While the material is prone to collecting fingerprints when you touch it, you can easily wipe it clean. It also has an IPX7 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. While it lacks a rating for impact resistance, the manual says that you should be careful not to drop it.
The controls are decent. On top of the speaker, there are buttons to turn the speaker on/off, adjust the volume, play/pause your audio, and activate Bluetooth pairing. You can double-press the play button to skip to the next track, but you can't skip to the previous track. You can hold the play button to activate the voice assistant. Also, you can press play to answer a call and hold the play button to end a call.
The Anker Soundcore 2 has disappointing frequency response accuracy. Just like many small speakers, like the Sony SRS-XB12, this speaker struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you don't feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy music. Vocals and lead instruments are clear and present in the mid-range. However, the upper harmonics of vocals and lead instruments are veiled, while sibilants like S and T sounds are dull. For a similar speaker with a customizable sound profile, check out the Anker Soundcore 3.
The soundstage is passable. This speaker can play stereo content, but its directivity is poor. As a result, its soundstage is perceived as narrow and directional rather than open and spacious. If you're looking for a small speaker with a better directivity performance, consider the JBL Clip 4.
The Anker Soundcore 2 has acceptable dynamics. It doesn't get very loud, and there are some compression artifacts when you play it at max volume. It may not be ideal to use at parties or in large rooms. For a speaker that has a more clear and pure audio reproduction at max volume, check out the DOSS SoundBox Plus.
The Anker Soundcore 2 has an amazing battery performance. It lasts for about fifteen hours off of a single charge, which is fantastic. The manufacturer advertises a battery life of 24 hours, but battery life can vary depending on usage, so your experience can differ. The speaker also turns off after about twenty minutes without audio, which can help conserve its battery life.
This speaker has terrible voice assistant support. It uses your smartphone's voice assistant, but it doesn't have any built-in support. Also, as part of our methodology, we use recorded voice commands to activate the speaker. However, this speaker doesn't really register these commands, even in settings without any ambient noise, and it doesn't respond. It can register commands from a normal speaking voice, but this isn't part of our testing process.
This speaker doesn't have a companion app. However, the updated version of this speaker has built-in True Wireless Stereo technology, which the manufacturer claims can be used to connect up to two Soundcore 2 speakers together using Bluetooth.
The Anker Soundcore 2 has an AUX port, which you can use to wire your smartphone to the speaker to play audio.
The Anker Soundcore 2 has good Bluetooth connectivity. You can only pair it with one device at a time, which can be a bit limiting. However, its latency with Android and iOS devices is low enough to be suitable for watching videos and movies. That said, some apps compensate for latency differently, so your real-world experience can vary. If you're looking for a speaker that can be paired with up to two devices at the same time, consider the JBL Flip 5.