Soundcore just launched its newest true wireless earbuds, the Liberty 5, with upgrades aimed squarely at people who want premium features without the $250 price tag. Priced at $129, the Liberty 5 adds stronger voice-targeting noise cancellation, support for immersive Dolby Audio, and longer battery life, all while retaining the customizable sound and comfortable fit that’s made the Liberty series easy to recommend for earbuds in the $100 to $150 range.
I’ve used the Liberty 4 and earlier models for years, mostly at the gym, and they’ve been my go-to for a reason. The sound is full and punchy, with just the right amount of driving bass to keep me motivated through a tough workout. I expect the Liberty 5 will at least match that performance, if not improve on it. Soundcore swapped the dual-driver setup in the Liberty 4 for a single 9.2mm driver with dual bass tubes in the 5, promising better low-end resonance without muddying the mids. I’m looking forward to hearing how that plays out.
Active noise cancellation has always been decent on the Liberty line – good enough to dull treadmill hum or block out chatter at the grocery store – but I wouldn’t call it best-in-class. The Liberty 5 steps it up with what Soundcore is calling Adaptive ANC 3.0, which updates itself three times per second and claims to block voices twice as effectively as the Liberty 4. That sounds promising, especially for commuting or open-office use, where most earbuds struggle to mute midrange noise like human speech. I’m especially curious to test how much of a difference this actually makes in real-world use.
For anyone who takes calls on the go, the Liberty 5 uses all six microphones and an upgraded AI algorithm to isolate your voice, even in noisy environments. And if you're all about battery life, Soundcore is promising up to 48 hours of total playback (32 with ANC on) and a five-hour boost from just 10 minutes of charging. That’s a noticeable step up from the Liberty 4.
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The Liberty 5 still uses Soundcore’s customizable HearID system, which tunes the sound to your hearing profile, and now adds a new EQ-based “preference test” for people who want more say in how their music sounds. It also supports high-res audio with LDAC, and includes three Dolby Audio modes: Music, Movie, and Podcast, to tweak the soundstage depending on what you’re listening to.
Design-wise, it keeps the familiar stem-style shape with pinch controls (still my favorite over fiddly touch gestures) and comes in four colors: black, white, blue, and pink. It’s also more durable than past models, with an IP55 rating that adds dust resistance and better protection from sweat or rain, making it a solid choice for workouts and outdoor use. The Liberty 5 doesn't have a built-in heart rate monitor, like the Liberty 4, but I don't think that feature will be missed by most. And that enables the Liberty 5 to launch at $129.99 versus the $149.99 when the Liberty 4 launched (you can get the Liberty 4 now for $99.99).
The Soundcore Liberty 5 earbuds are available now for $129.99 at Amazon and Soundcore.com.
[Image credit: Soundcore]
