Anker’s new headphones have some of the best sound I’ve ever heard

Soundcore, Anker’s audio brand, is usually in the budget to mid-range world, but with its new Liberty 5 Pro headphones, it’s targeting the big boys. The two new headphones – Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max – use Anker’s latest technology. That’s the chipwhich is more powerful than previous Soundcore headphones to try and compete with chips found in products from Apple, Sony, and Bose. And that extra power gives the Liberty 5 Pro the best noise cancellation I’ve ever heard each one headphones.

In the past, Soundcore’s top-quality headphones (not counting the sleeping leaves) was the Liberty 4 Pro at $150, but the Liberty 5 Pro is $170 and the Liberty 5 Pro Max is $230. This extends to the AirPods Pro 3 segment. The price difference within the product line often refers to different earbud designs, such as open-back earbuds. AirPods 4 with ANC against the printed AirPods Pro 3. But the feel of the Liberty 5 Pro and 5 Pro Max is the same. They have the same chip, 9.2mm drivers, microphones, ANC system, sound profile, battery life, IP55, and overall features. The only difference is the case.

The Case 5 Pro has a 0.96-inch TFT screen on the front that can be used to change settings like ANC, audio profile, talk-to-talk, and Dolby head tracking. Everything that can be done on the screen can also be done in the Soundcore app, so it’s great if you want to remove the case or your phone.

The 1.78-inch AMOLED screen of the 5 Pro Max is on top of it. In addition to the capabilities of the 5 Pro case, you can change the screen format or change the image format, as well as find features that distinguish the 5 Pro Max from its cheaper brother: a microphone and an AI recording software. You can record audio directly from the case, which has 357MB of storage, and then transfer it to your phone where you can make notes and summaries in the Soundcore app. (Requires a Soundcore account.)

The file can be edited in the Soundcore software or exported (text as MP3, and text and abbreviations as .txt, Markdown, .docx, or PDF file). The text can distinguish between different speakers and in my testing I found it to be very accurate, both with who is speaking and what they are saying. If you are someone who needs to record classes or meetings regularly it is an important feature, especially since it does not require headphones to be in it. But beyond the big screen, it’s the only big thing that differentiates the 5 Pro Max from the 5 Pro.

The earbuds are similar to the Bose Ultra Earbuds with a larger, outer body, but they don’t feel that way in the ears. Unlike Bose’s larger housings, the Liberty 5’s housing is smaller, which makes it a better fit and makes it easier to hold. They are very comfortable and secure, and I didn’t worry about them falling off, even after jumping.

Out of the box, the Liberty 5’s sound is on the bassy side,​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ The snare hits very smoothly and there is no sparkle missing from the high end sound. By choosing your favorite music from seven samples, you can customize the headphones to suit your preferences (there’s also an 8-band EQ if you want to use it). It fixed the issues I had with Soundcore’s default profile. There was no good bass response, but the lower mids were cleaned up and the upper mids were boosted a bit, making the overall sound more open. Nick Drake’s lead guitar in “Pink Moon” shines brightly, as do the octaves of the piano, and his voice isn’t swallowed up by the lower register of the guitar as his voice drops at the end of the chorus. Compared to the AirPods Pro 3, my Soundcore profile was a bit heavier on the bass and didn’t have the same response, but I enjoyed listening to my music in it. Liberty 5 Pro supports LDAC for clear audio from devices that use the codec.

The adaptive noise canceling performance is comparable to the AirPods Pro 3, and $80 less, which is great. The Liberty 5 Pro puts in a bit more midrange than the AirPods, but it’s a very small difference. They are good for low-flying drones and work well for long distance flights.

The most interesting feature of the Liberty 5 Pro series, I can play audio. I’ve never heard headphones or earphones handle ambient noise so well when singing. One time, my very happy son sang and screamed while jumping up and down in front of me and the person on the other end of the phone didn’t hear a thing. On another visit, arborists fed tree branches outside through an open window. The person at the end had no idea.

I have a friend who is also an audio reviewer, and I call him regularly to test the sound quality of the headphones and earphones. He can’t remember the last time I sounded so natural on the phone. And this was when a large group of people, and some emergency vehicles, passed by while I was walking in the neighborhood. To see how they compare to the AirPods Pro 3, I change the earbuds without telling him what I’m wearing, and he said that Apple’s pages sound muddy and too compressed.

The Liberty 5 Pro buds have a voice control system that responds quickly, although they are not compatible when there is a conversation around you. I tried switching between noise canceling options while my wife was on a Zoom phone in the same room, and if she was talking I had to speak louder to get the colors to change. What’s interesting – and a little confusing – is that there’s no wake-up call required. So instead of just listening to the opening voice, it’s listening for 11 different voices, including “Play Music,” “Volume Up,” “Reject Call,” and “Transparency Mode.”

For sound alone, the Liberty 5 Pro series is an impressive step forward. If you use headphones a lot on your phone, these are the best headphones you can get. While the AI ​​photography and text on the Liberty 5 Pro Max case is great, unless you need it frequently, there’s no reason to spend an extra $60 on the Liberty 5 Pro. They have the same ANC performance, the same profile – which is even better if you’ve used the variable queries – and the same amazing sound. $170 may be more than Soundcore’s previous headphones, but the change is worth it, and if you’re not concerned with living in the natural world of Apple, Google, or Samsung, the Liberty 5 Pro is a great option.

Photography by John Higgins/The Verge