SoundMagic P60BT Review
Mixed results from SoundMagic's first ANC headphones
Verdict
A mixed result from SoundMagic’s first attempt at ANC over-ears with parts both good (battery life, comfort, and wireless performance) and underwhelming (noise-cancelling). And though the P60BT’s sound quality is enjoyable, it’s complicated by its ANC tuning and lack of bass depth.
Pros
- Good comfort
- Excellent wireless performance
- Good audio (for the most part)
- Long battery life
Cons
- ANC struggles with loud noises
- Lack of bass depth
- ANC tuning sharpens overall sound
Key Features
- Battery lifeUp to 50 hours on a single charge
- BluetoothStream in SBC, AAC, aptX Low Latency, and aptX HD
- ANCBlock out sounds with hybrid noise-cancelling system
Introduction
There hasn’t been much news from SoundMagic recently, but the last product I reviewed from the brand was an excellent pair of on-ears. So I’m hoping its first pair of ANC over-ears – the P60BT – reap similar results.
Recently the budget headphone market has been inundated with noise-cancelling over-ears, and it’s not just smaller brands like SoundMagic looking to make hay, with Sony tapping into this market too with its WH-CH720N.
The field is strong but given SoundMagic’s expertise in this area you wouldn’t bet against it on delivering a quality pair of headphones.
Design
- Good comfort levels
- Loose clamping force
- Touch pad for controls
Aesthetically, the SoundMagic P60BT ANC aren’t headphones that garner much attention. The all black colourway is decidedly unflashy, and the construction of the frame is plastic – but it’s only when I flex the headband that I hear any creaks. That’s acceptable enough for me.
Compared to a Monoprice Dual Driver headphone I was testing at the same time, the P60BT’s frame felt lighter (311g) but the clamping force wasn’t as tight. That had a knock-on effect on its passive noise-isolating abilities – how it blocks sound through the design itself – as the seal between my head and the earpads was looser.
The upside is that comfort is good. The P60BT gently pressures against the head, the rubberized headband and the cushy earpads provide soft points of contact. Though a little wiggle of the head and the SoundMagic shifts a little. They don’t feel glued to my head.
The design is collapsible for folding and can be stowed away in the massive carry case. The case takes up too much space, though it comes with a handle for carrying.
There’s only one button on the right earcup, and that covers both power and noise-cancelling modes. The rest of the controls are on the touch pad and govern playback with taps and swipes for volume (up and down), track skipping (side to side) and voice assistance (three taps), all of which are very responsive when called upon.
The strange aspect of the touch pad is the weird sound effect that accompanies any action. It’s the kind of effect you’d have heard in a side-scrolling action game whenever your character died.
Otherwise, there’s a USB-C input for charging, a 3.5mm jack for wired listening and the left earpad surface is the NFC identification zone.
Features
- Lacklustre ANC
- Long battery life
- Excellent wireless performance
Connect the SoundMagic P60BT to your mobile device of choice and you’ll have access to any one of SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX-HD streaming codecs. The latter two are only available to Android users, and aptX-HD allows for Hi-Res Audio streams – though in the less detailed lossy rather than lossless form.
The wireless connection has been excellent throughout testing, with nary a hint of a dropout even walking through busy thoroughfares such as Waterloo and Victoria stations.
Call quality is solid – fine in quiet areas and while in busier areas it does let outside sounds in but not to the detriment of voice pickup and clarity. The default volume for calls is low, however, and needs turning up, while there were times when I could hear myself with a slight delay.
The battery life is long. With a Spotify playlist playing at around 50% of the headphones’ volume, the SoundMagic P60BT only went down by 10% in six hours. That was with noise-cancelling off, but nevertheless, that’s long battery life.
The P60BT’s noise-cancelling is not as strong though. It never rises above decent; the hybrid ANC system struggles when stressed by loud noises. Its performance is beaten by the Monoprice Dual Driver headphones, which are half the price.
Part of its struggles is the lack of tight clamping force I mentioned in the ‘design’ section but also its focus on eliminating low frequencies, leaving the wearer exposed to other higher frequency sounds. It can nullify ambient, environmental sounds easily enough, but on the London Underground it really struggled to cancel out tunnel noise, emitting an odd bleeping noise when noise got very loud.
