Soundcore - by Anker Liberty 5 Advanced In Ear Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds - Black

Great sound and functionality, Only thing it needs is in-ear, earhooks. Mainly, in-ear hooks that i can keep on when i place earbuds back into the case. I purchased some aftermarker rubber in-ear hooks that I have to take off when I put them back in the case or they won't charge. I dont like having to put rubber in-ear hooks on every time i want to waer them, but thats what I have to do to keep them from falling out my ears.

I've been using Galaxy Buds+ from 2021 and it's taken me a long time to find in-ear buds with the right amount of sound quality and clarity. The Active Noise Cancelling is the strongest compared to Apple and Galaxy themselves providing almost a deafening amount of pure silence when jamming out to your favorite song. Customizable audio output functions and the best amount of treble and bass have made this a godsend for me as I've tried Sony, Beats, OnePlus and none them have the best feel, comfortability, quality as these Soundcore Buds

Earbuds come in all shapes and sizes, and since I have had good experiences with Soundcore in the past, I wanted to try these. The design mirrors many premium models, with the microphone positioned at the end of the stem. They include a charging case and a companion app that allows for deeper customization. The charging case feels solid and opens smoothly, and placing the earbuds in or taking them out is effortless. Pairing was fast and straightforward, so setup only took a few moments. The app is well organized and useful for firmware updates, adjusting touch controls, and personalizing audio settings. The Preference Sound feature stands out because it creates a sound profile based on a short listening test, tailoring playback to individual hearing preferences. Comfort is another strong point. They are lightweight and sit securely without drawing attention to themselves once inserted. Transparency mode is available, though with a proper seal there is already noticeable passive isolation. While I did not hear much environmental noise even in transparency mode, I could clearly tell when it was active because my own voice sounded more natural when speaking. There are a few areas that could be improved. When I moved my head, the microphone stem occasionally brushed against my shoulder, creating a faint crinkling sound that was more noticeable in transparency mode. The physical control button can also be tricky to find by feel, and it requires a firm press to activate, which makes it seem slightly stiff. Additionally, removing the earbuds pauses playback but does not automatically shift audio back to the connected device’s speaker. Sound quality is where these earbuds really stand out. Across genres, the presentation is rich and balanced. Bass delivers impact without overwhelming the mids, vocals remain clear and forward, and highs are crisp without becoming sharp. The overall tuning allows for extended listening without fatigue. Enabling Dolby Sound in Music Mode while streaming through Apple Music expanded the presentation even further. The audio felt more spacious, with improved instrument placement and clearer separation between layers. Subtle details emerged more distinctly, giving tracks a greater sense of depth without sounding artificial. The personalized sound profile enhanced this even more by subtly refining tonal balance to better match my hearing. The preset EQ options were also useful when I wanted a slightly different emphasis for certain styles of music, offering quick adjustments without manual tweaking. When watching movies on Disney+, Dolby content translated well. Dialogue stayed focused and intelligible, while effects and background elements remained clearly defined. Action scenes carried weight, yet voices were never overshadowed. Whether listening to music or watching films, the clarity, separation, and dimensional quality consistently impressed me. If you are looking for a budget-friendly premium listening experience, these earbuds are worth looking at.

I've used earbuds over the years from virtually every major manufacturer. This was my first time using earbuds from Anker. I was pleasantly surprised with how terrific they were, as they have a fairly low MSRP and they feature active noise canceling. Pros: - The sound quality was fantastic. From my experience, the sound quality outperforms every other brand I've used in a similar price range. Podcasts sounded great and music was terrific as well. - I like the design of the case with how it gently slides open. The earbuds magnetically snap into place very easily. - While many earbud products provide you with 3 sets of ear tips for different sized ears, this product provides SIX different sizes. You are pretty much guaranteed to get the perfectly comfortable fit that you are looking for. - I'm typically not a fan of audio companion apps, but the Soundcore app does have a cool white noise feature that I liked. It had tons of preset options if you want to meditate with specific background noises, fall asleep to gentle waves, etc. You can also easily customize white/background noise to your liking by adding anything from birds, to campfires, to hiking steps, crickets etc. The combinations are nearly infinite. Cons: - The touch controls worked OK for me, but there was a slight learning curve to get the proper pinching technique down. When you consider the sound quality, craftsmanship, features (ANC), and price range, this Anker Liberty 5 Soundcore product is an excellent option!

