The Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro were one of Tim’s favorite headphones back then. They cost over €100 back then, but now they are almost affordable at €49.99 on Amazon. The only other thing to note is the potential noise of the headphones, which has been fixed in the upgraded version. However, it is currently much more expensive.
Highlights of the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro:
- good sound
- Long term
- aptX Bluetooth codec
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are the Chinese company’s new wireless in-ear “flagship headphones”. Our conclusion in the long-term test: Anker Soundcore has finally made it to the top with the Liberty 2 Pro and can compete with any established branded headphones. Find out why in this test!
- You may interested: Liberty 3 Pro & Liberty 4 Review
Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro Review, Specs, Photos, Videos & Price
- Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
- Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro (Upgrade Version – without noise)
- Technical specifications
| Surname | Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro |
| driver | 11mm Dynamic Driver + BA Driver |
| frequency range | 20-20,000Hz |
| impedance | 16Ω |
| connectivity | bluetooth 5 |
| battery capacity | 500 mAh in charging box; 65 mAh per earpiece |
| Weight | 7.4 g per earpiece; 52.8g battery box |
| Dimensions | 78.5 × 57 × 5.4mm; 29.5×18.15 22.3mm |
| IP protection class | IPX4 |
| sensitivity | 100±3dB ( 1kHz@1mW ） |
| bluetooth profile | AVRCP1.6, A2DP1.3, HFP1.7 |
| audio codec | SBC, AAC, aptX |
Scope of delivery & packaging
I don’t want to talk too long about the packaging, but Anker Soundcore really did a good job with it. With rough, less rough and smooth surfaces, you already create a high-quality haptic impression. The headphones are shown on the front without a charging box.
On the short sides and the back you can find more information about the product, there are also 3D effects on the back, the first impression is successful here! The box is opened and closed with an invisible magnetic closure. Inside you will find a large graphic for the new driver technology, but more on that later.
In addition to the headphones and the charging cradle, you will find a quick start guide, warranty card, USB-C charging cable and ear hooks in three different sizes in the box. In addition, Anker includes ear pads in seven(!) different sizes, which are beautifully presented inside the package. There are no small plastic bags, as you know them from many budget headphones.
Design And Processing
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro no longer have much in common with their predecessor. With dimensions of approx. 18.15 x 22.3 mm, the new headphones are larger than the “normal” EarBud design. The oval shape reminds me personally of wireless in-ears from Sony, such as the Sony WF-1000X or the Sony WF-1000XM3.
But the 1More Stylish, which we have already tested for you here, also have a similar shape. With a weight of around 7 g, the Liberty 2 Pro headphones are also slightly heavier than the average wireless in-ear.
Externally, the headphones are made entirely of plastic, while they are almost entirely black. Only the back of the handset is grey, the Soundcore logo is also located here in glossy writing so that it stands out nicely from the background.
Below the earwires is a small plastic anchor that keeps the earwires in place. The in-ear opening of the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro does not have a fine-mesh grid, but a gold-plated metal plate with a symmetrical pattern, looks pretty classy!
The charging cradle is oval with dimensions of 78.5 × 57 × 5.4 mm, similar to the earphones. Although it is longer than most charging boxes, it is also a bit flatter and has a gray soft coating. I like that it echoes the shape of the earphones and also has a nifty new opening mechanism. It is not opened up, but postponed.
The mechanism seems stable to me at first, but how it fares in the long-term test remains to be seen. However, I trust Anker Soundcore that the opening mechanism was extensively tested in advance for its durability.
In terms of processing, as usual with Anker Soundcore, I have nothing to complain about. There are no material or production errors, and there are no gaps that are too large due to the IPX7 protection.
Whether you like the larger listeners or not is probably a question of taste. As long as they don’t stick out too much, I can live with the larger headphones. In addition, larger headphones also offer more space for technology and the sound is simply more important to me personally.
Revolution for Anker: Sound of the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are, like the Xiaomi Piston Pro 2 or the Aukey EP-B80, a hybrid in-ear. This means that not only is there an 11 mm dynamic driver inside, but also a balanced armature (BA) driver, which was developed by the knowles company.
