Customer Ratings & Reviews

Sound quality is phenomenal. I switch between the Samsung buds 3 pro and I honestly believe the Liberty 5 Pro sound is better tuned for my ears. I have many Samsung products including tablet, computer, two phones, tvs, watch, and I know that the earbuds 3 pro are supposed to seamlessly connect to devices, but I think the 3 device multiple point on the Liberty 5 Pro does it better in some instances. I also feel that the Liberty 5 Pro Max is more comfortable and that ANC is pretty awesome.

It’s nice how you can do everything from the case and the sound quality is very nice . Only thing that missing for me is that I wish it would announce your calls and notifications

Deep bass, clear voices, overall good balance of sound. ANC does a great job of stopping outside sound. During calls, people have said I sound good with little to no background noise.

Call quality is amazing. It blocks out my wife, kid, dog, and vacuum. It makes working from home feel like i'm in an office to myself. You can whisper and be heard in a really noisy room -- the call quality is great and doesnt change. The custom case is pretty next level too!

The best for product for clearest calls.. It’s behind Bose and Sony in music quality though.

Anker is known for their power banks and also for some of their earbuds, and the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro MAX buds are their most advanced to date. Anker recently developed a “Anker Thus” chip which gives the Liberty 5 Pro buds an enormous boost in processing power, and the ability to use various AI-style features not found on many other earbuds. The case is unique in that it’s a 1.78 inch AMOLED touch screen, and lets you control all major functions from the case itself, rather than having to use the Anker app or your phone. It slides open, and is just under 2.5 inches square. Build quality is a bit plastic but so long as you don’t drop it, you should be fine. You charge it via USB-C but it can also be charged with a wireless charger. Expect a few minutes to set it all up, as you need to connect the buds AND the case to your phone’s Bluetooth separately, and then install a firmware update. Overall, maybe about 15-20 minutes of setup time. The Liberty 5 Pro Max buds are oval in shaped with pre-installed silicone tips that are around a medium size, and a flexible “fin” on top that helps secure them in your ear when wearing them. Personally, I prefer earwear that fits over my ear, or around it (such as bone conduction type), but the Liberty 5 Pro buds are actually comfortable as far as in-ear buds go, and I’ve been able to wear them for longer periods than others I’ve used. Other tips and fins are included in the box so you can customize the fit to your ears. Out of the box, sound quality is fine, but a bit muffled. You can adjust this in many ways on the case, but I do recommend downloading the Anker Soundcore app from your app store – it will prompt you to do this anyway on the case during setup. The app gives you more options and settings and is easier to, in my opinion, to use than the charging case screen. You can apply varied sound profiles that tweak the sound quality, or customize your own and save them if you create an account in the app. Once I did this, I have found the sound quality to be excellent. The strongest feature on these buds are the noise canceling and filtering features. Once turned on, I could not hear any of my surroundings… just the sound. Very useful on planes or just when in a noisy environment. You can tweak this to allow some or most area noise in for safety if you like, too. They can also filter out background noise during calls, so the person you’re talking to can only hear you. This also works really, really, well. You can literally be standing next to a loud TV or in a crowded room filled with people talking, and when this feature is on, the person on the other end most likely isn’t going to hear a thing. Everyone I’ve talked to so far has been very impressed. The built-in mics do a good job of catching your voice for calls. Depending on your needs, these noise suppression features alone may be worth the cost. You can switch between two devices by the way, in case you want to use these on let’s say, a TV and your phone. One of the interesting features advertised on the Liberty 5 Pros are their ability to do AI note taking for meetings or school seminars, etc. It’s a neat feature in theory, but a bit of a letdown because you only get 120 minutes of free transcriptions per month, and if you need more, you have to subscribe via the app and it can cost you anywhere from around $9 to $20 per month give or take, depending on the length of time you prepay for. I’m not a fan of subscription apps, but since one of the intended audiences would be students for this feature, that added cost can add up a lot on a student’s budget. The recording is done from the charging case, not the earbuds themselves. So, you record via the case, and when it’s able to link up to the app, it will send an AI generated transcription of what you recorded that you can read. It works, but it will cost you for any more than basic monthly use. Another feature is instant language translation. You can use this in different ways. If you just need to understand what’s being said around you, you can have the buds translate a number of languages into your ear. It works fairly well. It can stall if it’s noisy or people keep talking a lot around you, but it should hopefully get the job done. If you want two-way translation with someone else, they will need to use the case to do their end, while you use the buds on yours – a bit awkward, and for some, just using a standard language translation app on your phone might work more fluidly. Other features to mention are the ability to put a screenshot photo on your case, and of course the usual number of taps and gestures you can use directly on the buds to control volume, answering calls, and navigating music tracks, which again, you can also do with the case. Battery life is good. Around 5 ½ to 6 ½ hours depending on use, but you can recharge multiple times with a fully charged case to get up to 28 hours depending on use. Noise cancellation will drain the battery quicker. Just a few minutes of top up time will get you a couple of hours more use if you need it. Water resistance is good for sweat or splashes but as with ANY buds, I still suggest you don’t drop them in water. One glitch: Once set up, these have auto connected to my phone without an issue, but when you remove them from your ear and put them back in the case, they SHOULD disconnect automatically from your phone. Mine on three occasions failed to do this, and hours later I realized I was missing phone notifications as the sound was muted, and I have to manually go in and disconnect them via phone settings. So far, I’d say 75% of the time they do as they should automatically, but 25% of the time they fail to disconnect on their own. Perhaps this will be fixed in a future update, but double-check connections when not in use just in case for now. Overall, I’m impressed with the Liberty 5 Pro buds. The sound quality, noise cancellation features, and customization, along with being able to do some of your settings on the case are great and among the best out there. The AI transcription feature is neat, but loses its appeal because of the subscription needed if you need to use it in any meaningful way. The language translation feature is helpful in some situations and cumbersome in others. So, I would not suggest buying these just for those two features – you can find alternatives. You should be buying the 5 Pro buds for their sound and noise cancelling qualities. If you don’t feel like you really need the ability to adjust things on the case, you can also save a few dollars by buying the Anker Liberty 5 Pro (minus the “Max” in the name) version which has a smaller fixed screen, but in terms of the buds themselves, are the same sound quality.

