Anker ’s Soundcore audio brand has routinely wow us with wireless headphones and dependable wireless earbuds that deliver impressive note value for money . We conceive last class ’s $ 150Liberty 2 Prowere an excellent selection because of their great and detailed good character . With its latest mannequin , the $ 170Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro , the brand is demand a monolithic leap forward with the add-on of active disturbance cancellation ( ANC ) , transparency mode , wear sensors , and hi - atomic number 75 audio via Sony ’s LDAC Bluetooth codec — all features that the Liberty 2 Pro lacked . That ’s not bad for what is essentially a $ 20 bump on price . Do these addition make theLiberty 3 Proa no - brainer for buff of high - timber audio recording ? Let ’s look into them out .
Smaller and sleeker
As much as we enjoyed the Liberty 2 Pro ’s phone , their shape and style did n’t really do it for us . Our reviewer note that they stuck out from his school principal quite a bit , and that “ anyone around you is locomote to be acutely aware of the buds ; they are unsufferable to disregard . ” The Liberty 3 Pro are considerably sleeker . They ’re still concentrated to ignore , but this time , it ’s in a good way . Our Fog Gray revue unit ’s highly milled exterior looks like jewelry , not a plastic audio accouterment .
Soundcore has supercede the Liberty 2 Pro ’s tiny , punishing - to - utilise forcible buttons with touch ascendancy , which also helps to keep the earbuds in place . Instead of needing to contract them between your pollex and index finger’s breadth , you could just rap .
Also better are the silicone “ pinna wings , ” or wingtips . On the Liberty 2 Pro , I institute them too soft to offer any genuine added security measures . But the 3 Pro ’s wingtips are more robust and lodge themselves deeper into the fold of my ears . Soundcore carry on to provide an splendid pick of both wingtips and ear tip — four size of each .
A case for better ergonomics
One of the Liberty 2 Pro ’s coolest feature article — the sliding lid on the wirelessly charging case — makes a return on the Liberty 3 Pro , and it ’s just as satisfying to use . The mechanism lets you slide the lid open and closed one - handed and I warrant you ’ll obtain yourself playing with it like a fidget plaything even when you do n’t need the earbuds .
Unfortunately , what has also returned is the awkward orientation course of the earbuds inside the case . There is simply no fashion to draw out them out and cleave them in your ear in one uninterrupted movement — god eff I ’ve tried . It ’s equally awkward putting them back when you ’re done . Something about the preference they need to be in when you ’re wear thin them versus how they have to be placed in the face defies every instinct your Einstein has about how it should mould .
But what the case lacks in ergonomics , it makes up for in elan . Though large than many charging cases , its utterly bland , rounded form feel gravid in your hand , and when you slide undetermined the palpebra , you ’re treated to a light show from the embedded LEDs — the Liberty 3 Pro smell like they ’re from an imagined sci - fi future .
Sublime sound
I ’ve had the luck to judge several Soundcore product : TheLife Q30 ANC headphones , Liberty 2 Pro , Liberty Air 2 Pro , andLife P3 . Each has performed well above my expectation considering the other product you’re able to buy at similar prices . The Liberty 3 Pro are no exception , deliver beautifully bold sound that will do justice to any medicine genre you care to throw at them . Their dual - equipment driver architecture , which pairs a dynamic equipment driver for the low frequencies , with a balanced armature driver for the mids and high , works like a charm .
Bass response is excellent . The Liberty 2 Pro also offered brawny freshwater bass , but the 3 Pro do it in a more contain fashion . Listening to theDolby Atmos Musicversion of The Doors’Riders On The Storm , you’re able to feel the inscrutable thrum of the freshwater bass line as it kicks off the track , but at no point does it interfere with the clink notes of Ray Manzarek ’s Rhodes piano that seem to flit through the air , totally weightless . There ’s a thin tendency toward sibilance in the very high registers , but thanks to the Soundcore app ’s huge number of EQ presets and manual adaptation , it ’s potential to dial this back if it starts to bother you .
The HearID feature , which is plan to personalize the earbuds to your specific auditory sense profile , actually worked for me — a surprisal given that I ’ve not had big luck with these sort of digital enhancements in the past . move around it on gave me a much - needed boost to certain frequencies and I enjoy the way of life it alter the sound . Your gasoline mileage may alter .
Soundcore include a simulated three-D surroundings setting in its app . This does enhance the feeling of space , but it also dig out the sound , and it ca n’t contend with a straight Dolby Atmos track .
The hardest part of the Liberty 3 Pro to valuate is their wireless hello - Re audio , made possible by the cellular inclusion of Sony ’s LDAC Bluetooth codec . In doing so , Soundcore chose to ditch the Liberty 2 Pro ’s aptX , but I think it ’s an acceptable tradeoff .
In a smooth elbow room , listening to a very high quality recording , you may detect an extra floor of smoothness and depth .
As an aside , if you need to utilize this feature film , it has to be enabled in the Soundcore app first , otherwise , Android devices wo n’t recognize it as an LDAC - equal to readiness of headphones . It ’s also worth take down that iPhones do not support LDAC .
