TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
4.5 STARS - The Soundcore Spirit Dot may have sport-wings and IPX7 waterproof rating ideal for sports and working out, but it's the incredibly uplifting bass you'll keep coming back for.
Specs of the Anker Soundcore Spirit Dot 2:
Bluetooth 5.0
IP7 waterproof rating (heavy rain and sweat resistant)
5,5 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 4 sizes ear tips, 3 sizes sport-wings and USB-C cable
$80 on Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other Amazon stores - check price!
Below this Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 review you will find reviews of the Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 vs Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, Soundcore Liberty Air 2, Mpow X3, Whizzer B6/ Mezone B6, Samsung Galaxy Buds and Fiil T1X.
Update Januari 2021: As the quality of new TWS wireless earbuds keeps improving and there are more and more great models on the market, the overall score for this model has been adjusted from 5 to 4.5 stars
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Design, comfort and battery life
The Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 has a relatively big charging case with a lid you can slide open. Three bright LED-lights indicate the battery status of the case. You power it with USB-C, and a full case can recharge the earpieces nearly three times before needing a recharge itself. Just like previous Soundcore products, the port is covered by a lid - it's not too bad to leave this case outside in the rain. It is prone to fingerprints, however.
Slide the case open, and you can see the earbuds lying in deep. Something fun about it: you can almost throw the earbuds in the case, and they will still cling on to the charging dots. Unfortunately, when you move the case a bit, the earpieces can have some trouble disconnecting from your smartphone. There is plenty of room for different sized ear tips and sport-wings.
The Spirit Dot 2 is a sports-oriented wireless earphone and comes with three sizes of rubber sport-wings you can wrap around the middle part of the earphone. The earpieces themselves are quite compact, and due to their round shape, they should fit fine and comfortable in most ears.
The medium and large wings make the earpieces large, however, and while they grant a super-tight fit for running and working out, you may need to adjust to the size of them in your ears. The rubbers aren't as flexible as on the Mpow M30, for example.
The Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 earpieces offer 5,5 hours playtime on a full charge. On top, a 10-minute quick charge will give you another hour of listening time. Those aren't very special scores for this price, but it's plenty of power for longer running sessions - or commuting. The IPX7 sweatproof and waterproof rating will protect the buds along the way.
Connectivity and controls
The touch controls are the biggest flaw of the Spirit Dot 2. They respond fine, but there's a lack of functions you can control. Tap twice on the right bud to play or pause the music, tap twice on the left bud to skip to the next song. Along with a long-press to activate the voice assistant on your phone, that's the only controls you get.
There's no way to change the volume on the earpieces, which is a disappointment, especially when working out, as the volume rockers of your phone may often be out of reach.
Unlike more expensive models like the Liberty 2 Pro and Liberty Air 2, this model isn't supported by the Soundcore-app. It's therefore not possible to change the controls.
Connectivity on the Spirit Dot 2 is stellar. The Bluetooth connection of the Spirit Dot holds up to ten meters, even with thin walls in between. It also easy to switch between mono and stereo mode. You can recharge one earpiece while listening to the other, and then instantly turn back to stereo. Your earphone will always tell you the battery status before listening - in English.
Calling and watching movies
Video playback on the Spirit Dot 2 is flawless on Android, where audio goes lipsync with videos. On iPhone, there is a minimal but noticeable delay of the sound compared to what you see.
Playing games also goes with a noticeable delay of sound effects, which is the case on almost all wireless earbuds.
You can take a phone call in quieter surroundings with the Spirit Dot 2, but calling outside or in crowded places isn't a specialty of this model. Outside, the person you're talking too will get some bright, undefinable sounds - the effect of the Spirit Dot 2 trying to reduce nearby traffic, wind noise, and other sounds around you. Voices around you also interfere with your own during calls.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $100
Sound quality of Soundcore Spirit Dot 2
The sound on the Soundscore Spirit Dot 2 is something else. Never before has a bass been this uplifting on affordable wireless earbuds.
Normally, it's best to ignore marketing statements on product descriptions or packages. The amount of generic wireless earphones with '8D stereo sound', 'IPX8 waterproof', '90 hours battery life'... it just doesn't stop. So when you see a symbol on the Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 packaging that states 'Bass up': laugh at it a little. Right?
Well, not really.
The bass on the Spirit Dot 2 is strong. STRONG - in the best way possible. It fires rapidly, with a striking mid-bass punch that pumps in your ears, with intertwined rumbles coming from the sub-bass, and a solid amount of depth thrown in. Yet, it doesn't pulsate annoyingly or become mud in your ears. This bass doesn't drag on; it moves on. Dance, techno, pop, and hip-hop sound incredibly engaging. While it can still be a bit smooth and laid back on lower volumes, it starts to attack when you turn it up. On a personal note:
I've had times I felt my heartbeat increase because of how much the bass of the Spirit Dot 2 swept me up - it's that quick and fierce.
What's more, is that the bass keeps its power and depth in more crowded musical parts. It keeps pushing; it keeps on being there without giving in to the other frequencies one bit. If you're listening to a genre without a natural bass - like a singer-songwriter song, a classical piece, or a jazz track; the Spirit Dot 2 upgrades the first rhythm it can find into an addictive thump. 'Bass up'? It's easy to see where it comes from.
