Anker Soundcore Motion+ Bluetooth Loudspeaker with Hi-Res, aptX and 30 Watt for $99.99

With the Anker Soundcore Motion+, the Chinese manufacturer is finally catapulting itself to the top of the Bluetooth loudspeaker manufacturers from China and is beginning to really annoy even established manufacturers. With 30 watts of power, Hi-Res certification, aptX, USB-C and IPX7, the speaker offers a lot of useful extras.

• Anker Soundcore Motion+
  • at Amazon for $99.99

Technical data

Packaging and scope of delivery

While the focus of the Anker Soundcore Boost and Pro+ was still on the “Anker” brand, this has changed with the current loudspeakers. The Chinese company now seems to be focusing on establishing the “Soundcore” brand as an independent brand for audio gadgets.

The Anker logo can now only be found in one place on the cardboard box and can be found below the Soundcore logo in the same font size. It seems likely that Anker as a brand name will disappear completely with the following generations of loudspeakers. In terms of colour, however, the packaging remains Anker/Soundcore-Blue.

The loudspeaker, which we received directly via Amazon, survived the transport undamaged. Inside the package you will find, besides the Motion+ itself, a user manual, a USB-C charging cable and an AUX cable. A power supply is unfortunately not included in the accessories.

Design and workmanship

The Anker Soundcore Motion+ measures 257 x 79 x 81 cm and is therefore larger than the Tribit MAXSound Plus, but still not as long as the JKR KR – 1000. With a weight of just over one kilo it is by far not a lightweight and therefore not the most portable speaker.

As is so often the case, the speaker is only available in black, and the complete front is equipped with a metal grille. The rest of the loudspeaker is made of a rubber-like plastic which gives the loudspeaker a good grip.

Compared to other loudspeakers, the metal grille is more coarse-meshed, so that the loudspeakers are clearly visible on the front. In the middle there is a passive radiator with the Soundcore logo. In addition there is the Soundcore lettering further down, which is attached to the metal grid. The loudspeaker has an inclination angle of 15°, which the manufacturer explains with a sound improvement, more about that later.

In my opinion, the Anker Soundcore Motion+ is processed at an absolute top level and has no material defects. The design may be a bit unspectacular, but some design elements (like the tilt angle) also have a functional component, which I like.

Sound of the Anker Soundcore Motion+

Inside the loudspeaker there are 2 x 5 Watt tweeters and 2 x 10 Watt midrange and bass drivers. In addition, there are two passive radiators, one in the middle of the front and the other in the middle of the rear of the loudspeaker.

I’ve been using the Anker Soundcore Motion+ for about a week now and have to say that I’m quite taken with Anker’s new Bluetooth speaker. The Chinese manufacturer promises a “Room-Filling Sound”, i.e. a room-filling sound and the loudspeaker actually has that.

This spatial sound is primarily created by the position of the tweeters, which are mounted on the far left and far right. They sit so far outside that they not only emit the sound to the front, but also slightly to the outside. This makes the sound appear “bigger” than the Bluetooth speaker itself is.

The tweeter of the Anker Soundcore Motion+ is the highest-resolution one of the speakers I have ever tested from China. Compared to JKR KR – 1000 or the Tribit MAXSound Plus, the sound is much more detailed. In the test, for example, I noticed this particularly in the drums, where snare drums and or hi-hats are reproduced in a much more differentiated way and do not disappear in the sound uniformity.

The stereo qualities of the compact loudspeaker are also remarkable. The tweeters, for example, make it possible to determine whether an instrument is to the right or left of the microphones in good orchestral recordings. With other Bluetooth loudspeakers in a similar format this is less differentiable.

In the midrange I find voices authentic with a resolution similar to that of the high frequencies. For my taste, the loudspeaker in the lower midrange could already produce somewhat more bass. However, the way the speaker is tuned gives a more realistic sound than what I personally like. There is also the possibility to individualize the sound via equalizer in the Soundcore app.

The bass is similar to the midrange, it seems authentic to me. The bass is clear and in sufficient form, but for my personal taste it could still be a bit more present. However, it is, as it is, differentiated and does not overlap the midrange, so that there is no blurring of the individual frequency ranges. A bit more bass can be achieved with the BassUP button, which I activated almost permanently in the test, or in the Soundcore Equalizer settings of the app.

All in all, as you can probably already hear, I’m a little fan of the Anker Soundcore Motion+ Bluetooth speaker. Unlike the JKR KR – 1000, it’s not out to simply combine the most present bass with the smallest possible Bluetooth loudspeaker, but has an authentic, differentiated and high-resolution sound right up to the frequency peaks, which no other Bluetooth loudspeaker from China has been able to achieve in this form so far.

Anker Soundcore Motion+ compared to the JBL Xtreme

As the name of the JBL brand loudspeaker already says, the loudspeaker is extreme. Especially in the bass range it is the reference for me if you just want to be mobile with a Bluetooth loudspeaker. Personally, I’ve been using the JBL Xtreme privately for a few years now, and because of my penchant for bass-heavy music, it seemed perfect for me and I’m still satisfied today!

The good piece cost me back then ~$250 and is today already replaced by the second generation. On the sound level the Xtreme 2 was slightly improved in the tweeter; but when I had the opportunity to compare the two, I didn’t notice any significant difference.

In the comparison between my JBL Xtreme and the Anker Soundcore Motion+, I noticed that the Anker speaker definitely produces a more spatial sound. As already mentioned, this is due to the slightly outward-facing tweeters. The tweeter is also more high-resolution overall and doesn’t fade as much due to less bass.

