I’ve had the Anker Soundcore Arc for over a week now and I can say that I am fairly impressed. I’ve used the “winged” design before with other Bluetooth headphones and I do enjoy having the freedom to bend and shape the “wing” (part that goes behind your ear). I find these comfortable and quite functional, although I do seem to prefer the design that locks into the ridges inside of my ear better. These just feel a little more bulky, but it’s truly a matter of personal preference. You’re given the normal array of tips and different size pieces that allow for a personalized fit. In fact, it seems that is one of the main purposes of the Soundcore Arc; to give you a highly personalized fit that is fully customized to your desired fit.
In my pictures you’ll see all of the adjustable pieces and I demonstrate to the degree that the wings can be bent. They hold their shape very well. The metal rod that is in the wing extends a little over halfway through the rubber which allows for the rubber to have reduced pressure on the back of the ear. Think of glasses that are adjustable, but have about a half an inch of rubberized nonadjustable material on the very end of the legs.
These sound as typical Anker earbuds sound. They have very good noise isolation and have a solid bass profile. I wouldn’t say that these are the most balanced soundstage, but for active use where someone would be looking earbuds that have a solid fit and that are water-resistant; the soundstage is fairly well-balanced. I don’t find that many runners, or crossfit users complain about bass-forward sound, or missing subtle sounds when actively moving. That being said, I also do not want to give the impression that these disappoint with their sound. But those looking for $150+ sound out of these might be somewhat disappointed. However, these will not disappoint otherwise in this area.
I find that the battery lasts right around the 10-11 hour mark. I used these multiple times, but never for 10 hours straight, so with constant use; the battery time may not be quite 10-11 hours. These have the typical Anker sound volume/track skip buttons, and charging port that is on this module. Calls that came through were clear and the persons on the other end had no difficulty hearing me clearly as well.
Overall, I’m very happy with these, but I think I just prefer the designs that don’t go behind your ear. One word of caution; while you can adjust these in many ways, I would caution with adjusting them in an overly tight manner behind your ears if you are doing rigorous activities such as running or repetitive motions. With non-adjustable wings, they have a bit more flexibility that allows for less rubbing on your ears. These feel good being tightly attached, but just be aware that you may want to adjust them somewhat during activities to prevent any rubbing or reduced comfort if wearing for long periods of time. This is not a deal breaker in anyway! I recommend these and believe their unique ability to adjust, is an amazing feature!