Happily, the other frequencies are well represented too. Upper-mids and highs are forward, with higher-pitched male and female vocals sounding clear and taking center stage. Instruments like guitars, pianos and violins, and lower-mids like drums, male vocals, and darker electronic tones, enjoy plenty of presence.
In easier compositions, instruments can simply sound fantastic - reaching lows without sounding too dark, hitting highs without sounding harsh. You may hear nuances in audiophile songs which are hard to find elsewhere. There's a sweet amount of detail.
Whereas previous Soundcores like the Liberty 2 Pro or Liberty Air 2 could show a little hiss when playing more intense upper-mids and highs, this effect has been stripped from the Spirit Dot 2. The app-support may be missing on this cheaper Soundcore, but the out-of-the-box sound is genuinely better.
Not all is perfect. While you can easily place instruments around you and separation is excellent, including small details in the music, the soundstage isn't very wide or deep. While the music sounds airy, the soundstage can become a little full in more crowded songs.
What you get in return, however, is maximum detail from all the instruments and sounds around you. There's little to complain here.
The 'bass up' character may not give the Spirit Dot 2 a very natural sound - but it's an easy tradeoff for this much energy. An outstanding performance you want to keep on listening to.
Spirit Dot 2 comparisons
Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 vs Fiil T1X
A battle between titans - two of the best best-sounding wireless earbuds under $100. The Spirit Dot 2 has a more authoritative bass than the T1X; it strikes harder and keeps its power in the fullest songs. While instrument placement is outstanding on both earbuds, the T1X has a slightly bigger soundstage. The T1X isn't a bright sounding earphone, but the Soundcore controls its upper-mids and highs better, making it easier to listen without losing detail in the higher frequencies. Individual vocals and instruments can even sound more dynamic on the Spirit Dot 2 - yet the T1X still wins on instrumental texture and tonality, thanks to its emphasis on center-mids.
Simplified: the T1X is still the most sophisticated choice for more acoustic genres - or jazz, classical pieces, blues or soul. With its highly uplifting lows, the Spirit Dot 2 takes the crown for pop, dance, and electronics.
Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 vs Liberty 2 Pro
The Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro is more expensive than the Spirit Dot 2. It has a sleeker case, more beautifully crafted (although protruding) earpieces, and enjoys support from the wonderful Soundcore-app. On practical aspects like battery life and call quality, it's easier to recommend Soundcore's more expensive model.
However: the Spirit Dot 2 sounds better. It has a more refined, in no way nauseous bass, delivers more detail in the mids, and doesn't have that blanket-of-hiss both the Liberty 2 Pro (and also the Liberty Air 2) put over the higher frequencies. The Spirit Dot 2 sounds airier, more detailed, and more engaging than the Liberty 2 Pro, and more controlled and energizing than the Liberty Air 2.
Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 vs Mpow X3
If you're looking for the most energizing sound for this money, the active noise canceling Mpow X3 is another great option. It has better call quality, and its sticky rubber ear-tips make it suitable even for working out. The Mpow X3 elevates upper-mids and highs further, giving them a brighter sound character, especially since it doesn't have the same presence in the lower-mids as the Spirit Dot 2. The Soundcore bass is heavier and more full-bodied than the X3's, but the Mpow sub-bass can go deeper. The Mpow X3 sounds airier; the Spirit Dot 2 has better mid-representation, ultimately creating a more engaging sound.
Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 vs Mpow M30
Costing around $40, the Mpow M30 wireless sports earbuds are only half the price of the Spirit Dot 2. The Mpow comes with more pleasant sport-wings, which are more compact and flexible, making a tight fit but still feeling more comfortable than the Soundcore alternatives. The M30 has a thinner bass and more extended highs, making it sound noticeably brighter than the Spirit Dot 2 - which throws in a stronger bass, juicier lower-mids and more detail in the mids. Sports-comfort wise, the Mpow M30 may be a better choice - sound-quality wise, the tables are turned.
Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 vs Whizzer/ Mezone B6
The previous $100 bass king TWS is dead, all hail the new bass king. The Whizzer B6 or Mezone B6 bass still has a lovely fierce punch, a pumping bass that makes any song sound like a dance track. Yet the Soundcore bass is tighter - less boomy, and other musical aspects are more refined. Whereas the B6 has solid left-right separation, the Spirit Dot 2 more of a soundstage and more precise instrument placement. Both male and female vocals also sound less nasal on the Soundcore.
Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds
If you're mainly browsing premium brands and prices for your wireless earphones, it's good to know the Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 punches way above its price point. Compared to the Samsung Galaxy Buds, the Soundcore has a tighter bass, a bigger soundstage, and more precise instrument placement than Samsung's left-right stereo separation. While mid-tones and vocals in easier going songs may pop more on the ‘Gbuds’, the Spirit Dot 2 offers a more dynamic and engaging sound.
Verdict
The Soundcore Spirit Dot may have sport-wings and IPX7 waterproof rating ideal for sports and working out, but it's the incredibly uplifting bass you'll keep coming back for.
4.5 stars - Great
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I bought the Anker Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 to test and review myself. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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