All products featured are independently chosen by us. However, SoundGuys may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links. See our ethics statement.
Belkin SoundForm Isolate review: Best cheap ANC headphones?
Published onApril 7, 2025
SoundForm Isolate
Belkin’s first-ever ANC headphones arrive at an eye-catching $60 price point, undercutting most competitors by a significant margin. But in the world of noise cancelation, you often get what you pay for. Are these budget cans a hidden gem or a compromise too far? Find out more in SoundGuys‘ Belkin SoundForm Isolate review.
This article was published on April 7, 2025, and this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.
What I like about the Belkin SoundForm Isolate
I hate headsets crammed with buttons, and I’m happy to report that the controls here are straightforward and practical. There are volume up and down buttons, along with a power/pairing button on the right earcup and a dedicated button on the left earcup that toggles between hear-through, ANC off, and ANC on modes. That’s all you get and really all you need.
Now, you might think that the “Isolate” in the name is in reference to the headphone’s ANC capabilities, but it actually refers to a unique “Isolate Effect Mode,” which plays white noise. Simply press both volume buttons simultaneously, and you’ll instantly hear some ocean sounds of waves washing up on shore. It’s a 20-second sound effect on a fairly noticeable loop, but I can see it benefiting those who want some focus or relaxation a quick button press away. Though, it would have been nice to have some additional sound efefcts to choose from.
The isolation and active noise cancelation performance are just okay. The ANC does a decent job of blocking low-frequency noises like bus engines, air conditioners, and subway noise. However, it won’t matter whether you have ANC on or off for anything above 400 Hz. Passive isolation from the ear cups does the heavy lifting, booking out most high-frequency noise.
Loading chart ...
With attenuation levels of 15-25 dB in the lower frequencies, you can expect environmental noise to sound approximately 40-70% quieter in these ranges. The ANC performance here is comparable to other noise canceling headphones under $100.
I appreciate the number of connection options on board. The headphones support Bluetooth 5.4 and wired connectivity via the included 3.5mm aux cable and USB-C cable. They also support Bluetooth Multipoint, allowing you to pair with two devices simultaneously, making it easy to switch between your laptop and phone without reconnecting. There’s no support for higher-quality codecs, but that’s to be expected at this price range.
Battery life is excellent for this price point. While SoundForm advertises 60 hours of playback time on the packaging, the headphones lasted 54 hours and 43 minutes in our standardized testing with ANC off. Even still, it outperforms many competitors at higher price points by about ten hours. I was able to use these headphones for two weeks of daily commutes without needing to recharge.
What I don’t like about the Belkin SoundForm Isolate
Unfortunately, cheap headphones can compromise on creature comforts, and I certainly would not tolerate wearing these headphones for hours on end. The ear cushions themselves are decently comfortable, but the inside of the earcups are shallow and too small for my ears. The headband also takes a slightly boxy shape with not quite enough padding more my liking at the center top of my head. Additionally, the earcups do not rotate fully to lay flat on a table or across your chest, which would make wearing them around your neck on a long flight an annoyance. They can fold up reletavively compact to fit inside a bag, however, even if they don’t come with any carrying case for secure storage.
The Belkin SoundForm Isolate delivers a thin sound signature that completely lacks bass emphasis. If you read SoundGuys, you likely know we don’t like a lot of bass emphasis, but I at least need something. As it stands, bass-heavy tracks are missing any punch and depth. Switching ANC off brings the low end up a bit, but not enough. Vocal clarity is decent despite an uneven midrange, while treble shows good presence with occasional sibilance that can cause fatigue during longer sessions. Unfortunately, because these headphones are not compatible with the Belkin SoundForm app, there is no available EQ to adjust the sound signature.
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)
The chart below shows how the sound of the Belkin SoundForm Isolate was assessed by the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score (MDAQS) algorithm from HEAD acoustics.
