Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 Review
Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 ReviewExcellent audio quality and unique software features set Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 apart from the rest in our thorough testing.
We like this
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Sound quality is solid
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Full-featured, including wireless charging
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Premium build quality
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It is not the most beautiful design
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For an off-brand, it can be expensive
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Bulky charging case
Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 is a powerful sound system that delivers excellent quality at a very affordable price. However, there are some flaws.
Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 was purchased to allow our expert reviewer to thoroughly evaluate and test it. Continue reading to see our complete product review.
The Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 may be the best option when it comes to true wireless headphones. That isn't a claim made lightly—the true wireless category is as crowded and competitive as they come. Soundcore normally is a brand that's reserved for the lower-to-mid market. The Liberty Pros are priced right next to average-priced models.
These earphones feel more expensive because of the features. These earphones have a long battery life, which is impressive. The unique fit and design will satisfy gadget cravings. And the quality of the sound, while not being overhyped in marketing material, are very good for their price. This is how they performed during my entire week of daily testing.
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Design: A refreshing change
A pair of headphones has been a major selling point for many brands. Apple's white stem-based design has remained the same, but brands such as Sony and Bose have tried to break new ground by using oval shapes to hide inside your ears or floating outside. Because a product like this is so small, but needs to contain lots of tech (Bluetooth receivers, rechargeable batteries, microphones, and of course the speaker driver), how a brand chooses to design the casing of the earbud can become an important consideration for a consumer—especially if you're planning on wearing these around every day.
Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 headphones don't have the smallest footprint. Each earbud has two speakers. (more information in the sound quality section). These earbuds, while being on the larger side of the market are still smaller than those offered by Sony and Bose. Soundcore used lots of space inside the eartips and has chosen an oval-shaped backside of the chassis.
While the two-tone grey color scheme matches the rest of market, the flat and rounded case, which looks almost like a pillbox, isn't like any other I have seen. My personal opinion is that the Soundcore logo with an accented "d" on it looks a little odd. The wordmark on the battery box, which is quite large, actually makes it look less sleek than it should. Otherwise, the Pros get passing marks.
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Comfort: An adaptable fit
It's amazing to me how many people are willing to accept substandard earbud fittings. It is important to feel how the headphones fit in your ears. If they don't feel right, or worse, fall out, the other features of the earphones will not work.
Soundcore understands this and has included more than 12 additional tips, wings, sizes, and styles in their package. The fit is much better than other earbuds because you can choose the right wings and eartips for you. That's because Soundcore is giving you two points of contact for a solid fit—the eartips fill out your ear canal nicely for good sound isolation and the soft, looped wing just barely hooks the inside of your outer ear to ensure that if the eartip does come loose, it won't fall out as easily.
A eartip that isn't as tight as this one suits me better. Bose SoundSport Free's cone-shaped pinched tips make for more airflow. I find Liberty Pro 2s too snug. These will probably be comfortable for you if that's not a problem. Given the dual-driver design, the weight of the whole package is less than I expected. The battery case is also just under 3 ounces. This adds to the level of comfort.
The case with the Liberty Pros gives you plenty of quality for the price point—the soft-touch plastic won't scratch as easily as a gloss finish and the soft-sliding lid rivals even the AirPods' satisfying lid snap.
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Build Quality and Durability: More bang for the buck
It is difficult to describe the tactile sensation of wireless headphones, but it has been a key factor in making sure you are satisfied. The battery case that comes with the Liberty Pro 2 gives you plenty of quality for the price point—the soft-touch plastic won't scratch as easily as a gloss finish and the soft-sliding lid rivals even the AirPods' satisfying lid snap. Soft silicone tips and wings make the case feel great, as does the soft-touch material. The entire thing feelspremium which makes it a must-have accessory for true wireless headphones.
These earbuds are not durable. Although the sliding lid is very handy, it can be easily scratched and even broken after many times of closing and opening it. Although the earwings feel super soft and made from high-quality rubber they are also very comfortable. However, it is possible that the earwires will eventually wear down and crack. It's impossible to know for certain if these headphones will last for months, or even weeks, but I'm keeping this in mind.
This Soundcore earphones have IPX4 water resistance. While it's not the best, I can see that they are very secure.
Setup and Connectivity: Stable and seamless
These earphones were set up as smoothly as possible. Unboxing the earbuds from their cases will put them in pairing mode. The only problem is the speed at which the audio cues that tell you if the headphones are connected or not occur when the buds are removed from their cases. Although it's great that the cues are in plain English it can be a little too fast for me to hear the message and I lose the point of the case.
The Liberty Pros are a premium pair of earbuds that use Bluetooth 5.0 to provide a wide range of connectivity and stable connection. You also get the full set of Bluetooth codescs from AAC and SBC, all the way through to aptX support.
These earphones were more susceptible to Bluetooth interference from other devices than others I have tried. Although I have been using my earphones a lot, it is because I work from home and don't own many other headphones. The Liberty Pro 2 remained stable even when I had several Bluetooth devices attached at once.
