Soundcore Liberty 4 Review and specs below. The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC reduce ambient noise by 98.5% , at least that’s what it says on the packaging. The new NC version of the Liberty 4 has the best active noise cancellation yet in a Soundcore in-ear and is according to the manufacturer “best in class”.
Soundcore Liberty 4 Review
- Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
- at Amazon €71.99 (activate 20% voucher on the product page) | Sound core for €89.99
The regular Soundcore Liberty 4, which are also equipped with ANC, have only been on the market since the beginning of the year. Now, a few months later, Soundcore is also launching a product variation for the high-end sector. Oh dear, now it seems to be getting confusing in the upper price ranges too.
- Packaging & scope of delivery
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC come in a small, printed box. In addition to the headphones themselves, you will find a USB-C charging cable, a total of four pairs of ear pads and a quick start guide. As with Soundcore for some time now, the detailed instructions are only available online. I like it, saves paper.
Design & Processing
Compared to the regular Liberty 4, Soundcore also saves to a certain extent on the design or the compactness of the components. The bars of the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are slightly longer than those of the top model. They therefore offer more space, for example for ANC technology and battery. The omission of the second driver also creates space in the receiver housing.
The headphones are available in a total of five different colors . In addition to black and white, they are also available in light blue, dark blue and pink. Quite a rich selection! Both the Soundcore logo and the lettering are placed on the back of the handset. Overall, the design of the earphones isn’t really anything special. It’s a bit reminiscent of the Soundcore Life P3.
Compared to them, however, the charging case has been adapted . Instead of the sliding mechanism known from Soundcore’s top models, the case is reminiscent of the Libratone Air+ with a magnetic closure. Personally, I like this type of charging box because you can easily remove the handset from the case. In terms of material and workmanship, as always with Soundcore, I have nothing to complain about. The headphones have no defects.
Sound of the Liberty 4 NC in the test
(Soundcore Liberty 4 Review) I’m lucky that the Sundcore Liberty 4 NC arrived a few weeks ago. So I had the opportunity to try out both the sound and the ANC in different situations. Compared to the top model, the NC version is “only” equipped with a single driver speaker. Its membrane has a diameter of 11 mm . Thus, Soundcore’s hybrid or dual driver architecture is not used here.
When using high-resolution audio files, I notice above all that the sound in the frequency peaks is less clear and undefined compared to the normal Soundcore Liberty 4 . Especially with high-quality live recordings, the stage is smaller. This is not so important for normal studio recordings and playback via Spotify. I even like the slightly softer sound of the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC a little better with some pieces of music, since the dynamic single driver deals with the poorer audio quality a little more flexibly.
The tonal differences between the Soundcore Liberty 4 and Liberty 4 NC are less pronounced in the lower midrange and bass range. Both headphones have a strong bass, right down to the sub-bass range.
In terms of sound, the Soundcore Liberty 4 clearly remain the better, higher-resolution headphones in the test . The Liberty 4 NC with a single driver cannot keep up , especially in the treble . However, I think that the headphones still offer sufficient performance for 98% of users . If you listen to music with a music streaming service like Spotify, the price premium for the sound is simply not worth it. It’s only worth it if you also have the appropriate high-resolution music or a subscription to a streaming service with the appropriate audio files.
ANC audibly better than Liberty 4
With the ANC one speaks of a noise reduction of up to -50 dB , which I have not yet read in the technical data of a headphone. Most ANC in-ears are specified at -42 dB. You have to know that the decibel curve increases almost exponentially. An increase/decrease of 10 dB comes close to doubling/halving the perceived volume. Which puts the value of -50 dB in a different light compared to other manufacturers.
The active noise cancellation of the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is audibly better than that of the Liberty 4 . High-frequency sounds are stronger and better isolated. Also compared to the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 , which I use a lot in everyday life, have a noticeably worse ANC.
I noticed, especially in the gym, that I listen to music much quieter with the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC than with other headphones, since the music that is played through speakers in the gym is reduced much better. In general, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC seem to isolate well in the vocal range, which also makes them very interesting for the job.
Ultimately, that’s how it is. The manufacturers always state the “most impressive” dB value in the technical data. But conceal the fact that this only applies to a certain frequency. As a fictitious example -40db at 400Hz. That means at 700Hz it could be that the reduction is only -30dB.
(Soundcore Liberty 4 Review) So the individual number is not so decisive, but rather how constant the reduction is over a large frequency spectrum, and of course no manufacturer gives precise information on this. So it is difficult to speak of “the best” ANC in-ear in general, because one is better in one frequency range and the other in another.
I would definitely certify that the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC has very good active noise cancellation. Soundcore delivers a product that, in my opinion, can definitely compete with the ANC of Apple’s or Sony’s top models. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard Bose’s new top model yet. (Soundcore Liberty 4 Review)
Wearing comfort & headset
The best ANC is useless if the headphones are not also comfortable to wear and shield you from the outside world. At least that’s the case for me. The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC stay firmly in my ears and don’t slip. In this way, the active noise suppression can also develop its full effect.