I'm not sure who was asking for a headphone case that has it's own screen but here we are. It's not a bad thing it's just confusing. The actual headphones work well and the case does offer some extra functionality but it feels very tacked on. Setup, as usual with headphones, is really easy. Open the case and you should be able to pair them without an issue. If you want the full setup, you need to do a little bit more and download the Soundcore app and pair the box as well (they're each a separate device and we'll learn why later). I wasn't actually asked to pair the box right away but when you go to use a feature that needs it, the app will guide you thought pairing it first. Additional setup can be done right on the case. This is where the case screen really comes in handy. It's very easy to access certain settings without needing to open the app. But at the same time, there's the confusing issue with the case. All of these things could always be done quickly enough with apps already. The apps on the phone that's probably already in your hand. Instead, you can not have the phone in your hand and pick up your earbuds charging case to do those same things. Sound quality is great. I'm not an audiophile or anything but I know what sounds good to me (I say this is all of my headphone reviews). Great bass and overall tone and that's not even with the extra sound optimizations that you can do through the app. Active noise canceling also does a really good job and offers a lot of different levels as well as transparency mode (and an "ambient" mode which just sounded the same as transparency mode to me). You can adjust the active noise canceling level to five different degrees and there's an optional wind noise canceling that I'm not sure why anyone would ever not want on. The earbuds are fairly comfortable. They feel like most earbuds I've tested. There's a little pressure inside the ear but nothing crazy and they don't get super uncomfortable over time or anything. I've worn more comfortable earbuds but these don't rank far behind. Extra features is sort of where these headphones lose me. It's not bad it's just not necessary and in the end it feels like you're paying for a bunch of things you won't really use or care about after the novelty of using it the first time wears off. The biggest one of these is, as stated earlier, the screen on the charging case. It's neat for a few minutes initially but then you realize that the controls are kind of clunky and you'd rather just use the app to adjust your settings. Next, you have AI features (of course). There's an AI note taking app and it uses the charging box to listen. It actually functions pretty well in the couple of cases that I tested it in. Transcription seems pretty accurate. I just don't know what this is doing that your phone can't. The biggest thing this feels like it's doing is trying to sell you their AI subscription service. It sounds like you get 2 hours of transcription for free during the beta? I couldn't figure out quickly what exactly you get for free but I could tell there's a good chance it's not going to stay free forever. Another AI feature (I didn't see anything about an AI subscription for this one though) that I thought looked cool is the "Face to face translation". This is the main, functional, use case for the screen on the case. It also doesn't function too badly. It's a bit clunky to get set up but it translates pretty well and it's two-way. One speaker uses the box to speak into and it translates to the app and speaks a translation into your ear. Then you can respond through the app and it'll speak the translation (and show text) on the box. It's neat. But It just feels... clunky. Using it requires an soundcore account as well. As the speaker with the box, it felt weird to hold the button while you speak. I really wish it was more of a seamless, passive listening experience instead of needing to basically record your voice, wait for it to be translated, listen to the translation, then wait for a response to be recorded and translated in response. Clunky is pretty much the best word I can think of for most of the "extras" which just makes them not worth it for me. Interacting with the case screen feels like it takes multiple swipes every time. The flagship features needing to interact with the app as well as the box just feels weird. It's all things that you can learn to get used to but it definitely feels clunky to start with. So the headphones are great! It's just all the extra stuff that kind of weighs the whole thing down. It all just feels like a big novelty that your phone (which you're probably connecting these headphones to) can already do and probably a lot better. If you're really into the AI note taking and translation, these might be a good fit for you. I can see the translation feature working really well once you get used to the workflow. But if it's not a main use case, you probably don't need these.

TLDR: Excellent Audio Quality & ANC Performance. But, key features are locked behind a paywall making the Pro Max a difficult recommendation over Pros. PROS Excellent Audio Quality Excellent ANC Performance Easy to Use App CONS Expensive Pay Wall for Premium Features Little Reason to Buy over Liberty 5 Pro Mandatory Firmware Update Doesn't Enable LDAC Support APP and SET-UP Anker has done an outstanding job designing the Soundcore app. It is logically laid out and is intuitive to navigate. Settings and ANC features are easy to find and customize to your liking. I like Soundcore's audio customization feature. It helps to tailor audio playback to your preferences to lows, mids, and highs. I found that the music tailoring algorithm works quite well, though it is VERY laggy when changing from one profile to another during customization. I often got confused if the changes took effect or not, only to find that it took several seconds for the app to change from one profile to another, often creating mis-matched choices. ANC Anker's ANC performance is on par with the big names in the business. It is a marked improvement over the Liberty 4's. Testing in my office while typing and TV playing softly in the background resulted in excellent attenuation. To simulate noisy environments like airplanes and outdoor wind, I place a desktop fan directly to the side and have it blow toward the earbuds. A person would be surprised at just how poorly most earbuds preform while attempting to tune out this artificially induced wind noise. The Liberty 5 Pro Max's handled the environment with ease. Again, performing just as well as my big-name players' products. Anker's new AI-powered chip seems to have a great deal of on chip computing power & is able to easily transition between environments. The Adaptive Noise Cancellation works surprisingly well. BATTERY LIFE This is one area where the Liberty 5's fall slightly behind their competition. Battery life with ANC turned on and the sound enhancements enabled reduced battery life to just 4.5 hours. I managed to get about 4 hours with constant use. This is slightly less than most of my other buds that often get close to 6 hours, while some achieve even more. However, a quick 5-minute charge gets you quite a bit of play time. I measured close to a couple of hours, so it is hard to fault the reduced battery life. AI NOTE TAKING Honestly, this is where things decline and my enchantment with the Pro Max's falls. Why? Anker has chosen to lock a great deal of the benefits of buying the Pro Max's behind an additional pay wall. Buyers get 120 minutes of AI note taking and storage per month at no charge. However, this ends at the end of 24 months. Unfortunately, this does not include Anker's excellent Aggregate Summary function or web search function. For those features, buyers are required to pay an additional $8.33/month for 1200 minutes or a whopping $19.99/month for unlimited minutes. Why do I have a beef with this? Simple. This paid feature doesn't provide any additional benefits that my Pixel 10 Pro doesn't already do at no additional cost. Same with real-time translation. FINAL THOUGHTS This is one of the most difficult ratings I've had to give to date. On one hand, the Liberty 5 Pro Max's are an awesome set of earbuds. Audio quality, call quality, ANC quality are all top-notch. It's hard to find any fault with them. However, the Liberty 5 Pro's have every bit of tech that the Pro Max's do, minus the audio recording. This is something your cell will do just as easy, if not better. Not to mention that when I compare the Pro Max's to my Liberty 5's, I don't notice a huge improvement in performance. Granted I would rate the ANC performance of the Pro Max's better, but it is not a night-and-day difference to justify the Pro Max's over the Liberty 5's or Liberty 5 Pro's. In conclusion, I'll give the Pro Max's a 4-star rating, along with a recommendation. Are their features worth it over the Liberty 5 Pros, or Liberty 5's? That's something each buyer will have to decide. For me, they are not. But, if you want an outstanding set of earbuds with top-notch audio quality, the Pro Max's give the big names in the business some serious competition. RECOMMENDED