These hybrid driver systems have the advantage that the individual drivers can each play to their strengths. While dynamic drivers with a large membrane offer very good low-frequency performance, the strengths of BA drivers lie in the upper mid-range and high-frequency range. Together, in most cases, a wider frequency spectrum can be covered than with just one type of driver.
What makes the Anker Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 innovative compared to other Hybird in-ears is the arrangement or architecture of the drivers. The Chinese manufacturer markets this under the name “Astria Coaxial Acoustic Architecture”.
The BA driver does not sit next to or offset from the dynamic driver, but exactly in the middle in front of it. Anker Soundcore shows what exactly this looks like on the inside in this product graphic:
Here you can also see that the BA driver is also located in the middle and very close to the in-ear opening. With this new arrangement of the components, Anker Soundcore wants to have created a detailed and harmonious sound that is both powerful and very precise overall.
My new favorite headphones in terms of sound
Enough drivel about the technology, in the end we are only interested in how the headphones sound! I have to say: it has been a long time since a pair of headphones from China has triggered such an “aha experience”. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro simply packs everything that has been available in in-ear headphones from China so far.
On the one hand, the wireless in-ear has a very powerful bass, which also produces a very nice, powerful pressure in the sub-bass range. On the other hand, the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro is incredibly high-resolution in the higher frequency ranges and, in my opinion, hardly swallows a single detail.
I like the overall tuning very much, although the bass is very powerful (if you want it), but it also performs so well in the mid and high frequency ranges that these areas don’t go under.
In my opinion, the stage, i.e. the frequency spectrum that the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro covers, is significantly larger compared to all other China headphones and you can hear that. So while listening I have the feeling that I’m on stage at a concert and not just in front of it.
Overall, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro is the first wireless in-ear from China that, in my opinion, has a better sound than the Xiaomi Piston Pro 2 Hybrid In-Ear. Which is actually pretty crazy considering the wired headphones are available for as little as €15.
The Liberty 2 Pro offers the advantages of a wireless in-ear, but a sound that is just as good as the last wired Xiaomi hybrid in-ear. So the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro is probably my daily companion for the time being, because it won’t be that easy to top it.
The catch in the sound of the Liberty 2 Pro
Unfortunately, the start of the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro was less glorious than its sound. In the first product batch in particular, there were probably a few headphones that emitted an unmistakable noise when the music was quiet. Our first test product was also affected, but we quickly received a replacement model via Amazon.
The replacement headphones make less noise, but unfortunately it’s not completely gone. It mainly depends on what kind of music or videos you listen to and the volume also plays a role. In music where there are often very, very quiet passages, such as in classical compositions, a very quiet background noise is audible at these points.
What the wireless in-ear is not ideal for
The noise is also noticeable in podcasts or radio plays, where people usually only speak. The volume also plays an important role here, with very low settings, around 10%-20% of the total volume, the noise is actually always audible. If you go above that, the noise is no longer audible with normal pop, rock, electro, RnB, hip-hop, etc. songs.
Personally, I used the headphones in everyday life on the bus, train, gym and generally when I was out and about. In the office and at home I prefer to use my Sony WH-1000XM2 over-ear with ANC.
The noise never really bothered me, since either ambient noise or the music volume covered the slight noise. However, if you want to use the headphones to fall asleep, listen to podcasts in bed or in other extremely quiet environments, then the Aukey EP-T10 or the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 might be a better choice, despite the somewhat worse sound for my taste.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro
Probably the most hyped but also the most controversial wireless headphones at the moment is probably the new Apple AirPods Pro. At the price of a whopping €280 at Amazon, the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro almost look cheap again. Admittedly, the AirPods Pro with ANC and listening mode also offer technology that the Liberty 2 Pro does not offer. The Anker headphones have HearID, which the Apple headphones don’t have.
In this comparison, I actually only want to refer to the sound and I have to say that I simply like the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro better. Of course, the Apple AirPods Pro aren’t bad headphones either, but in comparison I see them more on par with the sound of the Aukey EP-T10.