The headset, which also uses the microphones used for the ANC, also does a good job. In the test, my conversation partners could understand me well, and ambient noise was filtered out well.
Operation & App
(Soundcore Liberty 4 Review) The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are of course equipped with touch sensors on the back of the handset . For the Soundcore Liberty 4, on the other hand, the touch sensors were placed in such a way that you have to “squeeze” the handset to perform a function. This concept is also known, for example, from Apple’s AirPods Pro or the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2.
A total of four gestures are implemented, these include: 1x, 2x, 3x tap and long touch. All four gestures can be equipped with individual functions or deactivated in the Soundcore app. You can choose from:
- Play/Pause
- Increase/decrease volume
- Next/Previous track
- Change ANC modes
- Start voice assistant
(Soundcore Liberty 4 Review) Thus, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC offer comprehensive operating options, very good! There is also a touch lock, with which the gestures only work if the wearer recognition recognizes that the headphones are in the ears. The app offers other features that, surprisingly, differ only slightly from the features of the Liberty 4. Again, there is the HearID test, which tests hearing individually with tones at different frequencies, Adaptive ANC and ANC modes.
There is also the option of installing updates, deactivating wearer detection, customizing the equalizer and a 3D surround sound , which is basically an equalizer preset. Only spatial audio is reserved for the slightly more expensive Soundcore Liberty 4 . The headphones simulate a stereo system in the room, if you turn your head accordingly, the loudspeaker emits the sound amplified through the ear turned towards the virtual loudspeaker. A fun series of players but I don’t find it really useful.
There is also an ear-fit test, low-latency gaming mode , power-off timer and a volume limiter with real-time volume display in decibels.
Bluetooth & range
(Soundcore Liberty 4 Review) The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are equipped with a current Bluetooth 5.3 module that supports the high-resolution LDAC codec in addition to the AAC and SBC codec . In addition, the in-ears are Hi-Res wireless certified. The LDAC codec must be activated via the Soundcore app, dual device connection is only possible under the AAC codec for reasons of energy efficiency.
In the test, the connection between the mobile phone and the headphones was stable over a distance of around 15 meters in an open space. As always, it’s a little less in closed rooms, but you definitely don’t have any problems inside a room.
Battery Pack
(Soundcore Liberty 4 Review) Another compromise that Soundcore did not make, but which I would have believed Soundcore capable of, would have been that the battery box cannot be charged wirelessly. But things are different and the case can be charged wirelessly. In addition, of course, a USB-C port is also integrated.
Speaking of charging, the battery life is once again pretty good with these headphones. Without ANC, Soundcore promises 10 hours of running time with one handset charge, with the charging case it should be up to 50 hours before a socket is needed. With the ANC switched on, the value of 8 hours and 40 hours with the case is also good.
In the test, as always, it is a little less than under laboratory conditions. At mixed volume, I was able to achieve an average runtime of 7 hours with ANC switched on in the test, still a top value!
Conclusion on the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC: Top ANC at a bargain price
With a regular price of €89.99, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are significantly cheaper than the regular Soundcore Liberty 4 . Thus, Soundcore brings their best active noise cancellation to the market at an absolute competitive price. Even if I don’t really like product variations of this kind, the idea behind it makes sense to me. No other manufacturer installs its top ANC in headphones in this price range, and there is definitely a gap in the market. / Soundcore Liberty 4 Reviews.
Many people want the best, or at least some of the best, ANC and need to buy headphones in the $200 price range to do so. In many cases, however, the tonal advantages of the headphones are not required or fully exploited, since the music is obtained via streaming services such as Spotify etc. anyway. This is where Soundcore comes in and delivers an exciting product that is very interesting for the general public! So it’s really hard for me to find negative points for the price. (Soundcore Liberty 4 Review)
- Best ANC from Soundcore
- Value for money
- LDAC codec & Hi-Res wireless
- good sound
- Duration
- No spatial audio
- No dual/hybrid drivers
- Doesn’t sound high end
- soundcore liberty 4 white / soundcore liberty 4 vs space a40 / soundcore liberty 4 earbuds / soundcore liberty 4 pro release date (Soundcore Liberty 4 Review).
Product variations of this type are often provided with all kinds of cutbacks in the range of functions in order to give the expensive top model a right to exist. This is less the case here, apart from the missing dual/hybrid driver architecture. The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are also equipped with the most important app functions and the case can also be charged wirelessly.
But if there is a headphone with the best sound. and one with the best ANC from Soundcore… that actually means. oh dear. I think we’ll see at least one other new high-end Soundcore pair of headphones this year, which I suspect will carry the Pro suffix. Soundcore Liberty 4 Review video below.
Number One Boats from USA. Boat Marketplace Group Network. All Boats & Yachts for Sale, Reviews, Specs, Prices, Craigslists. 