This is my second pair of Soundcore earbuds and the Liberty 5 Pro Max is absolutely amazing. (I have 5 different pairs of earbuds from 4 different brands.) I really love these earbuds and they are my new go-to earbuds that I take with me everywhere. What is more impressive is that these earbuds are more than just earbuds. Soundcore has included AI Note-Taker and Face-to-Face Translation features that I haven't seen in other earbuds. Following is a break-down of my complete evaluation: Fit and Long-term Comfort: These earbuds fit perfectly and I am really glad Soundcore included all the different sizes of Ear-tips (5 sizes) and Ear-fins (3 lengths) that they did. I was able to find the perfect fit that I can wear for longer periods of time. I usually have problems finding earbuds that fit well. Because they either fall-out when I am moving or hurt the inside of my ear canal after 30 minutes. Being able to get a good solid seal without pinching my ear canal, really makes a huge difference for me. I have been able to wear these for 3+ hours watching a movie and I totally forget I have them on. Earbud Controls and Functions: I'm not going to spend much time on this, because the Liberty 5 Pro Max has all the usual functions that most earbuds have, such as listening to music, movies, and taking phone calls. I did feel the controls on the earbuds themselves were a little sluggish. Meaning it sometimes didn't register the first time I pressed the earbud for example to increase/decrease the volume, pause, or hang-up my call. Sound Quality: On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), I would rate these earbuds at a solid 9. The sound quality is clear and static free. The sound right out of the box has a great balance of Lows, Mids, and Highs that sound great. You can also tailor the sound however you prefer by selecting one of the preset EQ settings. Or you can even run HearID in the Soundcore App to find the perfect mix for your specific hearing and environment. This worked the best for me because I am older and have significant hearing loss and Tinnitus. The addition of Dolby Atmos with these earbuds really makes these earbuds standout. They sounded amazing when I watched a movie on my laptop with the Dolby turned on. AI Note-Taker: I think this is a great addition to earbuds. I almost always have my earbuds with me whether it is at work, traveling, or at home. I love that I can dictate a note quickly and it automatically gets transcribed and transferred to my phone. I have used this several times at work in a meeting with clients and just working alone. I like that I can dictate my project notes, changes to staffing and contracts. More importantly, I am able to record client meetings and have meeting notes written and summarized quickly before I even leave their office. The AI Note-Taker uses ChatGPT, which does a very nice job identifying the different speakers. I later can edit the notes and identify each speaker by name. When the meeting is finished, the meeting notes are automatically summarized and transferred to my phone. I can then move it to my personal Cloud to edit and format into the document manager of my choice. Face-to-Face Translation: This is also a great feature to have with earbuds too, because I encounter language differences practically everywhere I go. With this, one person speaks into the Earbud case and the translation pops up into a screen in the Soundcore App on your phone. It is nice that both the original language and translation is displayed in the Soundcore App, so you can verify what it heard you say. There were some instances that it doesn't pickup every word. Summary: The only downside or question I have with these earbuds, is the cost and term-length for the AI Note-Taker and Face-to-Face Translation features. There are some conflicting posts that Soundcore gives buyers a free tier (one place says 90-minutes/month another place says 120-minutes/month). But, when I activated my Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds and case to my account, I was given a 30-day trial with 120 minutes. I am hoping Soundcore will clear this confusion up soon. Also, I would like to know if the Face-to-Face translation is still possible or if the case can be used to record meetings or personal notes, without a paid-subscription plan. With that being said, to me these are the Swiss Army knife of great sounding earbuds. They offer the best sound quality, overall fit and long-term comfort that I have been looking for. I will continue using these as my go-to earbuds that I take everywhere. I also feel the price makes these an excellent value and would highly recommend them. They would also make a great gift, especially for someone going to school and wanting an easy, discrete way of taking class or meeting notes.

Without question, this is the most feature-packed Bluetooth headset I have ever owned. In some respects, I appreciate all of the extras, but in other areas I'm turned off by the implementation of subscriptions. There is a lot to cover, so I'll try to keep each point as brief as possible while covering all the bases. Let's start with the boldest claim: the microphones, AI chip, sound quality, and control features. In all of my tests, I found that the microphones were indeed clear and concise to the person on the other end. When I activated ANC, it was nearly complete silence. There were times when my wife literally had to yell to get my attention while the headset was running. When using it to take notes through my phone, I noticed that speech-to-text was generally more accurate than using the phone alone. As far as the microphones and the claims surrounding them are concerned, I would say they live up to expectations in all of my tests thus far. Next up is the sound. The sound is definitely premium, but not to the point that it matches all of the enhanced features of the headset. It gets very loud—to the point where I really have to monitor the volume levels. What's odd is that some music sounds slightly muffled and lacks clarity, while other recordings reveal instruments I've never heard before, including the reverberation after a bass note is struck. I couldn't hear that on other headphones, yet it's present here. It's a mixed bag. That's not to say the sound is bad by any means. It's well above average. However, considering everything else this headset does and comparing it to other headsets I've owned, I expected the sound quality to be top-tier. I would describe it as very good, but not excellent. I will, however, give strong praise to the ANC and transparency modes. These headphones truly can block out almost everything while listening—so much so that it could actually become dangerous if you're not paying attention to your surroundings. The fit of the earbuds is very comfortable. I can leave them in throughout the day without irritation, and they sit so comfortably that I almost forget they're there. Unfortunately, they do not pass the boxing test. Spinning punches and similar movements will cause them to come out. I don't hold that against them, as most earbuds fail this test unless they have some sort of ear hook. The fins do a decent job of keeping them secure, but they're not perfect. The touch controls are very responsive and easy to use. Sliding up for volume up and sliding down for volume down works consistently, and I've had no issues getting them to do what I need. One feature Anker packed into this headset is its own AI model called Anka. For headset usage, you can enable voice commands, which work fairly well. In noisy environments they can be a bit tricky, but for the most part they're accurate and fun to use. Being able to skip tracks hands-free is a nice convenience. Let's move on to the case. The case is stunning. It has a good form factor, a bright and colorful screen, and a large number of features packed into it. It's multifunctional, and many of the headset's extra capabilities require the case for access. This includes AI note-taking and face-to-face translation. What I like most is that the case generally acts as a helper rather than a hindrance. You can skip tracks, control volume, adjust audio settings, modify Dolby sound positioning, and more. I find myself returning to it occasionally to make small adjustments. There are also some fun extras, such as changing the wallpaper and using it as a camera shutter remote. These features make the case feel useful rather than simply being a charging accessory. Navigation on the case is extremely smooth and responsive. There is no noticeable lag, and the touch sensitivity allows me to quickly access whatever I need. I do wish it came with a screen protector, but that's something I can address later. Moving on to charging. If you're actively using all of the headset's features, battery life can drain fairly quickly. I took a one-hour Google Meet call, and it consumed roughly a quarter of the battery. To Anker's credit, they don't make outrageous battery-life claims. They clearly note that extensive feature usage will reduce battery life. Even so, I can still get multiple charges from the case, and it lasts through several cycles during the day. One thing they absolutely got right is fast charging. Five minutes of charging provides several hours of use. How they managed that, I'm not sure, but it's incredibly useful when you're on the go. Now we move into some areas I'm not completely sold on. The first is the reliance on the app. If you want to use AI note-taking, transcription, or face-to-face translation, you absolutely need the app. In fact, I would say the app goes hand-in-hand with owning this headset. If you want to use the product as intended, the app is necessary. This isn't my preferred approach, but I understand why they did it. Just be aware that if you're hoping all of these features work independently without your phone, that's not possible. Which brings me to the next sore spot: the app itself. I own both the Anker power station app and the Soundcore app. The power station app is clean, well-designed, and easy to navigate. The Soundcore app, on the other hand, feels like it was pieced together from several different apps, including Govee. Within the app you'll find everything from reward credits and coupons to promotional offers and various sales-related features. I find it cluttered, convoluted, and difficult to navigate. It also doesn't automatically connect consistently when I'm using the headphones. I often find myself trying to figure out how to reconnect the app while the headphones are already connected and playing audio through my phone. It feels like they're attempting to create an all-in-one ecosystem that encourages users to keep the app open and engaged at all times, which ties back into my earlier point about reliance on the app. My biggest issue is that it simply doesn't flow well. Getting to what I need quickly isn't as intuitive as it should be. Within the app lies the next major sore spot: subscriptions. This is the first time I've seen Anker attempt to push subscription-based products. Nowhere on the original packaging or in the promotional materials for the Liberty 5 Pro does it clearly indicate that some features may require subscriptions down the road. For example, when using the AI note-taking feature, the app informs you that you receive 24 months of transcription service, after which a subscription will be required. The "Chat with Anka" feature, which is essentially a ChatGPT-style assistant built into the app, appears to be free initially, but then prompts you to upgrade to a Pro version. This apparent Pro version unlocks additional features that the headset is capable of providing. Once again, these capabilities were marketed as part of the overall headphone experience, not as optional add-ons with recurring costs. Based on what I'm seeing in the app, it appears that many of the AI-powered features promoted by the Liberty 5 Pro will eventually be tied to a paywall. That's a major disappointment for me. I was genuinely excited about all of the features this headset offers, but I would hesitate to recommend it to someone if those headline features eventually require ongoing subscriptions. That's definitely a downside. The final concern is the IP55 rating. This means protection against light splashes and moderate sweat exposure. For a headset with this many premium features, I would have expected at least an IP57 rating for greater durability and protection. While IP55 is generally considered suitable for workouts, I'll definitely be a bit more cautious when using these earbuds. There are other features that I haven't yet formed a firm opinion on, such as Easy Chat. In some situations it's excellent, while in others it feels a bit too aggressive. There are plenty of additional features I could discuss, but I wanted to focus on the main areas that stood out to me. Hopefully this review is helpful. Would I recommend these headphones? Yes, I would. As an all-around fun, feature-rich, reliable, and easy-to-use Bluetooth headset, they perform very well. Would I recommend them if you're specifically buying them for all of the AI features they advertise? Probably not. I don't like recommending products that may involve hidden subscription costs for core advertised features. Take that for what it's worth and decide whether that aligns with your intended use.