*** Summary *** The Anker Liberty 5 Bluetooth earbuds were a pleasant surprise for me with their good sound quality, excellent active noise cancellation, and a plethora of tuning options to dial in the EQ to my liking, all at a price point that is very affordable. All of my previous earbuds were from bigger “brand name” companies which I chose because of their brand cachet and the fear of making a mistake. After experiencing the Liberty 5 across multiple scenarios, I can attest that Anker knows what they’re doing when it comes to creating quality audio hardware with premium features at a fair and value price point. Due to some small inconveniences, I can’t give it full stars, but a 4.5 Stars. It’s still a Win. ________ *Pros: -Excellent sound quality. -Really good active noise cancellation. -Clear and loud phone calls even with just one bud. -Excellent wind noise masking during calls. -Comes with six different ear bud tip sizes. -Supports Dolby Audio and LDAC (high-res audio) -8-band custom EQ + lots of preset options -Good battery life. -Comfortable for long-term wear. -Very fast quick charge. -Solid Bluetooth connection. -Excellent value. ________ *Neutral: -When opening the lid, there is slight friction in the beginning that prevents smooth opening due to the wobbly lid. -Out of the box, the sound is tuned too much for bass and a bit muddy. -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 *** Hardware, Design, and Comfort *** I found the design of the Liberty 5 to be attractive and functional. The bud part that goes inside the ear offers a comfortable and secure fit thanks to the six differently sized ear tips, and the ear tips offer a great seal for very good passive noise cancellation. The stem part is where the touch control zones are, and I found the length to be just right. The touch zone has an indent on the surface, making it easy to find it. I found the touch responsiveness, however, to be a bit lacking. Instead of my desired action, such as music pause, happening immediately, there is a delay that made me doubt whether my command was going to go through or not. I eventually got used to this but during my break-in period, it was kind of annoying. The earbuds are compact and light, and they were very comfortable to wear for hours on end. The buds snap inside the case quickly and accurately via the strong magnetic force, and I found the case to be comfortable to carry around thanks to its small footprint. The plastic feels a bit cheap-feeling and the sliding lid wobbles up and down on the hinge, which makes opening the case not very smooth. Also, there is no indent on the lid, making it hard to know in which direction I should push the lid open when I’m not looking at the case. I’m guessing this area is where Anker cut some corners in order to keep the Liberty 5 below a certain price point. It’s a not a big deal or let down but I’m not sure how durable the lid and the hinge will be long term. *** Audio and Sound Quality *** I mainly use the Liberty 5 earbuds at work to listen to music, and they have been excelling in my sometimes-noisy environment. I have some noisy cubicle neighbors but thanks to the quick-reacting and excellent active noise cancellation (ANC), I’ve been able to listen to my music in peace. Out of the box, I found the default tuning to be too heavily oriented toward bass, which sometimes resulted in muddy-sounding music. I played around with the different preset EQ settings as well as setting up my own custom EQ curve, and so far, I find the Piano preset to be the best for the types of music I listen to. With so many tuning options, I’m sure you won’t have a problem dialing in the earbuds to your liking. After my dog chewed up my Plantronics Bluetooth earbud, I decided to try using the Liberty 5 for phone calls, and I was surprised by how good it was at delivering loud, clear voices and blocking out ambient noise for the person on the other line. Everyone I talked to said my voice and volume were MUCH better, and they asked me to use the Liberty 5 every time I called them from now on. 😊 The high-res LDAC option isn’t available to toggle on out of the box, but you can unlock it via a firmware update. The app will warn you that battery life will go down as a result, but it’s totally worth toggling on both LDAC and Dolby Audio for the better sound experience. Speaking of battery, Anker lived up to its marketing claim and the buds charged up REALLY fast. *** Is it a good buy? *** Yes, most definitely. Anker may not have the brand cachet of the big market players, but the Liberty 5 earbuds deserve to be tried. The sound is very good, the tuning options are myriad, the ANC is excellent, and the buds are comfortable to wear for long hours. I would totally recommend these to my friends and family unapologetically.