The bass of the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro is a bit more powerful and “brutal” when you max out the equalizer. In addition, they offer this great stage, as already mentioned above, where the AirPods Pro simply sound a bit flatter (at a high level) in my opinion.
Wearing Comfort
As already explained under Design & Processing, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro is not the smallest headphone. They’re also not the lightest headphones, weighing in at 7.4g. Due to the large selection of ear cushions and the matching ear hooks, I had no problems whatsoever with a bad fit or headphones falling out in the test.
The design and size didn’t bother me either. After the first hearing, I didn’t really care how big the headphones are anyway, because the sound simply convinced me and the design, at least for me personally, only plays a subordinate role.
In my opinion, our smartphone expert Thorben described the appearance of the earphones quite aptly. He says that the listeners are unusually big but somehow they don’t seem out of place and I would sign that exactly, what do you think?
Headset
For good performance as a headset, Anker Soundcore has given both versions of the headphones four microphones with “uplink noise reduction” . This should minimize background noise and optimize your own voice. So far, the wireless in-ears from Soundcore have not been able to shine with particularly good headset microphones, so I was all the more excited about the performance of the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro!
During the test phone calls, they performed significantly better than, for example, the Soundcore Liberty Air 1, but the Liberty 2 Pro didn’t really cover themselves with glory either. In the test, my conversation partners could usually understand me, but the voice quality was not the best and from a certain point background noises are audible when telephoning. Too bad, I would have expected more from a 150€ headphone.
Service
In terms of operation, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are again similar to the 1More Stylish. Like this wireless in-ear, the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro do not have a touch panel on the back of the handset. Two small pressure point buttons are installed on the top of the handset.
While the play/pause or answer/end call function is fixed to a single press, the shortcuts “press for a second” or “press twice” can be freely assigned in the Soundcore app.
The options for individualizing the operation are:
- Increase/decrease volume
- next track/previous track
- Activate/deactivate voice assistant
Unfortunately, only two of these three functions can be selected at the same time. However, if personal requirements change, they can simply be exchanged in the Soundcore app. Personally, I opted for the volume and title control here and can use the handset to do everything that is important to me.
Smartphone app with useful functions
With the Soundcore app, which Anker introduced some time ago, the Chinese manufacturer provides what I believe to be an underestimated advantage over other Chinese headphone manufacturers.
In the meantime, there is actually an extension in the Soundcore app with individual useful functions for almost all current Soundcore loudspeakers and headphones. According to our observations, it is constantly being updated and further developed – very good!
- Download the Soundcore app from the Google Play Store
- Download the Soundcore app from the Apple AppStore
General advantages are, for example, that updates for the respective audio gadget are provided via the app. Not even Xiaomi or Aukey offer that alone, since the interface is simply missing without an app.https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/aI-ruVHcOpA
With the item Operation I have actually already described a useful function of the Soundcore App for the Liberty 2 Pro. The buttons can be customized here. However, the app offers even more useful functions for the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro.
Features of the Soundcore app:
- Customize button functions
- View battery status
- Choice of 32 equalizer pre-sets
- Software updates for the headphones
- HearID – Frequency test for personalized sound
HearID – personalized sound for your ears!
In addition to the “Astria Coaxial Acoustic Architecture”, the HearID function is another innovation from Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro. With HearID, the owner’s hearing is tested using the app in conjunction with the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro headphones. Similar to what you might know from a hearing test at the ear doctor, tones in different frequency ranges are passed on to the ear.
In the app, you can then specify whether you can hear a frequency or not by touching or releasing the cell phone screen. If it is not audible, the volume of the respective frequency is increased until you say you can hear it. If you pretend to hear them, the volume of the frequency will be reduced again until you pretend not to hear them.
The test uses seven tones in different frequency ranges to determine how good your hearing is in the left and right ear. Based on the results, the equalizer is then personalized for your hearing and adjusted separately for the left and right ear.
For example, if the HearID test determines that you hear very high frequencies worse on the right ear than on the left, the intensity of the respective frequency range on the right ear is increased accordingly.