I’ve been wanting a new pair of primary earbuds as my last pairs battery has died. I mainly wanted a pair with great noise canceling and call quality as I mainly use them to talk on the phone while out for walks or at the office. I also wanted to see what other more unique features I could find, that's why when I saw Anker had the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max with AI Note-Taking and Translation features, I had to pick one up. Pros: - Tons of Features, from Note Taking to Language Translation included. - Secure fit with adjustable ear tips and wings for better fit. - Earbuds can be controlled from Charging Case. - Great sound, with additional customization via the EQ program. Cons: - Battery life is short, about 4 hours per charge, 17 hours with case with all smart features enabled. - AI Note Taking is limited to 120min/month for free, with additional subscriptions or packages available for more minutes. - HearID (custom EQ) is a neat feature if you know what you want from your sound profile. Out of the Box: Included in the box is the Charging Case, Earbuds, a USB-C cable, 4 extra sized ear tips (XXS, XS, S, & L, M is installed) and 2 extra ear wings (0 & 2, with 1 installed). Pairing the earbuds is straightforward, Anker includes guided instructions on the inside of the box along with pictured graphics on how best to wear the earbuds and control the charging case screen. When you open the Charging Case initially, it will display a QR code to download the Anker Soundcore App, which will guide you through the initial setup and controls. One extra step you have to do with the Liberty 5 Pro Max is to pair to the Charging Case as well, there is more to why below. The main thing I noticed out of the box was the 1.78” AMOLED display on top of the charging case. I would normally consider a screen on an earbud charging case as excessive, but Anker made it work with the additional functionality it provides. The screen displays by default the charge on each earbud and the case, but also provides access to most of the features within the App such as AI Note-Taker, Face-to-Face Translation, or earbud settings. The case is square in shape, about 2.3in by 2.3in and ~1.2in tall. The earbuds and case are only 84grams or about 3oz. This still comfortably fits in my pants pocket but is about twice as big as most earbud cases and only a little heavier. I could notice the additional size, but the weight was negligible. Charging Case: Beyond the obvious 1.78” screen on top of the case, the Liberty 5 Pro Max has a microphone built into it. Both of these features require the case to be paired with a device so that the companion Soundcore app can work with additional features like AI Note-Taking and Language Translation. I found the case to be very convenient for swapping hearing modes and settings when putting the earbuds in, as I would have it out already and my phone in my pocket. The case can control most of the settings the app can but does require a device connection to take advantage of the advanced features. Software: The Anker Soundcore app offers a great user experience, adding additional features from the essential Hearing Modes and EQ to more advanced features like AI Note-Taking to Language Translation. It is very easy to navigate to find the settings as the default page is your devices list, with the Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds groups above the case for easy access. Anker also has an AI Assistant named Anka, which is used in note taking and translation, but it’s not overly forced on you. I was able to get some helpful questions answered, but overall only used it when translating conversations. One of the smaller, but important parts about the app is how Anker handles data security. The app allows you to not only delete all your data if you do wish so, but also handles your recordings in a clear and transparent manner. Anker does not retain your data unless you choose to sync. AI Note-Taking: Anker has included the AI Note-Taking as a service, instead of an included feature with additional subscriptions. Included for free in Starter is 120mins/month of transcription. Additional packages include Pro with 1200mins/month for $15.99/month or $99.99/year and Unlimited with 744hours/month for $239.99/year. The unlimited includes a set time amount to prevent loopholes in user usage. Additionally, set allotted minute packages are available that last for 2 years are available that can be bought separately or in combination with a service plan. I don’t plan to pay for a plan, as I have a note taking tool already included but this is a great option if you exclusively want to use the Liberty 5 Pro Max for work meetings. From a Quality perspective, I found that the AI Note-Taking worked great, it easily picking up different speakers in a room along with following the conversation. The AI Summary was better than most as it organized and saved the recordings in a thoughtful organized fashion, such that recordings of the same topic are organized together with date and time information automatically. I would consider switching to Anker’s AI Note-Taking services just for the automatic organization feature. Language Translation: The feature I was the most excited to use is the Real-Time and Face-To-Face Language Translations, which are included at no extra cost. My girlfriend’s family speaks English as a Second language, which can make family gatherings a bit more tough with the language barrier. I’ve been trying out different translation apps with her extended family members with moderate success. The hardest part was the back and forth, which Anker addresses by using the microphone on the Charging Case in face-to-face conversations. I’ve only tested it limitedly with my girlfriend and some videos, but so far it has been accurate and fluid enough to understand a normal paced conversation. I’ll be putting the translation to the test during this holiday season! Fit & Feel: As mentioned, there are multiple ear tips and wings which help create a secure fit. I did find that the earbuds wings would begin irritating my ear after 4+ hours in, this could be due to the placement of the wing tips and having the wrong size in. I switched to the smaller wings, and it is more comfortable, and still secure fitting. I found the touch controls on the earbuds were about the right sensitivity, such that when trying to adjust the earbuds I didn’t accidentally trigger the play/pause but when intentionally, I was able to. Audio: I found the audio quality to be great for earbuds, the Dolby Audio helped boost the fullness of the sound. The HearID was neat in that it provided a guided customizable option for your EQ profile, but if you’re like me in that you don’t know what sounds better for half of the guided options, picking the soundcore Signature profile works great. I primarily use my earbuds to talk on the phone, which the Liberty 5 Pro Max provide a crystal-clear sound for. Microphone: I was impressed by the Liberty 5 Pro Max recording quality; the microphone array works wonderfully. The microphone clearly captured my voice even in extremely loud environments like next to a busy road or in a room with loud background noise such as music. Even when a firetruck went by on the road with sirens blaring, my call remained crystal clear. In fact, the callers all mentioned how clear I sounded, never once hearing any distortions in the audio. Battery Life: I found the battery life to be rather short, at about 4 hours per charge with ANC, Dolby Audio, and Smart Voice Controls on. I ended up disabling the Dolby Audio and Smart Voice Controls to extend the battery life, which got me roughly 5.5 hours per charge. I would have liked a longer battery life per charge, but the 5 hours works for my current uses of the occasional call and working out. Conclusion: Anker delivered a feature packed earbuds in the Liberty 5 Pro Max, with the 1.78” AMOLED display being the star of the show, allowing easy access to the earbud settings without going into the app. The call quality and translation features are amazing, but the battery life does suffer from all the smart features with a minimum of 4hrs per charge, and a maximum of only 6.5hrs per charge. I still loved these earbuds and will be keeping them in my pocket or bag for the foreseeable future.