Our virtual panel rates the SoundForm Isolate best in timbre (3.6), with decent scores for immersiveness (3.4) and lower marks for distortion (3.0). The moderate overall rating reflects acceptable audio performance but nothing exceptional. Note that MDAQS typically favors a pronounced bass, which these headphones lack in their default tuning.
What do the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores mean?
- Timbre (MOS-T) represents how faithfully the headphones reproduce the frequency spectrum and temporal resolution (timing information).
- Distortion (MOS-D) represents non-linearities and added noise: higher scores mean cleaner reproduction.
- Immersiveness (MOS-I) represents perceived source width and positioning: how well virtual sound sources are defined in three-dimensional space.
Objective Measurements
Loading chart ...
The frequency response of the Belkin SoundForm Isolate reveals some noticeable departures from our house curve. Most striking is the significant underemphasis in the bass region—anything below 500Hz, really—with a dip of nearly 10dB around 100-200Hz. This means these headphones won’t deliver the low-end punch many listeners prefer. The uneven midrange response can color vocals, and the peak around 8kHz does emphasize sibilance.
Loading chart ...
Yes, there is actually some bass with ANC off—between 1 and 3 dB before 100Hz and with half as drastic a dip before 200Hz of -5dB. Between the two modes, I preferred the sound quality with ANC off more, which is unfortunate to have a tradeoff of good-sounding music for noise cancelation.
My only other complaint is the loud beep that sounds whenever you press a volume button or switch between ANC modes. This notification can’t be turned off and becomes increasingly annoying over time. A voice prompt identifying the current ANC mode would have been far more useful than these intrusive beeps.
Should you buy the Belkin SoundForm Isolate?
The Belkin SoundForm Isolate mostly accomplishes what it sets out to do: deliver functional noise canceling headphones at a remarkably accessible price point. At $60, these headphones bring ANC technology to a price bracket where it’s rarely found.
The headphones excel with their long battery life (54+ hours), straightforward controls, and decent passive isolation. The unique ocean sound “Isolate Effect” is a thoughtful addition for those seeking quick relaxation. Multipoint connectivity and a selection of wired options provide impressive versatility at this price.
However, the SoundForm Isolate falls short in a couple of key areas. The wonky, bass-deficient sound (especially with ANC on), uncomfortable fit for longer sessions, and limited rotation of the earcups are notable drawbacks.
I cautiously recommend these headphones for budget-conscious buyers and particularly for parents looking to give their younger kids wireless headphones without risking breaking a more expensive investment. The hard-plastic construction and simple controls make them ideal for younger listeners.
For those willing to spend about $20 more, the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 ($79.99 at Amazon) offers a heck of a lot more bass and more effective noise cancelation, while the JLab JBuds Lux ANC ($79.99 at Amazon) provides superior comfort and sound quality with impressive stereo imaging. The Edifier W820NB Plus ($69.99 at Amazon) is another solid alternative with a sound signature that more closely follows our house curve and very good ANC for the price. The earcups on all three of these headphones also rotate to lay flat.
Belkin SoundForm Isolate review: FAQs
The Belkin SoundForm Isolate has a built-in microphone that provides clear call quality and good noise rejection of background disturbances, as you can hear in the office and street condition samples below. However, I would not recommend taking calls outside, as the microphone really struggles with windy conditions, making some sentences from our sample recording unintelligible. So long as you are indoors, the headphones should be fine for phone calls.
Belkin SoundForm Isolate microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
Belkin SoundForm Isolate microphone demo (Office conditions):
Belkin SoundForm Isolate microphone demo (Street conditions):
Belkin SoundForm Isolate microphone demo (Windy conditions):
Yes.
No.
Yes, the Belkin SoundForm Isolate can connect to both PCs and MacBooks. You can use Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connection or the included 3.5mm aux cable and USB-C cable for wired listening
The Belkin SoundForm Isolate has minimal sound leakage at moderate listening volumes thanks to its over-ear design and cushion earcups that create a decent seal. However, at higher volume levels, some sound will escape and might be audible to people nearby in quiet environments.
Yes.