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This year, Soundcore brings both subtle improvements and impressive improvements that every pair of headphones on the market should replicate. I do not say this lightly. Although still not the market leader, they have even improved on their weakest point: the power of active noise cancellation.
Overall, I’m totally happy with what Soundcore has been able to achieve, so let’s jump right into it and I’ll tell you why the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max are more than just an upgrade on the 5; they “should”.
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Categories |
Liberty 5 Pro |
Liberty 5 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
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Relatedness |
Bluetooth® 6.1, multi-point support for 3 devices |
Bluetooth® 6.1, multi-point support for 3 devices |
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Case |
0.96 TFT Touch screen |
1.78″ AMOLED display, Screen wallpaper, AI recording/transcriptions/face-to-face translations |
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Drive units |
9.2mm Wool-Paper Diaphragm Drivers |
9.2mm Wool-Paper Diaphragm Drivers |
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Codec support |
SBC, AAC, LDAC |
SBC, AAC, LDAC |
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Dolby Atmos support |
Yes |
Yes |
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Battery life |
Up to 6.5 hours (ANC on), 28 hours with case Up to 4 hours, up to 17 hours all functions are active |
Up to 6.5 hours (ANC on), 28 hours with case Up to 4 hours, up to 17 hours all functions are active |
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Filling up |
Wireless and USB-C, 1 hour for headphones, 3 hours for case + full charging of headphones; 5 minutes of charging for up to 4 hours of playback time |
Wireless and USB-C, 1 hour for headphones, 3 hours for case + full charging of headphones; 5 minutes of charging for up to 4 hours of playback time |
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Continuity |
IP55 |
IP55 |
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Software support |
Android, iOS |
Android, iOS |
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Audio adjustment |
8-band EQ (app), HearID 5.0 for personalized sound |
8-band EQ (app), HearID 5.0 for personalized sound |
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Microphone |
8 microphones + 2 VPU + AI Large Model |
8 microphones + 2 VPU + AI Large Model |
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Colors |
Midnight Black, Pearl White, Pearl Blue, Rose Gold |
Titanium Gold, Midnight Black |
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro vs Pro Max: Visual differences
I started my review cycle with the more expensive, new Liberty 5 Pro Max, but I use both Pro models interchangeably. Both new cases have flip-up lids like the Liberty 5 and now have external “smart displays.” While both new Pro models are similar in size, the Pro Max is taller and brighter thanks to its 1.78-inch AMOLED smart display (the Pro’s is .96 inches).
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Both displays are sensitive and easy to read in direct sunlight. Pro Max allows you to download a wallpaper with both stills and animations that appear on the screen when it’s awake. Using the housing, swiping left or right lets you control ANC modes, EQ and playback. Swiping up from the bottom gives you access to all apps, while swiping down from the top brings up quick access shortcuts for various settings. All this without taking out your phone.
The only downside is that while the case is pocket-friendly for a 6′ 215 lb man like me (it fits in the coin pocket of my pants), it will be bulky for those with smaller frames compared to others. Pixel buds or Galaxy Buds 3 Pro cases (see the comparison in the gallery above).
This year, the new Liberty 5 Pro models have been redesigned so that they are no longer root-style headphones; instead, they have a headset with a “surfboard” that sits on the back. Like some surfboards, the new models have three different sizes of back fins, including built-in ones.
The fins, along with multiple ear tip options, made it easy to get the right fit. And it’s a snug fit that feels as secure as my favorite gym headphones, the Powerbeats Fit!
When placing the earbuds in my ears, the idea is to twist the earbuds a little to lock them in place. When they don’t, they’re a looser fit, but they still feel pretty secure, and I’ve worn them that way most of the time. For the gymI just twist and lock and they are great!
In general, I hate the fit of oval-shaped headphones, and I haven’t found them to be comfortable on several headphones I’ve tested over the years, but with the Liberty 5 Pro models, they feel just right.
Amazing, record-breaking call quality
According to Soundcore, the new Liberty 5 Pro models have won the Guinness Book of World Records for their call clarity, and after my tests, I believe them! The most impressive aspect of my time with the Pro and Pro Max was the call quality enabled by the new Anker So AI audio chip built into the earbuds.