For the longest time, Apple Earpods have been my go-to headphones. From listening to music, taking phone calls and just having them in for whatever; they've found a nice place in my ears for all my audio needs. However, these new earbuds from Anker are seriously giving my Earpods a run for their money.  Sound wise, spot on and excellent as one would expect. The noise cancellation on these is on par with virtually any earbuds/headphones I've used thus far. Sound for music is excellent as well since you have the option/ability to change sound settings/EQ on these through the earbud case. Same for phone calls. Very high quality sound and no issues with lag or choppy sound.  The extra touch with these earbuds comes with the case. The case, in addition to acting as an extra battery., can also function as a secondary mic for recording meetings and even a remote shutter for your phone's camera. The case itself enables a slew of settings and other adjustable menu items through the earbuds. Things from audio settings to battery levels can ne cycled through using the screen on the case which is really convenient I've found.  That said, it's missing the real time translation the Earpods have but Anker is slowly catching up in terms of their earbuds games which is a pleasant to see. 

Anker markets the Liberty 5 Pro Max as "the world's first smart screen earbuds with AI note taker."  I've spent a few days with them now and I gotta say, these earbuds are amazing! In the box you'll find the earbuds, a Smart charging case with touchscreen, a charging cable, and four sizes of ear tips plus two sets of ear fins to help you get the perfect fit. After some trial and error, I found the right combination and these earbuds lock securely into my ears without budging. I've always struggled to get a proper seal in my left ear with my previous earbuds (several Airpod generations) but that was not the case here, they fit perfectly. They are also very comfortable, I can wear them for hours and barely tell they're there. The touch controls on the earbuds are easy to use and responsive when tapping on them to play, pause, skipping tracks, muting, etc. Upon listening to music, one feature I immediately appreciated is the volume control. You just slide your finger up or down on the earbud and it works every time. I could never get the volume control slide to work on my Airpods consistently, the Liberty 5 controls are way more reliable. There is also a Smart Voice Control setting which will respond to various pre-set commands. I found it a little clunky so I think I'll stick to tapping. I do a lot of bike riding while listening to music, so that was one of the first things I tested. The sound quality is excellent at all frequencies including nice, deep base. There are several different sound settings you can choose from and for me the Soundcore Signature setting was pretty perfect. You can then use the HearID program to really dial in the sound to your liking. Turn on the AI Sound Enhancement feature and that really brought my music to life. Then there is the Active Noise Cancellation which is extremely impressive. I don't think its possible to cancel all external noise with earbuds but these have the best ANC I've ever heard. And when I'm riding my bike at higher speeds there is always some wind interference, its just the nature of earbuds. But because the LIberty 5's fit me so well and perhaps because of their shape/design I get very little wind noise, especially compared to my previous Airpods. The phone app also has a Wind Noise Reduction setting and it helps as well. During my first bike ride with the Liberty 5's I noticed my music would keeping cutting out on me which I was not happy with. At first I thought the earbuds were having issues with the Bluetooth connection to my phone. After a bit of head-scratching I finally figured out, it was the Easy Chat setting. Easy Chat lowers your music when it senses you're talking and/or starting a conversation, then turns it back up afterward. Its a very useful setting in the right context, but my problem was that I kept setting it off whenever I said "on your right" while passing people or I started singing along with a song, which I do A LOT. After turning off Easy Chat I experienced no further cutting out whatsoever.  The touchscreen charging case is on another level compared to anything I've ever used. It has a premium quality to it and is loaded with features. For starters, it has a AMOLED touchscreen that is very responsive to swipes/taps.  You can control your music, change the sound and settings, and access the Smart features like AI note taker and the language translator tool. You can even use it to connect to your phone's camera and use the charging station as a remote for taking photos. The customizable wallpaper on front of the charging station is another cool bonus. Regarding the AI note taker, it is a robust program that will transfer whatever you record from the charging case to the soundcore app on your phone. Testing it out was very impressive and I could see it being a powerful tool for those in need. But being a retired guy I don't see myself using it a whole lot (no more meetings or classes for me!) but we'll see. On the other hand, the face-to-face translation program which translates foreign languages will be quite useful. My wife and I go to Italy at least twice a year. She's pretty fluent in Italian, I am not, so we tested out the translator and it works pretty darned well. For someone who isn't fluent it's a handy feature. It also includes a contextual learning feature that allows you to look up basic words and phrases quickly. I think this tool will come in pretty handy in a couple of months during our next trip. And then there's the phone app. It has a lot of information to help maximize how you use the earbuds and charging station. Customizing the sound to your preferences, getting the best fit in your ears, saving your AI note taker files, Soundspace that has a bunch of white noise-type files, and more. I've been going on for awhile but there's just so much to appreciate with Anker's LIberty 5 Pro Max package. So to sum up: Great sound, excellent noise cancellation, clear calls, comfortable fit, premium charging case with a ton of functionality, and a feature-packed phone app with practical AI features. The Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds and smart charging case are simply amazing and by far the best I've ever owned.