My experience with LDAC is that it can produce improvements in audio tone . But the difference is incredibly subtle , even with very high - quality headphone , and when you ’re streaming lossless , 24 - bit track from a service likeAmazon Music . Such is the font with the Liberty 3 Pro . In a perfectly subdued room , listen to a very high quality recording , you may detect an extra level of smoothness and profoundness — like someone has cautiously pruned the sharp bits , leave behind you with a more natural - sounding signature . Or , you may not acknowledge the remainder at all .
Given that turning on LDAC come with a passably significant collision to battery life ( 4.5 hours with it on , versus 8 time of day when it ’s off ) and it prevents the Liberty 3 Pro from link up to a second Bluetooth gimmick ( more on that later ) , it plainly might not be deserving it to you .
Not quite quiet
ANC is a good addition to any exercise set of true wireless earbuds , but not all ANC systems are create adequate . In Soundcore ’s case , it has yet to master the nontextual matter of complete silence . On the Liberty 3 Pro , I found the same situation as I did on the company ’s Liberty Air 2 Pro : ANC by all odds reduces outside sound , but if you ’re not playing any euphony , you ’ll get word a small amount of hiss . Is it a deal - surf ? No , but it does have in mind that if you ’re buy a set of ANC earbuds in social club to silence the creation so you may think or sleep , you should probably look toward other alternative , like theBose QuietComfort Earbuds , Jabra Elite 7 Pro , or theTechnics EAH - AZ60 .
Transparency fashion , on the other hand , can be very effective , especially if you turn on the outspoken mode option , which does an fantabulous job of countenance you hear spokesperson , including your own .
There are some interesting tweaks to both stage setting thanks to the Soundcore app ’s HearID office , but I did n’t find that they made a expectant difference .
Good call
The Liberty 3 Pro ’s multiple mics do a really good job of captivate your voice for calls . It ’s a full , natural , and resonant sound that — under optimal consideration — is as good or better than what your speech sound ’s mic can do .
That change somewhat when things around you start to get gimcrack . Interestingly , your phoner may never be aware of these other sounds because the environmental noise - canceling is excellent . But as the package work out overtime to mask these sounds , it also goes a moment overboard , creating a clear-cut warble to your voice . That compression can be extreme at times . Still , retrieve a comparatively quiet position and your callers should have no problem hear you loud and clean-cut .
Goes the distance
stamp battery life-time is more than adequate , with six hours on a single thrill ( 24 total with the charging font ) when you keep ANC turned on . This jumps to 8/32 when you switch it off . Those are issue that put the Liberty 3 Pro on par with some of the best ANC earbuds and give them a goodly lead over theAirPods Pro .
Should you run out of juice , a 15 - minute fast - charge in the case will get you an additional three 60 minutes , which is excellent : Most of the competition will only get an supernumerary hr from a 10 - instant charge .
Extras
Soundcore does n’t skimp on the bell and whistles . you could customise the touch controls with full freedom to pick each use and each gesture on both earbuds — even the loudness , which the Liberty 2 Pro lacked . There ’s a fit mental testing to facilitate you identify the right ear peak size , and you could determine if you want the wear sensing element to auto - pause your music or not when you remove an earbud .
Each earbud can be used independently for both call and music , and as I allude to earlier , you could pair the Liberty 3 Pro to two devices simultaneously — a huge convenience for folks who want to routinely switch between their computer and telephone and do n’t need to dive into their setting every clip .
lastly , anIPX4 ratingfor water resistance means they should have no problem surviving even a very sweaty workout or a showery ravel .
Our take
Though still beefier than many other true wireless earbuds , the Liberty 3 Pro are comfortable to recommend , with fantabulous reasoned quality , capable ANC , and a short ton of useful and convenient feature .
Is there a better alternative?
At $ 170 , Soundcore has carved out an interesting niche for theLiberty 3 professional . If you spend a niggling more — say $ 200 — you could get theJabra elect 7 Pro , which are , in this reader ’s opinion , a perfect curing of earbuds . They ’re smaller and more well-off and they ’ve suffer better ANC performance , but I ’m not sure they sound quite as dynamical as the Libertys . And , ironically , they currently lack Bluetooth multipoint , which has been a key signature Jabra feature of speech , while the Liberty 3 Pro have it .
expend a small less — say $ 150 — and you’re able to get theTechnics EAH - AZ40 , with fantastic reasoned quality , but very few bells and pennywhistle . There ’s no wireless charging , no ANC , and no advance Bluetooth codecs .
How long will they last?
Hard to say with any reliable wireless earbuds , but the Liberty 3 Pro have a few matter go for them that should avail with longevity : A good pop out shelling life of 8 hour ( this tends to drop as the earbuds years ) , an 18 - month guarantee , and an IPX4 rating for water system protection . If you take care of them , they should last for many years of use .
Should you buy them?
Yes . They ’re an first-class value in a exercise set of noise - cancel true wireless earbuds .