All the bumps you hear on public transport are ironed out, but the more persistent sounds remain. They’re quieter, it’s true, but they’re a part of your daily soundtrack; so it’s a good thing the SoundMagic P60BT’s volume is pitched loud enough that they can be covered up. One other note about the ANC is that the headphones power up in ‘Normal’ (or passive) mode. ANC must be manually switched on, which could be annoying for the forgetful types out there.
There’s an Ambient sound mode and its integration is fine, expanding the scope of what’s around you, clear enough to pick up the small details but still a little noisy. Switching to this mode alters the tone of music somewhat – the ANC mode is clearer and more defined, but that’s no surprise.
Sound Quality
- Crisp, sharp tone with ANC enabled
- Wide soundstage
- Modest bass performance
There’s also a slight difference in tone between ‘Normal’ mode and ‘Noise-cancelling’. The latter is more energetic and crisper, and that influences the midrange (which is pushed forward) and upper frequencies (which are brighter).
Regardless of mode, P60BT’s bass performance has issues. Listening to the Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams, it lacks a driving force to the bass, and it’s the same for TNGHT’s Higher Ground or Katy B’s Katy on a Mission. The SoundMagic is modest in describing low frequencies, so if you’re after more punch and expression, or listen to a lot of Dance/Electronic music, you’d be better served elsewhere.
The midrange has a sparse, lean tone to its delivery with ANC on, less natural-sounding than in its Normal mode. Phil Collins’ vocals in You Can’t Hurry Love lacks a little weight, as does Nina Persson’s in The Cardigan’s Lovefool – the P60BT goes for a trim, crisp performance in ANC and it mostly avoids sounding sibilant, though voices don’t always carry the same degree of expression or dynamism as they do in Normal mode, sounding a little flatter.
Nevertheless, on a broader scale the P60BT entertain. No Doubt’s Don’t Speak is given an entertaining rendition, with good levels of detail, sharpness, and clarity provided to the track’s percussion, cello, and guitars. It’s with tracks like this where the crispness of the headphones’ ANC tuning can work in its favour, picking out a sharper sense of detail in the guitar plucks and cymbal crashes. Energy and dynamism are well conveyed too – I’d be surprised if you listened to this track and didn’t start tapping your toes.
Head further up the frequency range and the P60BT’s handle on treble notes is best described as sharp. I’d wager some may find the performance fatiguing, and there is a fleeting coarseness that emerges time-to-time with ANC on. Normal mode is more natural-sounding, though even in its ANC mode I enjoyed the detail and clarity the P60BT dug out from Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles or Shuggie Otis’ Strawberry Letter 23.
There’s a brightness, variation, and energy to the treble that’s a step up from the similarly priced Soundcore Space One, and it feeds into the SoundMagic’s greater sense of energy, flow, and excitement.
This is by no means a flawless budget listen, but when the parts come together, the SoundMagic P60BT’s audio performance is more adept than other affordable headphones.
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Should you buy it?
If you’re after good sound
The SoundMagic P60BT presents detailed, energetic sound for the money, though the ANC tuning does sharpen and flatten in ways that some may like, and others may not.
You after a strong bass performance
The P60BT’s bass performance is fine, but bass heavy tracks expose its lack of depth. If you enjoy big bass, best look elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
The SoundMagic P60BT is the definition of a mixed bag. The headphones can sound very good at times, and though the noise-cancelling can sharpen and flatten that sound when engaged, I would still say it’s better than other similarly priced efforts. Battery life and the wireless performance are very good, though I’m left more cautious about the noise-cancelling, which isn’t the strongest, as well as the lack of bass depth.
The likes of the Sony WH-CH720N and the Soundcore Space One have upended and altered expectations in the affordable ANC market, and even the 1More Sonoflow with its similar specs is cheaper than these headphones.
For the £129.99 RRP, file the SoundMagic P60BT under not quite good enough to earn a whole-hearted endorsement from me, but if you find them closer to £100, they’re worth a punt.
How we test
We test every set of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Tested across several weeks
Battery drain test
Tested with real world use
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FAQs
You can stream in SBC, AAC, and aptX-HD, as well as aptX Low Latency, which is designed to improve sync between audio and video.
Full specs
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
