Soundcore unveils its latest value-packed ANC earbuds
The Liberty Air 2 Pro feature three different noise-canceling settings.
Credit:
Soundcore
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Soundcore has been on a roll lately, leveraging its lineup of affordable, feature-packed earbuds to carve out considerable territory in the true wireless landscape. In an effort to maintain that momentum, Soundcore has introduced a new pair of noise-canceling earbuds at CES 2021: the Liberty Air 2 Pro.
The new earbuds are a premium version of the Liberty Air 2, and the second “Pro” edition earbuds to join the company’s roster alongside the Liberty 2 Pro. The latter’s standard predecessor, the Liberty 2, just so happens to be our favorite pair of true wireless earbuds under $100 for their blend of comfortable fit, customizable sound, and solid battery life. Given that Soundcore was able to accomplish all of that for a cool $80, we can’t help but be excited to see what Anker’s premium audio brand has in store for these higher-end buds.
About the Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro
- Price: $129.99
- Release date: January 12, 2021
- Battery life: 6 hours with ANC, 7 hours without, up to 26 hours total with case
- Rapid charging: 10 minutes charge for 2 hours of playback
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
- Voice Assistant compatibility: Siri at launch, with more assistants promised in the future
- Colors: Onyx Black, Titanium White, Sapphire Blue, Crystal Pink
- Water-resistance: IPX4 weather-resistance rating
The Liberty Air 2 Pro has what Soundcore describes as advanced active noise cancellation, featuring three different modes to choose from. Transport mode is designed to block out low frequencies during travel on planes or buses, Outdoor mode targets street noise, and Indoor mode aims to reduce midrange frequencies in order to keep voices and conversations from interrupting your listening experience. As a complement to its trio of ANC settings, the Liberty Air 2 Pro feature two distinct Transparency modes—one designed to enhance all ambient sounds, and another that Soundcore says focuses on vocals.
In terms of audio, the Liberty Air 2 Pro has 11mm drivers in each bud that incorporate Soundcore’s PureNote driver technology. Soundcore says the tech was created by engineers using 10 hardened nanolayers in the composition of each driver with the goal of tuning the buds to sound great with or without ANC activated.
When used with the Soundcore app, the Liberty AIr 2 Pro also offer a technology called HearID 2.0, which the company says allows the buds to individually customize their sound based on the results of a hearing test. Soundcore added that if this customized audio doesn’t sound quite right to you, it’s entirely possible to make changes to the buds’ audio settings to find a more suitable sound signature.
The features don’t seem to end with the Liberty Air 2 Pro, whether it’s the six built-in microphones working towards improved call quality or the nine (!) sets of silicone ear tips included with the earbuds.
Yet as eager as Soundcore is to fill the Liberty Air 2 Pro’s spec sheet, it is ultimately just a spec sheet. These new earbuds are entering a market where countless established, impressive buds already run the show. Granted, the Liberty Air 2 Pro do have a jump on several premium earbuds thanks to their comparatively small price tag. But they’ll still have to prove they have the sound, features, and fit to be considered the next big bargain in the true wireless world.