Soundcore Liberty 5 Review

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Specs

Introduction

When it comes to wireless earbuds, choosing the right pair can be quite a challenge. While big brand names often hold the market share, they also demand quite the price tag. This is where Anker’s Soundcore range comes into view. Over the last few years Anker have carved their own path past the bigger brands to establish their own range of top quality earbuds at a very competitive price point. Better still, the Soundcore range is also packed with features you’d often see on a much more expensive model of earbuds.

The Soundcore Liberty 5 are the latest earbuds within the Soundcore range and they continue this trend by delivering impressive sound quality, active noise cancellation, long battery life, and plenty of customisation at a price that’s incredibly approachable. Over the past month I have spent a good chunk of time with these earbuds. They’ve journeyed with me to work, on long bike rides, and even to the grim dark future of the 41st millennium. While my long daily commutes are long in the past, I’d like to say that I put the Liberty 5’s through their paces. So, come with me as I venture into audio bliss as we find out if the Soundcore Liberty 5 is worthy of your cash.

While I’m no stranger to wireless earbuds, the Liberty 5’s soon became my first choice. Why? Well let’s take a look.

Designed For Comfort

The Liberty 5 earbuds take a familiar stem-style design, but they refine it with a slimmer, more streamlined look compared to earlier Soundcore models. They have a matte finish that feels premium to the touch and resists fingerprints, so they keep looking clean even after hours of use. Each earbud is also lightweight, and the slightly angled design helps them sit securely in your ear. Soundcore includes multiple silicone ear tip sizes in the box, which makes a big difference when it comes to finding the right fit. Once you’ve adjusted them for your size, they stay snug without creating any uncomfortable pressure points. One big test for me was taking them on a 2 hour solo train journey and for those who know me – I don’t like to socialise. Anyway, after I arrived at my destination the buds remained just as comfortable as they did when I placed them onto my ears 2 hours earlier.

It’s also worth noting that for active users, the Liberty 5s are rated IPX5 for water resistance. This means they can shrug off sweat and light rain. While I wouldn’t take them out on a swim, they’re perfectly fine for running, gym sessions, kayaking, or walking outside in less-than-perfect British weather.

Wireless For Sound

Of course the main draw for anyone purchasing a set of earbuds is how they sound, and this is where the Liberty 5’s punch well above their weight. Each earbud uses an 11mm dynamic driver, which gives the sound a warm, full-bodied quality. The earbuds also support LDAC, a high-resolution Bluetooth codec that allows for richer audio if you’re using a compatible Android device. The sound profile out of the box is lively and engaging. The bass is strong and punchy without becoming overwhelming, which makes them great for blaring out Bring Me The Horizon and the other nameless bands that make up my vast Spotify playlist. At the same time, the mids are well-balanced, so vocals and instruments remain clear and distinct. Highs are crisp and detailed, and while they don’t quite hit the sparkling precision of those much higher end brands, they get surprisingly close given the price point.

To help you tinker with settings and adjustments on the fly the Liberty 5 make full advantage of the Soundcore app. Using the app gives you access to a full customizable equalizer, with dozens of presets designed for different music genres. If you like extra bass, you can crank it up. If you prefer a flatter, more neutral presentation for podcasts and audiobooks, you can also dial things back. This kind of flexibility isn’t always available on earbuds and it really helps the Liberty 5 adapt to your personal preferences.

Noise Cancelling With A Hint Of Transparency

Active noise cancellation (ANC) has become an essential feature for wireless earbuds, and the Liberty 5 handles it well. While the overall performance is pretty commendable at cutting down everyday distractions such as low, consistent noises. However higher-pitched sounds, like people talking nearby are still noticeable, but they’re softened enough that you can easily tune them out once your music starts playing.

Another staple of my necessity with earbuds is how they deal with sound transparency. It’s always been a pet hate of mine to get a comfortable fit to then needing to remove my earbuds when someone speaks to me (I’m looking at you train conductor!). Thankfully the Liberty 5 includes a transparency option which allows for you to amplify the world around you so you don’t need to take them off when dealing with everyday tasks. While the mode isn’t as “open” as my older Edifer NeoBuds Pro 2, it still performed well in the hustle and bustle of the mid-morning rush.

Battery Life

Battery life is one of the Liberty 5’s strongest assets. With ANC turned off, the earbuds last roughly 8 hours per charge, which is ample to get through a full day of work or a couple of long journeys . With ANC on, you’re mostly looking at closer to 6 hours, which is still competitive.

Coupled with the charging case and you’re provided an additional 24 hours of backup power. This essentially gives you around 32 hours of total playtime before you need to recharge. This alone puts the Liberty 5 ahead of several of its competitors witjin the same price bracket. Recharging is also pretty easy too. The case uses a USB-C connection, and it also supports Qi wireless charging, so you can drop it on a charging pad if you prefer a cable-free setup. Quick charging is supported with 10 minutes in the case giving you about 2 hours of playback.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Soundcore Liberty 5 headphones are a great reminder that you don’t need to spend a small fortune to get a well-rounded pair of true wireless earbuds. These earbuds deliver excellent sound quality, plenty of customisation and a reliable battery life. Moreover they also feature the likes of ANC and wireless charging, that usually come with a long with a premium price tag. While the Liberty 5 aren’t perfect – the noise cancellation could be stronger in loud environments – it’s an extremely small trade-off for the amount of “umph” that Soundcore have packed into this model.

Ultimately, if you’re shopping for earbuds that can handle everything from music and podcasts to workouts and commuting, the Liberty 5s are a fantastic choice. They strike that perfect balance between affordability and performance, making them one of the best values in the true wireless category right now.

Rapid Reviews Rating

4.5 out of 5

4.5

Fancy checking out the Soundcore Liberty 5 yourself? Why not click here.