In the run-up to the test, the app also asks about your approximate age and uses the smartphone microphone to check the volume of the ambient noise in decibels. If it is too loud in your area, the test cannot be started, otherwise the test result is not meaningful – smart!
Does HearID work?
I have to say: HearID didn’t help me personally. Why? My hearing is apparently too good (which makes me very happy). In the HearID test, I was able to hear all frequencies even at the lowest volume specified in the HearID test.
Of course, I also manipulated the test and stated that I could not hear a frequency range so well. Afterwards it was already audible that a certain area was more strongly emphasized, but to what extent this helps people who actually have a more limited hearing ability, I cannot judge. Maybe one of you has already had experience here, feel free to write it in the comments, I would be very interested!
Bluetooth range
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are equipped with Bluetooth 5. In the test, the connection quality between the cell phone and the headphones is outstanding. In the approximately three weeks that I have been using the Liberty 2 Pro, I have not had a connection dropout in everyday life – very good!
In the test, the connection remained stable over a distance of around 20 meters, a very good value. In closed rooms it is a little less, depending on the obstacles that the wireless connection has to bridge. Overall, the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro is definitely one of the headphones with the best Bluetooth connection, alongside 1More Stylish, Meizu Pop 2 and Aukey EP-T10.
Video streaming with the Liberty 2 Pro
In the video streaming test with YouTube and Netflix, I could not detect any delay between sound and image. The headphones are also suitable for watching films and series, sound and lip movements go together perfectly.
Best battery life – finally sensible through everyday life!
In the area of battery life, Anker sets another exclamation point! Although a capacity of 500 mAh in the charging box and 65 mAh per earphone sounds completely unspectacular at first, Anker Soundcore gets by far the best runtime for a wireless in-ear from China!
If you trust the manufacturer’s information, a runtime of up to 8 hours at a time is possible. That was an hour longer than was possible with the Mpow Judge Bluetooth In-Ear. Of course, you don’t need a socket after the 8 hours, four more complete charging processes are possible with the charging box. In this way you can achieve a total running time of up to 32 hours!
In the test, we simply let the headphones roar at a volume of ~60%. Only after 7 hours and 46 minutes was the shift in the shaft! Since most manufacturers check their information at half volume, I see the manufacturer’s information as confirmed. In everyday life, where I used the headphones about 4 times a week for about 2-3 hours, charging the charging box was only necessary after two weeks, that’s just fun!
Wireless charging & USB-C
The reloading process took about two hours in the test via USB-C cable. If you like, you can also charge your Liberty 2 Pro wirelessly via the Qi charging station. The corresponding technology is installed on the underside of the charging box.
Finally, most wireless in-ears are currently like smartwatches like the Xiaomi Mi Watch. They’re usable, but the low battery life and constant charging is just annoying. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are the first headphones where I didn’t find it annoying in the long-term test that there was a battery in the wireless in-ear headphones, because the runtime is just reasonable – very good!
Conclusion – Buy Soundcore Liberty 2 pro?
In my opinion , the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are the best wireless in-ear headphones that Anker has launched to date. Its great stage and precision across such a large frequency spectrum is currently unique, at least with the China headphones.
What really annoys me is the noise thing. Anker should have sorted that out before the release! Now I can unfortunately only recommend the headphones with reservations, since the quiet background noise can actually be a disruptive factor, depending on usage, but doesn’t have to be.
With HearID, the entire app, the new driver architecture and the sound tuning, the manufacturer has done everything right in my opinion. In addition, the long battery life is really a blessing in daily use.
Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they like the design with the slightly larger headphones or not. But it doesn’t bother me personally, in everyday life I didn’t have the feeling that someone was looking at me skewed because of the listeners.
For me personally, the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro with its sound, app functions and battery life is the best wireless in-ear from China and is currently unrivaled. I would therefore see it as more comparable to the Sony WF-1000MX3 and the Sennheiser MOMENTUM wireless in terms of sound , even if I was unfortunately not able to test the headphones in a direct comparison. Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro..
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