_____ *Pros: -Good sound quality after some tweaking and adjustments. -Excellent ANC. -Very clear voice calls. -Comes with five different ear bud tip sizes. -Supports Dolby Audio and LDAC (high-res audio) -Comfortable for long-term wear. -Very fast quick charge. -Solid Bluetooth connection. -Good value if you need all the features offered. _____ *Neutral: -Out of the box, the sound is tuned too much for bass and hip-hop and a bit muddy for rock music. -Sometimes difficult fishing out the earbuds out of the case. _____ *Cons: -No raised groove on lid  hard to tell which direction to slide open the lid Coming from the Anker Liberty 5 earbuds, I didn’t feel the Liberty 5 Pro Max was an incredible upgrade. The active noise cancellation (ANC) on the 5 Pro Max is better, the phone call quality is clearer, and the charging case is interactive and useful, but in some ways, the Pro Max required more fiddling before I could get the sound quality to feel acceptable and good for the type of music I mainly listen to which is rock, pop, and hip hop. Compared to the Liberty 5 earbuds, the charging case of the Liberty 5 Pro Max is almost the same size – it’s just a tad bit wider and slightly thicker. It feels much more premium though, thanks to the smoother and denser plastic casing as well as that 1.78-inch AMOLED touchscreen, where several settings can be accessed without having to reach for the smartphone. My favorite quick settings are Ambient Sound (toggle among Normal, Transparency, ANC, and Adaptive), Sound Effects (different pre-set equalizer modes), music control (back, pause, next), and Face-to-Face Translation. There’s also an AI Note-Taker option but since I’m not in school anymore and I don’t record my meetings at work due to privacy reasons and corporate policy, I didn’t fully experiment with this option. Out of the box, the ear buds were well-tuned for pop and hip-hop. For heavy metal and rock, however, the buds sounded pretty bad. The electric guitar sounded thin and muddy, and cymbals did not sound crispy and clear. The vocals also felt too dampened like there was a blanket the singer and my ears. It took some fiddling with the equalizer setting, but I was able to make rock sound much better by entering the HearID setting, choosing Custom EQ, and boosting the low-mids and center-mids and lowering the high/treble part. In order to make music sound consistent, I also enabled the LDAC codec and turned off the AI Sound Enhancement and Dolby Audio options. I work in a somewhat noisy environment, and I found the ANC to be very satisfactory. I set it to the max setting of 5 out of 5, and the buds were able to completely tune out my noisy neighbors. There’s also an Airplane and Automobile pre-set ANC modes, and I found them to be helpful and highly accurate when filtering out the ambient noise sources. I never really liked the “grab and squeeze with my fingertip” earbud control options on my Liberty 5 earbuds, so I was happy that the Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds use the tap and swipe gesture control system - I just find the tap and swipe setup more intuitive and performant. Although the Liberty 5 Pro Max did not wow me that much with its out-of-the-box audio fidelity, it impressed me with its AI language translation performance and ANC quality. I tested the feature with Chinese, Spanish, and Korean, and the buds delivered accurate and timely translations that minimized awkward pauses during conversations. And as mentioned before, the ANC works really well, blocking out ambient noise and letting me concentrate on my music or phone call. All in all, I’m satisfied with the Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds. The ANC is excellent, the charging case with a touchscreen AMOLED display is useful and very nice to have, and the audio quality, if you invest some time fiddling with the equalizer options, results in a rich and dynamic soundstage. The initial equalizer setup might be annoying for some people but I want to emphasize that it’s worth the effort. With its nice charging case with useful shortcuts and sharp display and excellent ANC performance, the Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds deserve your attention and consideration.

Highlights: * Full rich sound with good bass * Amazing ANC * Incredible voice isolation * Long battery life * Comfortable, stable fit * Useful charging case with OLED touchscreen * Charging case can be used for voice recordings, translations, settings, music remote control, and more Considerations: * Charging case is larger and heavier than standard cases * Some AI functions are a bit cumbersome to use with app and case * Case’s display needs a screen protector * Would be cool if the case could be used like a speakerphone There are tons of extensive video reviews on YouTube for these headphones. My favorite was a sample of how well they worked around lawn mowers and noisy shop tools. The overall summary is that not only do they sound really good, but they also have much better than average noise cancellation for listening but the incredible voice isolation makes your calls significantly better in noisy environments. The earbuds are comfortable and stable to wear and come with various ear tip and fit wing sizes to ensure a secure fit and good seal. Their IP55 rating means they are safe for rain, sweat and dusty environments but not suitable for swimming. They sound really good but that’s expected at this price level. The Liberty 5’s real star feature is their ANC and voice isolation thanks to the new onboard Thos processor and tons of microphones and sensors. The ANC is really good, although not industry-leading, but close. The voice isolation, though, is fantastic. Take a call on a busy street, in a bus, or even on a tarmac next to a jet engine, and the other side will hear you clearly. That’s amazing! And with all of that fancy noise cancellation on, you still get about 6.5hrs of use. A quick 5 minute charge will also let them play for about 4 hours. There’s also so fancy audio manipulation available if you like. Dolby Atmos with head tracking can be a party trick, but on some tracks it was actually a nice addition. AI “upscaling” for lower-quality music can help upscale lower-resolution streams or files. HearID adjustments can compensate for your particular hearing. It all contributes to really good-sounding buds that punch higher than their price. I have a pair of $500 buds that do sound better, but not $300 better! The built-in Thos processor also enabled 20 verbal commands that work almost instantly since they’re processed in the buds themselves. These commands range from volume and track controls to answering and rejecting calls or adjusting the ANC modes. Four languages are supported including English and German. The charging case for these Liberty 5 Max buds adds some extra cool features to the mix. It is a bit larger than typical but the features it adds make the case more than just a bud holder. Sure, it does the usual of keeping the buds safe and charged up, and can itself be charged by USB-C or qi wireless, but the case is a real product on its own. In fact, when you pair these buds to the free Anker app, they show up as 2 separate yet linked products; the pair of buds and the case.. and each has its own settings, functions and updates. The fancy charging case has a beautiful OLED touchscreen on the lid as well as a built-in speaker and a microphone. I’ve seen other screen-enabled TWS earbud cases and they mostly let you remote-control the music and see/set some earbud settings. But this case does more - it acts like a remote microphone and controller for an AI meeting recorder and language translator. Instead of using your phone to record a class or meeting, you can use the charging case (aka “the box”) to do the recording and leave your phone in your pocket or use it for something else (like browsing TikTok during class). The case’s microphone records the audio internally (space for about 13hrs) and has controls on top to mark important segments or just start/stop the recording. The next time the case connects to your phone, the recording is transferred to your phone, deleted from the case, transcribed and summarized. You get some free AI time that renews each month for 2 years from activation but can always pay for more or subscribe if you find it useful. While there are many AI audio recorder products out there, this one is built into the case for the earbuds that you’re probably already using which is cool. Note that the Anker app is still the central hub for listening to your recordings or reading your transcriptions and summaries, but the case is still handy for doing the actual recording. There are two types of language translation available; Real-Time for when you’re mostly listening and Face-to-Face for when you’re having a conversation. Both require your phone, the app, and internet connectivity to do the translation. As far as I can tell, there is no subscription required for these translation features unlike the AI-based note taking. The Real-Time translation doesn’t use the case or the buds. It basically just uses your phone and the Anker app to listen to and translate someone else’s speech and transcribe it on your phone’s screen. There is very little lag so the text should show up almost instantly. Once there, you can summarize or just save it to reference later. Face-to-Face translation is more for when you’re having a conversation with someone who doesn’t speak your language where you take turns speaking and the system translates each person’s side for the other. While this can work all in the app using only your phone, the special sauce here is that you can instead wear the buds and hand the case to the other person. What you say is picked up by the buds and the app shows the translation on the case which also plays the translation through case’s speaker. What the other person says is picked up by the microphone in the case, translated by the app and spoken into your buds as well as shown on your phone’s app. For either of these translation features to work, your buds and case have to be connected to the phone’s app which acts as the intermediary so your phone also needs to be online, but again, no subscription appears to be required. The case can also act as a remote trigger for your phone’s camera. While this works as a remote shutter button, the case’s screen does not show the live image before or the taken image after. So you basically need to frame everything first using your phone’s screen, then you can use the case’s touchscreen as a remote shutter button when you’re ready to take the photo. Useful but could be better. The overall verdict here is that the buds are much better than their price class would indicate. They sound great for their price class, the ANC is really good and the voice isolation is stellar. This Pro Max case is really helpful with the large OLED touchscreen if you don’t already have an AI note taker or if you need language translation services. If you don’t need those features, the Liberty 5 Pro (non-max) has a smaller less-fancy case with a small touchscreen display and the buds sound and work just as well.