One day I called my friend on my 45 minute commute home iPhone 16 Pro Max Liberty 5 Pro connected. He is a broadcast engineer with an intimate knowledge of the ins and outs of audio and video.
We chatted while I was driving and when I got home I asked her where she thought I had called her from. He told me that it was like I was in a quiet room and that my voice was beautiful.
I recorded myself speaking using voice recorder software Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 80dB while playing airplane cabin and city traffic noise. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone when I played that sound, because not only was there not the slightest hint that 80dB of noise was literally blasting in my face from less than two feet away, my voice was much less muddy, but still clear, but it didn’t sound like I was underwater, and there was no cut-off from the AI.
I deliberately stopped talking to see how the new Anker So AI chip handles background noise when I’m on silent, and the sound wave exactly right (as shown above), no sound is detected despite 80 dB of noise!
These are easily the best headphones I’ve used for phone calls in years. Jabra was my previous champion, along with the AirPods, Technics AZ100 and a few others, but nothing came close. exactly What does Anker Soundcore have?
Anker So the AI chip powers some very useful features and improvements
The Anker So AI chip allows for more than what I believe is market-leading call quality. The Pro Max’s case is Bluetooth-enabled and connects directly to your phone, allowing you to use it as a microphone and speaker to translate conversations. I have used this feature several times and it works well.
The AI Note Taker feature is really good! Otter works like AI or Zoom call transcription because it recognizes individual speakers and works very well (see image below). The only time there is confusion about who is talking is when people are talking over each other.
The Anker So chip also enables highly responsive voice commands that control many functions without an internet connection Sony and Samsung’s flagship headphones (see above). The only thing I found a bit hit or miss was the voice chat with Anka, Soundcore’s personal assistant.
You can chat with it and ask it to do something, but I’ve found more complex “requests” to be a bit less reliable than the excellent offline voice commands.
The rest of the experience: highs and lows
Listening to the chaotic jazz of “Moanin'” by Charles Mingus and crew, the Liberty 5 Pro Max did an admirable job of handling the chaotic mix better than the venerable Sony WF-1000XM6, without turning the song’s most chaotic moments into a pot of mashed potatoes.
The only area lacking was the high frequencies in the pop and hip-hop genres. Listening to Jamiroquai’s “Starchild,” his vocals are clear, and while the mix isn’t buried at all, the highs are muted a bit.
The high level of smoothness is a pleasure when listening to different genres of rock music. Down’s “Toxic” system is delicious and nothing has ever been even remotely similar.
You certainly get the popular low-end emphasized tuning from both Professors, but thanks to features like HearID and their excellent sound isolation options, you can really effectively tune the sound frequencies to your liking.
ANC is also noticeably improved. Mid-range sounds like background noises and higher-frequency sounds like the clatter of weight plates at the gym are noticeably softened compared to the Liberty 5. With Enhanced ANC enabled, LDAC HiRes enabled, and AI enabled, I still got about 6 hours of battery with the “buds”.
The only place I found noise control lacking at this price point was the ability to quickly reduce unexpected loud noises like dropping a weight or pan while in Transparency mode. My Powerbeats Fit instantly mutes unexpected loud sounds, but the Liberty 5 Pro doesn’t respond quickly enough.
A remarkable update
While the ANC is improved but not market-leading, the microphones are absolutely spot-on, which begs the question: Liberty 5 Pro Max or Sony WF-1000XM6? Market-leading active noise cancellation or market-leading call quality?
For most people, the sound quality when listening to music or movies is close enough that it’s not a major point of contention between the two, but it’s easy to recommend the Liberty 5 Pro series to you because they’re so good and they’re about $100 cheaper than Sony’s flagship. In this economy, that means a lot!
Soundcore
Liberty 5 Pro Max
Record silence and smarts!
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max sounds great, even has much improved ANC over the Liberty 5, and does neat things like Face Translation using its case as a speaker and microphone. A great pair of headphones for people on the go!
Record silence!
Anker’s Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro comes with AI-enhanced features like record-level background noise cancellation for calls, smart offline volume controls and more thanks to the new Anker So AI Chip. If you don’t need the AI note-taking of the Pro model, this review is easy to review and recommend.
