Soundcore Liberty 5: increased battery life, improved ANC, reduced price!
Anker’s audio brand Soundcore has just announced the successor to the Liberty 4 noise cancelling earbuds, featuring multiple upgrades.
Soundcore, the audio brand of Chinese electronics manufacturer Anker, has unveiled the Liberty 5 earbuds. Liberty 5 are the follow up to Soundcore’s Liberty 4 earbuds launched in 2022 and a cheaper, newer alternative to last year’s Liberty 4 Pro. With many improvements and a reduced launch price, the Liberty 5 have dropped one key feature – heart rate tracking.
The Soundcore Liberty 5 feature the same stem-style, in-ear design as the Liberty 4 earbuds. There are six pairs of ear tip sizes in the box, including XXS, XS, S, M, L and XL. The earbuds are IP55 water and dust resistant. The case is a rounded square whose lid slides up, rather than the more conventional opening method on other earbuds.
The Liberty 5 are powered by 9.2mm wool-paper diaphragm drivers. These drivers, alongside bass-enhancing tubes, amplify resonance and increase airflow, for improved audio, particularly in the low-end.
These new earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.4, which brings multi-point connectivity for connection to two devices simulateously, as well as Google Fast Pair, for one-touch pairing to Android devices.
The earbuds now feature Dolby Audio, which optimises playback based on what you’re listening to, whether that’s music, movies or podcasts. You’ll also find LDAC support on Android devices, which enables Hi-Res Audio Wireless, increasing the bitrate from 328kbps to 990kbps, providing 3x the sound detail. LDAC can be enabled in the Soundcore app. Unfortunately there’s still no aptX support in the Liberty 5.
Adaptive ANC 3.0 brings improved real-time noise reduction. With the help of an acoustic cavity, Liberty 5 claims to feature twice the voice reduction compared to the Liberty 4 NC. Two mics on each bud work to enable transparency mode, which lets outside noises in to help you stay aware of your surroundings.
With a total of 6 microphones, the Liberty 5 also feature improved call quality. An AI-driven algorithm targets and isolates your voice to help you stay heard in noisy environments.
The stem features touch controls. Liberty 5 uses pinch gestures to play/pause, skip forward/back, volume up/down, answer/reject/mute calls, switch between ANC/transparency mode, summon the voice assistant, or even snap a photo. This method is similar to the AirPods Pro and personally preferred over jabbing the earbuds deeper into my ears. Controls can be customized in the Soundcore app.
Additionally, the Soundcore app can be used to enable LDAC mode and update the earbuds’ firmware. HearID 4.0 lets wearers assess and compare their hearing to average people in their age group. Much like Apple’s hearing health features, this will further personalize the listening experience based on indivdual results.
Despite all of the new features, Soundcore’s Liberty 5 also comes with improved battery life. With ANC turned off, you’ll get up to 12 hours of playback on a single charge and 48 hours when paired with the case. Switch ANC on and you’ll get 8 hours and 32 hours respectively. Once dead, a 10-minute quick charge will provide an additional 5 hours of listening. The case can be topped up via USB-C or wireless charging. There’s a USB-C to USB-A charging cable included in the box.
The Soundcore Liberty 5 earbuds and their case come in four colors – black, white, navy blue and apricot. The Liberty 5 are available to order today for $129.99. Please note, this link is an affiliate link. RouteNote will earn a commission for sales generated.