PROS: * Price and value ($250) * Call clarity * Case AMOLED controller * Battery life * Language translator and note-taking features * Noise-canceling ability punches above its weight class SO-SO: * Music audio (it’s not bad by any means, but if you’re looking for high-quality sounds, look elsewhere) * Bass-heavy out of the box, but can be customized CONS: * Aren’t fully connected to Google or other Assistants other than their own (I wish companies would wave the white flag and allow Google, Apple, or Amazon to take care of this) Anker’s Soundcore brand is intriguing. They aren’t exactly premium, yet they perform above their price tag, giving them a value that sets them apart from most brands. I’ve had several Soundcore products over the last few years and have my uses for them, but I generally prefer the highest-quality sound at the best price. However, sometimes you don’t want to use your $500+ earbuds while out and about, whether running errands or going for a run. That’s how I use these. They sound better than you’d think. The bass produces punchiness that will surprise you. However, the biggest thing that separates this product is the earbud case. Anker has tried to reinvent the case, giving it more uses than just a landing spot for your buds. They’ve succeeded. Some may think the AMOLED screen on the case is a gimmick, and while that depends on how you use it, I wouldn’t be so quick to call it one. It’s pretty unique in that you can change the track, volume, and dig into the settings without needing your phone. It’s nice for those of us who are trying to be less phone-dependent. Take, for example, at night, if you want to listen to a podcast, but you don’t want to be distracted by your phone or its light. Then you just use the case to pause or end the podcast before you close your eyes for the night. Beyond its features, the case is lightweight and easy to throw into a pocket without being a nuisance. Audio quality-wise, these sound good. I'm still breaking them in, but I would put them on par with Google’s Pixel Pros or Samsung's offerings. The connection hasn’t ever been finicky for me, and the music sounds great, especially if you love a bit of added bass. Podcasts are super clear, as well. Where it really hits the mark is phone calls. The calls I had were crystal clear on both ends. Touching on the music audio again, these aren’t audiophile-dialed-in. If you’re an audiophile, these aren’t for you, but then again, if you are a true audiophile, you’d already know that. These are a great secondary device to keep active and run around with. I’ve used them on 5+ mile walks and runs, and they’ve stayed comfortable in my ears and haven’t had any connectivity issues. There are other awesome AI-like features that run throughout the case. For example, there is a language translator and a note-taking recorder that can make summarizing meetings super easy. I’d say these features are one of the biggest selling points of the Liberty Pro Max. The noise-cancellation feature is much better than I anticipated. Multiple sensors and the Thus™ AI chip help isolate your voice, so you sound clear and easy to hear in both noisy environments and quiet settings. Active noise cancellation adjusts to your surroundings in real time, helping reduce background noise from places like offices, subways, and streets.

These earbuds have really exceeded everything I've expected. The microphone is incredible (something I never knew I'd like so much until I tried it). Once I was mowing the lawn and listening to a podcast with them when my wife calls me. I'd heard the microphone could cancel out loud noises so I decided to take the call with the mower still on, and incredibly, when I answered the call and asked my wife she said she could hear me clear and said she couldn't even hear the mower! I can only imagine how well this would work for taking work calls while there's noise in the background. I work remotely and travel for work, and these are perfect. Also the noise cancelling is excellent. That's what I would expect from earbuds at this price, and they don't disappoint. They're on par with what I would expect from brands that charge hundreds more. The case is also a highlight. I never knew how much I'd like a full screen touchscreen on my earbuds case. My favorite feature is the customizable wallpaper. It's so great to put a picture of my family on the case so I can remember them while traveling for work. The only thing I didn't like at first was the design (it's different that the stem style earbuds that I'm used to) but once I tried them I quickly got used to them. The comfort is great. If you're on the fence about getting this, just get it. They're great!