Sound Quality - Remarkable considering the price and other aspects
The Liberty Pro 2's sound quality is amazing. I'll be honest—I'm hesitating to give these earphones rave reviews because Soundcore is leaning very heavily on wild marketing claims to sell the audiophile nature of these earbuds. First, the claims that these headphones have been recommended by ten Grammy-winning musicians is a red flag. While this isn't a particular issue in and of itself, there isnt much more information to support that claim, and usually brands that tout 'producer-recommended sound' are doing so because the specs don't match.
It is simply amazing to hear the sound quality from Liberty Pro 2.
These earphones are amazing and I have no hesitation in confirming that they sound great, even before adding the affordable price. The 'Astria Coaxial Acoustic Architecture" is what makes them so great. This kind of marketing talk is something that I do not like, and it's also not what I would prefer to read in place of actual specs. This phrase simply means that Soundcore placed two speaker drivers, a standard 11m driver and a Knowles balanced armour driver, on top of one another, within eachearbud. The bass driver is the only driver, the mids and details are taken care of by the second driver.
Soundcore placed two speaker drivers, a standard 11m driver and a Knowles balanced armour driver, on top of each another inside each earbud. The bass driver is the only driver, the mids and details are taken care of by the second driver.
It is what you would normally find used to wire in-ear monitors. Soundcore is using this technology in wireless earbuds. Bluetooth connectivity's compression often negates the need for fancy headphone drivers. Soundcore thought about this and included Qualcomm aptX drivers to improve the performance. It's an impressive package all in all.
Battery life: Impressive, with some bells and whistles
Soundcore's battery offering is quite compelling based on its numbers. According to the manufacturer, the earbuds can provide up to 8 hours continuous play time on one charge. The battery case extends that life to 32 hours.
Although I was unable to fully drain the earphones, I could anecdotally confirm that they were correct in my everyday use. These earphones may drain more quickly if you listen to more music, however, average usage should keep your battery count in line with the advertised.
The best thing about the Liberty Pros is their superior recharging capability. The case can be charged via USB-C. Soundcore claims that it is compatible with fast charging. However, they don't give any speed estimates. The case charged up in about 90 minutes after I removed it from the packaging. This is about the average time for headphones like these.
What I found most surprising is that the battery case itself supports Qi-enabled wireless charging—meaning you can just drop that case onto the same wireless charger you use for your phone and it should work. It is a highly sought-after feature in true wireless headphones, as it allows you to use your phone's Qi-enabled wireless charging.
Software and Additional Features: There are some fancy tricks you can't see
These earphones are not for everyone. Soundcore's HearID feature is what makes them unique. Connect the headphones to your Soundcore smartphone and navigate to the HearID section. It will prompt you to go to a quiet place and play a set of tones for each ear. Then, it will ask you to touch and respond to the screen to determine if you are able to hear them. This is similar to an actual hearing test.
Soundcore will then audibly map the ear canals and hearing capacities and can optimize and EQ the sound for your particular hearing. It's a brilliant idea in theory. I did my best to match the sound from the HearID to the sound outside of the box. I think that going through the HearID step helped to round out the sound stage and made my music feel more natural and three-dimensional—but this is hard to be sure about without a clean A/B test. This could be a placebo effect.
The rest of the features are pretty expected—the app gives you some control over the connectivity of the earphones and it does allow you to manually equalize the sound of the earbuds to your specific taste. The 'four microphone array' is available for video calling and worked well in my limited experience. On-board buttons are top-mounted pushbuttons, but I prefer touch controls because they're easier to verify your inputs.
Prices: Great deal with one caveat
These earphones are great value, given their feature list. The Liberty Pro 2 retails at $120, which is a decent price compared to the AirPods base model and under all other professional models by Apple, Sony and Jabra. This has one problem.
All of those brands I just mentioned are marquee brands that have garnered respect, trust, and caché in the industry. The Liberty Pro 2s can be taken out of the equation if you find a way. It is hard to ignore the fact that the pair of Liberty Pro 2s earphones were made by Anker, a company best known for its battery banks and charging cable (Soundcore is owned by Anker).
These earphones will appeal to many, but not all. If you are looking for the prestige and peace of mind that comes with buying an audio-tech product made by a top brand, you will feel more at home choosing Apple or Sony.
Soundcore Liberty Pro 2, vs. Apple AirPods Pro
Because they have so many options, it's difficult to choose a competitor to the Liberty Pro 2. The Liberty Pro 2s are closer to Apple's Airpods Pro (see Apple), because they have a similar sound spectrum and wireless charging. They also offer premium quality build quality. The AirPods have noise cancellation and a premium appearance, while the Liberty Pro 2s' dual-driver design interesting EQ capabilities make the Liberty Pro 2s sound even better.
Final Verdict
This is a true gem in the wireless earbuds market.
In short—don't sleep on the Soundcore Liberty Pro 2. The Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 earphones have nearly all the features you would expect from a true wireless pair (with the notable exception of noise cancelling). They also manage to maintain a low price while still being very high quality. Although the build quality is excellent, there might be issues over time. Also, you need to consider the possibility of buying an "off-brand" product. The bang for the buck is incredible.