In the midrange, the loudspeakers are equally up to a certain point. However, the JBL Xtreme in the lower midrange is already much more bass-heavy due to its construction. Voices with the JBL Xtreme sound fuller and more powerful than with the Anker Soundcore Motion+. The question I asked myself: What sounds more authentic now? And I have to admit that with the Soundcore Motion+, voices simply sound more realistic.

Similarly, the JBL Xtreme is so booming in the low frequency range that details in the midrange and treble are simply lost. So the Anker Soundcore Motion+ is more restrained overall, has less ” boom “, but sounds much more differentiated and realistic. What you prefer now is up to you, but the Anker Soundcore Motion+ convinced me personally. Not least because it simply costs less than half as much as the JBL Xtreme 2.

Anker Soundcore Motion+ vs. DOSS SoundBox XL

When comparing the Doss SoundBox XL with the Soundcore Motion+, I noticed that the bass of the Doss Soundbox XL is slightly stronger. But this somewhat cheaper China loudspeaker doesn’t come close to the qualities of the tweeter and midrange in any way.

The Anker Soundcore Motion+ offers a more spatial and differentiated sound. The overall sound image of Anker’s loudspeakers also makes a more perfect impression on me and is simply rounder and more coherent overall.

Bluetooth range and connections

With Bluetooth 5, the Soundcore Motion+ is equipped with the latest Bluetooth standard. In the test, the connection between smartphone and loudspeaker remains stable at a distance of about 20 meters. In closed rooms it is as always a little less.

In the area of connections, Anker is unfortunately not quite as generous as Doss or Tronsmart, for example. While most Bluetooth loudspeakers from these manufacturers are also equipped with a Micro-SD slot, the Soundcore Motion+ does not have this.

All that remains is a 3.5 mm AUX connection and a USB type C charging connection. The fact that Anker has finally opted for the uniform USB-C standard for Bluetooth loudspeakers is not only a great pleasure for me, but also for Alex from the editorial team.

Operation

There are a total of five control buttons on the top of the speaker, plus the power button on the right. Because the top of the speaker is tilted backwards at an angle of 15°, the knobs are unfortunately not clearly visible from many positions. It’s no help that the buttons are not highlighted by the rest of the speaker.

While the multi-function button with the Soundcore logo is assigned several functions, the others are only equipped with one function.

Functions of the buttons

Operation via App

Like the Anker Soundcore Flare, the Anker Soundcore Motion+ is also integrated into the Soundcore app. It is available for both Android and iOS and offers some added value for the Bluetooth speaker.

The app can:

• individualize the equalizer
• Start/stop music
• Adjust volume
• Set sleep timers
• Update Firmeware
• Disconnect

The app is perfectly translated into many languages. All in all it’s a nice feature for firmware updates, equalizer settings and the sleep timer. But for the everyday use of the Motion+ Speaker you don’t need them.

Battery

Inside the Anker Soundcore Motion+ a 6700 mAh strong battery is installed. According to the manufacturer, this should be enough for about 12 hours of listening to music.

During the practical tests, the Bluetooth speaker lasted about 10.5 hours at a volume of 50-70 %, a solid value. The recharging process via USB-C charging cable then took about four hours. Of course, the charging speed depends on the respective power supply unit and could vary slightly.

Overall, I’m satisfied with the battery life. In case of hardship, you can make it through the day and in case of doubt, the speaker can of course also be recharged using the Powerbank.

IPX7 protection in a practical test

Although the protective grille on the front is completely water permeable, the loudspeaker is still equipped with an IPX7 rating. This means that the speaker is protected against the ingress of water during immersion.

In plain language means that splash water can’t harm him at all and even if he lands in the lake, pool or sea, that’s no problem. The Anker Soundcore Motion+ floats on the water surface and is just waiting to be rescued by you.

In the test we let the loudspeaker swim in a water bath for half an hour. He survived the challenge without any problems, dried off for a moment and he’s completely the same as before.

Conclusion

With the Soundcore Motion+, Anker has, in my opinion, finally risen to one of the top manufacturers of Bluetooth loudspeakers and can compete with manufacturers such as JBL, Bose or Sony. The Motion+ is absolutely flawlessly crafted and is in no way inferior to the speakers of other manufacturers.

In terms of sound quality, it is a bit more reserved in the bass range than the DOSS Soundbox XL or the JBL Xtreme, but it performs much better in the high and mid range. I am particularly impressed by the surround sound, the tonal differentiation and the stereo qualities of the Anker Soundcore Motion+.

A contemporary USB-C charging port, its own smartphone app and IPX7 certification underline once again that the Motion+ has everything you need to play with the big players.

In the end – as always – it all depends on your personal requirements for a Bluetooth loudspeaker. If, for example, you prefer bass-heavy music, like me, then it might even be that the DOSS Soundbox XL is the better choice for you. For my part, I don’t want to miss my JBL Xtreme.

But if you prefer acoustic music, pop, rock or even classical music, then the Anker Soundcore Motion+ is in my opinion the much better choice. Basically, it is more high-resolution in high and mid frequencies and simply delivers a more realistic sound. Meanwhile, DOSS/JBL’s bass-driven loudspeakers deliver more undefined ruckus. In terms of price, the Anker Soundcore Motion+ is no longer a real “no brainer”, but in terms of the price/performance ratio it convinced me, compared to the JBL speakers.