Ive had the opportunity to test the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max for several days and compare to several other brands to see just how good the call and music quality is. After testing I’ve determined that the Liberty 5 Pro Max is a premium tier set of wireless earbuds. Design and fit Where other brands opted for their wireless buds to incorporate stems, Anker opted for a curved shaped bud. I initially though that these buds would be uncomfortable and would fall out of my ears when I first saw them. To my surprise it’s quite the opposite. The fit is secured by the fins and the curvature in the bud. The packaging also included several ear tips to compensate for all ear sizes. I like this fit much better than the stem approach. I’ve been able to do more physical activities without the worry of these falling out or losing them. Features The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro max is the most complete pair of wireless buds I’ve ever owned. It seems like the options are endless with these wireless earbuds. Bluetooth 6.1 IP55 rating 3 device multi-connection ANC 4.0 Charging case with 1.78 inch screen AI note taker Ability to change touch input settings This list is just the main features of the buds and not the complete feature list that make these buds special and stand out. How do they sound Call quality is really good. So good to get recognized by the Guinness Book of world records. Most wireless earbuds today have multiple ambient sound modes, but the transparency mode sounds more natural unlike other buds I’ve tested. The ANC is also top notch. I wore them while cutting the grass with a gas mower. The difference was night and day. They blocked out most of the loud noise with ease. Music sounds really good as well. The bass profile is really massive and sounds awesome. Watching videos produces no lag and I didn't notice any sync issues with my Android device. Charging case The star of the show is the charging case. It comes equipped with a 1.78 inch touchscreen that's rivals smartwatches. It gives the ability to use the case rather than opening the app, also the feature I use the most is having the ability to control the audio while using the case. Just a quick swipe to the right gives you the ability to pause/play and skip while using the case. Second favorite option is the AI note taker feature. Although this option is subscription based, Anker gives access to the free starter plan tier which includes 120 minutes monthly for 24 months. This is very generous to give access to AI features, since companiesare charging a premium for AI features now. The case is able to listen in and transcribe conversations by using the case as the listening device. This is super neat. Overall thoughts This is my hands down pick for best wireless earbuds of 2026 so far. I really like the build quality, and the features of the Liberty 5 Pro Max are second to none. You can't go wrong with this pick.

I was a bit hesitant about this because of the high cost. Setting it up didn’t take very long and was ready to use within a couple minutes. I don’t often like to use an app that comes with a procut but for this, I decided to use it because I was very interested in the AI options, and it gave me the message that I had to use the app to access it. But when I tried to create an account the system recognized that I already had an account with Anker, I couldn’t figure out what product I could have created that account for. After some digging, I realized that Eufy is part of their company so I had to log in with that password. These look nice and feel nice in my ears. I love that it comes with additional fins and nose ear tips to find the right size. I found the small ones fit better in my ears. The battery lasts all day with me using it most of the day and it also charges pretty quickly. The reason I got excited about these, is for the AI note taking and the live translation capability. I am always taking notes and I tend to be forgetful so I try to take notes as soon as possible if I can’t take it during a conversation or meeting. I thought, this feature alone would be worth me getting these earbuds and is really the only reason I got them. I have to say the note taking works great! Much better than I expected. It recognizes different voices while taking notes and puts them in the right place. Once it transcribes, I can edit it, still listen to the actual recording, export the audio and/or the words and I can also sync it with some app they offer as options, I use drop box or google drive. The translation worked surprisingly well too! I am truly impressed. There are two options depending on the need. You choose the language from the lists of many languages and decide which translation would be better for a particular situation. Real time translation is a good option to use as the person keeps talking like meetings or long conversations. The face to face translation is for conversations between people going back and forth. I used both multiple times and I’m really happy with how they both work. My only hesitation to give this 5 stars is that there is an additional cost for the AI transcription services. I did not expect this at all and I think it may be a surprise to many. I think this should be in bold letters and made very clear to anyone looking at this for that need. They do give you 120 free transcription minutes each month for 24 months. So at least you don’t have to pay sooner unless you need more than those free minutes a month. I have to say that was disappointing to me. For my convenience, I would definitely be using it for more than 2 hours a month but since I don’t want to have to pay, I will have to choose carefully when I will use it, which is a real bummer. If this is your reason for purchasing this, just beware and consider if this will really meet your needs. I do hope they reconsider this or at least allow double the free minutes a month. I was going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars because this really changes how I planned to use this even though everything else works great. But I feel that I could get everything else from most high end ear buds, it was the transcription and translation that led me to try this out. It has many of the features you would expect with earbuds plus some more items to make it more convenient: My calls are very clear even when I’m in a place that is noisy, I can hear clearly. You can actually speak to turn the volume up/down and go to the next track when listening to music. It offers so many cool features like ambient sounds options, noise cancellation and transparency are the ones I use most often. The app also offers an audio library which includes sleep stories, white noise and meditation. Overall, I love everything about it except the unexpected cost I talked about.

I was a big proponent of over-the-ear headphones for longer than I care to think about. But in the last couple of years advances with ear buds have made me reconsider this. These new Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds are a case in point. They have really good adaptive ANC 4.0 (has a built n AI audio chip), are lightweight, fit in the ear well (comfortable) and touch controls are fairly easy to use. The case is also a step up as it is really a built-in app allowing access to settings, pairing, etc. - as well as keeping buds charged. They are certainly much easier to travel or work out with. There is minimal packaging. In the box are the earbuds, small easily fit in your pocket charging case, multiple size ear tips, ear fins and USB-C cable. The first order of business was to install app and plug in USB-C cable to charge. The app installed easily on my android phone. The paring routine is a tad different as you slide open the case, unlock screen by swiping up and synching starts. You must leave the earbuds in the case. The screen shows all synched devices with the option to turn them on/off, which I found very useful since I have multiple phones/TVs synched. You can have 3 devices “on” at the same time. The earbuds are supposed to run for about 6.5 hours on a charge, with the battery case providing an additional 28 hours – the case screen shows charging stats. Controlling the ear buds’ functions are as you would expect. You can use the app to customize the controls. The app has many options including sleep stories, meditations, brain wave synching, snore masking, white noise and even tinnitus masking. ANC options are on, adaptive, normal or transparent with a wind noise reduction too. The HearID takes you to multiple sound affects – signature, clear vocals, powerful bass, calm/soothing and custom or create your own new option. There is an AI enhancement option which turns off Dolby Atmos – I didn’t really notice much difference using this compared to Dolby and it turns off fixed or head turning option available with Dolby Atmos. I did not like the head tracking at all – moving my head made it seem sound was only coming out of one side. Dolby audio certainly feels like you are in the middle of the action with the sound enveloping you and picks up the smallest background noise of whatever you might be listening to. Bass and mid-range are good. The ANC is really good and is great to use just by itself reducing extreme noisy events such as a racetrack or concert. There are AI features you can “add” for chat, real time translation, note taking and content summarization. But you must agree to third party accessing info – which I did not want to do - so didn’t test. Calls were clear. Having ability to have 3 devices synched could come in handy. The case itself is recharged via a USB-C to USB-C cable. The small size case makes it easy to carry in a pants/shirt pocket and lid is magnetized to stay closed. The buds snap into magnetized slots. The case has a flat bottom and also is magnetized. I worry about scratches on the screen so time will tell. While using if you take one of the earbuds out – it will temporarily stop music/movie from playing and worked well when using with my phone or streaming on my TV 18 months parts/labor warranty. I do worry about scratching the screen. Also, I am concerned that if the case screen (app) fails – you won’t be able to synch new or control already synced devices? I could not find this functionality in the phone app – it should be. Earbuds just keep getting better and better. I really like these and they compare very favorably to my Jabra Elite 10 from 2023. Soundcore is an Anker company which products I really like. Overall, very nice ear buds that sounds great and stay in your ear. Definitely recommend it.