Bad news: most Americans are about to lose an hour of sleep next week. Good news: if you have trouble falling (or staying asleep), Newegg is currently selling Anker's Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds for $113.99 ($66 off) when you use coupon code MMSF88 at checkout, which drops them to just $6 shy of their lowest price to date.
A couple of us here at The Verge are fans of Anker's last-gen sleep buds, which do a good job of muffling disruptive noises (including snoring). They're lightweight and comfortable enough to wear overnight, even while sleeping on your side, with multiple ear tips and wings for a personalized fit. In fact, in his review, my colleague Thomas Ricker said that they improved his average sleep time by nearly 30 minutes within a two-week period.
What's even more convenient is that they offer a variety of sleep-focused features to help you rest better. For example, you can use them to play a range of relaxing sounds, from meditation exercises and nature clips to white noise. You can use them as a regular pair of Bluetooth earbuds, too, just in case you prefer to listen to audiobooks or your own curated sleep playlist. They even come with adjustable EQ as well, though we wouldn't recommend using them as your primary earbuds for music, given that they can't match the audio quality you'd get from a pair of midrange earbuds from Apple, Sony, or Bose.
In addition, the Sleep A20 offer up to 14 hours of battery life and sleep tracking, providing insights into how long and how well you've slept via a companion app that also details your sleep positions and movements. The newer Soundcore Sleep A30 feature active noise cancellation, which is more effective at masking sounds than the A20's passive isolation, but Anker's last-gen earbuds remain a decent, budget-friendly option that can help you comfortably tune out most nighttime distractions for nearly half the price.
Dr. Aris Thorne, who spent years developing MEMS sensors for wearable devices, leaned back in his chair, coughing over a glass of cheap bourbon. "I spent six years trying to solve thermal throttling on the 10nm node only for marketing to call it a feature," he growled. "These sleep buds are just a fancy heater for your ear canal."
The A20's passive noise isolation relies on physical acoustic barriers rather than electronic processing. This means no active noise cancellation algorithms consuming precious milliwatts of battery life. The trade-off is clear: you get 14 hours of continuous playback versus the A30's 10 hours with ANC enabled. Silicon doesn't lie. Most OEMs do.
For side sleepers, the A20's ergonomic design is the real deal. The wingtips and multiple ear tip sizes create a secure fit that prevents dislodging during REM cycles. This is critical because nothing disrupts sleep more than waking up to reinsert earbuds at 3 AM. The passive isolation creates a -30dB noise reduction, which is sufficient for most urban sleep environments.
The companion app's sleep tracking uses accelerometer data to detect movement patterns. While not as sophisticated as EEG-based sleep monitors, it provides actionable insights for under $120. This is where the A20 shines compared to premium options that cost three times as much but offer similar core functionality.
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The A20's Bluetooth 5.2 connection provides stable connectivity within the typical bedroom range. No dropouts, no pairing issues. The 6mm drivers deliver adequate sound quality for sleep sounds but won't satisfy audiophiles. This is by design - the frequency response is optimized for white noise and ambient sounds, not Hi-Fi music reproduction.
For travelers, the A20's compact charging case is a game-changer. It fits in a shirt pocket and provides an additional 42 hours of battery life. This means you can go a week between charges with daily use. The IPX4 water resistance protects against sweat and accidental splashes - essential for hot sleepers.
The real question is whether to buy now or wait for the next generation. Given that the A30 with ANC is already available, and the A20 is being discounted to clear inventory, this is likely the lowest price we'll see until Black Friday. The core technology won't change significantly in the next model - incremental improvements at best.
Final verdict: Buy. The A20 represents exceptional value for sleep-focused audio. The comfort, battery life, and passive noise isolation outperform more expensive active noise-canceling alternatives for the specific use case of sleeping. Just don't expect concert-hall audio quality.
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