SoundMagic P60BT ANC review: Is this a Sony killer?

Does the SoundMagic P60BT ANC have it in them to compete with the Sony WH-1000XM5s or Bose QuietComfort Ultra? We find out.

SoundMagic is a brand known for its audio accessories like earbuds and headphones. The P60BT ANC is its first ever full-sized over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones.

Give a glance at the SoundMagic P60BT ANC, and they might remind you of some of Sony’s highest-end Bluetooth headphones. However, design is not the most important thing when it comes to choosing a new set of cans. They must deliver on audio, battery performance, and other features based on their retail price.

I’ve been testing the SoundMagic P60BT ANC for weeks, and this budget headset is an option you should reach for before heading to the premium brands.

Key specs

• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm jack
• Drivers: 40mm dynamic Neodymium
• Frequency response: 10Hz – 20 kHz
• Weight: 311g
• Compatibility: BlueTooth and 43.5mm analogue jack
• Features: Detachable mic, 50 hrs of backup, aptX, aptX HD, AAC, SBC support
• Price: $189

Design

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The SoundMagic P60BT ANC comes in a black colorway. Since this is the company’s first attempt at making such a headphone, it might have opted for a standard colorway that works for most people, though it would have been nice to offer up more colors.

However, what we can’t forgive is the glossy plastic finish, which turns the device into a fingerprint magnet, and the smudges don’t look good if you touch them with oily or sweaty fingers.

That said, the P60BT might remind you of headphones from Skullcandy or the Sony WH-1000XM4s. The earcups are large and, with the soft leatherette comfortably cushioning my ears.

The memory foam in these ear cushions does a great job, and you don’t feel the weight of the headphones crushing down on your ears. The headband also has a soft silicone covering for comfortable head support, and it also gives the headphones a dual-tone design with its matte black finish.

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The right earcup houses the power button, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an LED light indicator, and the USB C charging port. The power button helps you turn ANC on or off when required. Interestingly, the LED indicator for charging is not located next to the charging port and instead is placed between the power button and the headphone jack.

The right earcup has a sizable touch-sensitive area to control the tracks or volume. A single tap on the touchpad can pause the music of a video while a swipe up increases the volume, and a swipe down can reduce it. Though it takes some time to get used to the gestures, I feel this is a wise choice compared to adding many physical buttons, which I’d keep fiddling with. However, this could be subjective.

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The left earcup lacks buttons but has an NFC logo suggesting where to tap to pair your NFC-powered smartphone for easy and quick pairing.

The SoundMagic P60BT ANC has a foldable design, which makes it a travel-friendly gadget. However, the large carry case houses the headphones in an unfolded position, thus undermining the foldable design.

Features

The SoundMagic P60BT ANC is compatible with SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX-HD streaming codecs, depending on the device you pair your headphones with. While the headphones rely on Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity, it doesn’t support multi-device pairing. This is a significant omission for a lifestyle headphone aiming to compete with flagship devices.

The call quality on these headphones is merely okay. While some people reported that my audio was pretty crisp and clear, some suggested that it was a bit muffled, and at times, I could hear myself while on calls.

SoundMagic bundles a boom mic with the headphones, which can be extremely helpful if you want to use the headphones while playing games. Using this wired mic improves the sound quality considerably and is a must-have accessory if you’re going to use it as a gaming headphone, but be warned that it doesn’t carry a 2.4Ghz dongle for a lag-free experience.

Noise cancelation and sound

Like any ANC headphones, it comes with three modes: Normal, ANC, and Ambient. The P60BT does a more than decent job with ANC, while the Ambient mode lets you communicate with people around you without needing to take off the headset.

The headphone cancels out a lot of external noise. I used the headphones during a recent train trip, and while you could mute most unwanted sounds with just a click of a button, some persistent sounds of a fan nearby remained.

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I’ve also been using headphones regularly during my work day as I sit close to a window that opens in a busy street. The ANC helps me focus better by canceling all the traffic noise and the hum of my air-conditioning unit. However, a street vendor or someone talking loudly can be easily heard.

The sound quality, again, is subjective; the SoundMagic P60BT does a more than decent job while streaming music. I listened to Jacob Collier’s Hideaway and could clearly distinguish between the sounds of every instrument. Listening to music with ANC mode turned on made the music appear a bit brighter.

I heard several other songs and generally felt that the headphones could be slightly more punchy, but the voice felt natural and clear. The overall sound quality of these headphones is pretty good and detailed.  The treble on these cans is not over the top and is something you’d relate to Bluetooth headphones in this price range.

Battery

The SoundMagic P60BT ANC is rated to offer a solid 50 hours of battery life on a single charge. You can expect up to 45 hours of listening time if you use ANC. The fast charging on these headphones is just icing on the cake, and a quick 10 minutes of charge was enough to give me over an hour’s worth of juice.

Should you buy it?

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The SoundMagic P60BT is an efficient wireless headphone that doesn’t come with any fancy design or features but does whatever is advised. Its ANC performance can be ranked among the best few, while the audio performance might please more than a few.

So, if you’re looking for portable, no-nonsense wireless ANC headphones that do not require frequent charging and can efficiently cancel out unwanted noise for under $200, then SoundMagic P60BT is the perfect buy.

Verdict: 3/5

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The SoundMagic P60BT is an excellent package with many features that work as advised. It offers a long battery life, balanced sound, and decent ANC, but it has quirks. The headphones are not compatible with multi-point connectivity, nor have an app to tweak the settings or audio output.

If you can live with these limitations, then the SoundMagic P60BT is a great buy, but if you’re looking for a no-compromise headphone, there are better options out there.

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