soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Wireless Earbuds Noise Cancelling Review: Are These the Ultimate AirPods Pro Killers?

In the modern soundscape of our lives, silence has become a luxury. Whether it’s the drone of a commuter train, the chatter of an open-plan office, or the simple desire to be enveloped by our favourite music, the quest for auditory isolation is relentless. For years, I’ve been on a personal journey, testing countless wireless earbuds, searching for that elusive ‘perfect pair’. Many promise the world: crystalline audio, absolute silence, all-day comfort, and a battery that never quits. Yet, so often, they fall short in one crucial area. You get fantastic noise cancellation but muddy audio, or brilliant sound but a fit that becomes painful after an hour. This constant compromise leaves you feeling frustrated, wondering if you have to spend a small fortune on the biggest brand names to get a product that truly delivers on all fronts. This is the precise problem the soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Wireless Earbuds Noise Cancelling aims to solve, stepping into the ring as a heavyweight contender with a spec sheet that demands attention.

What to Consider Before Buying Noise-Cancelling Headphones

A pair of Noise Cancelling Headphones is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for reclaiming your personal space and enhancing your audio experience. In an increasingly noisy world, they provide a sanctuary. For frequent travellers, they turn the roar of a plane’s engine into a gentle hum. For professionals, they create a bubble of focus amidst office chaos. For music lovers, they eliminate the environmental noise that pollutes the intricate details of a track, allowing for a pure, immersive listening session. The primary benefit is control—control over what you hear and, by extension, your ability to focus, relax, or simply enjoy your media without interruption.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone who frequently finds themselves in noisy environments. Think daily commuters, avid flyers, students studying in bustling cafes, or anyone working in a shared space. Audiophiles who demand the highest fidelity without ambient interference will also find them indispensable. However, they might not be suitable for those who need constant situational awareness for safety reasons, such as cyclists or runners on busy streets, although many models now feature excellent transparency modes to mitigate this. For those on an extremely tight budget or who only need headphones for quiet home use, a simpler pair without active noise cancellation might suffice.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Comfort & Fit: This is arguably the most critical factor for earbuds. Look for a product that includes a wide variety of ear tip sizes and materials to ensure a secure, comfortable seal. An improper seal not only causes discomfort but also severely degrades both audio quality and the effectiveness of the noise cancellation. The weight and shape of the earbuds themselves also play a significant role in long-term wearability.
• Audio Performance & ANC Effectiveness: Don’t just look for the “noise cancelling” label. Investigate the technology behind it. Is it adaptive, meaning it adjusts to your environment in real-time, or is it a simple on/off function? For audio, look beyond marketing terms. Consider the driver technology (e.g., dual drivers for better separation of lows and highs), and support for high-resolution audio codecs like LDAC if you use compatible devices and services.
• Build Quality & Durability: The earbuds and their charging case should feel robust. Check for an IP (Ingress Protection) rating, such as IPX4, which indicates resistance to water splashes and sweat. This is crucial if you plan to use them for workouts. The quality of the case hinge and the magnetic security of the buds are small details that speak volumes about long-term durability.
• Battery Life & Usability: Consider the playtime on a single charge and the total playtime with the charging case. Fast charging is a game-changing feature, allowing you to get hours of use from just a few minutes of charging. Also, evaluate the user experience: Are the controls intuitive? Is there a companion app for customisation? Features like multi-point Bluetooth connectivity, which allows connection to two devices simultaneously, can be incredibly convenient. For a device you’ll use daily, the small details of how you interact with it truly matter when assessing its overall performance and value.

While the soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Wireless Earbuds Noise Cancelling is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing a Premium Experience: First Impressions

From the moment the package arrived, it was clear Anker’s soundcore brand is positioning the Liberty 4 Pro as a premium product. The packaging is substantial and well-designed, reminiscent of opening a high-end smartphone. Inside, the charging case immediately catches the eye. I tested the Forest Green model, and the colour is stunning—a deep, metallic hue that feels both elegant and unique. The case itself has a satisfying heft and a smooth, matte finish that resists fingerprints. The slide-to-open mechanism is slick and operates with a satisfying snappiness, revealing the earbuds nestled securely in their magnetic charging cradles. One user noted the box itself “shows that this is a quality item,” and we wholeheartedly agree.

What truly impressed me was the sheer number of included ear tips. soundcore provides multiple sizes to ensure a perfect fit, a step many manufacturers skimp on. This attention to detail is crucial for comfort and performance. Setting them up was effortless; sliding the case open puts them into pairing mode, and my phone detected them instantly. The accompanying soundcore app is a powerhouse of customisation, guiding you through a fit test and the HearID personalized EQ setup. This isn’t just a gimmick; it genuinely tailors the sound profile to your specific hearing. Compared to its predecessor, the Liberty 4 NC, this feels like a significant leap forward in both build quality and user experience, which you can explore further by checking out its full specifications.

Performance Deep Dive: How the Liberty 4 Pro Excels

After weeks of intensive testing—on packed trains, in noisy coffee shops, during focused work sessions, and on long walks—we can confidently say the soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Wireless Earbuds Noise Cancelling is a formidable piece of audio engineering. It’s not just about one standout feature; it’s about how a collection of advanced technologies works in harmony to create a truly compelling user experience. Let’s break down the core components that make these earbuds shine.

The 7-Sensor Adaptive Noise Cancellation: Your Personal Cone of Silence

The headline feature here is the “Matchless Noise Cancellation,” and I was initially sceptical. Brands throw around bold claims all the time. But the Liberty 4 Pro genuinely delivers. The system uses a total of seven sensors—six for sound and one barometric pressure sensor for detecting altitude changes on planes—to analyse both your ear canal and the external environment. The result is an Adaptive Noise Reduction system that, according to soundcore, adjusts every 0.3 seconds. In practice, this is astonishingly effective. Walking from a quiet street into a bustling station, I could feel the ANC ramp up seamlessly, hushing the cacophony without that strange “eardrum suck” sensation some aggressive ANC systems produce.

One user, who lives in a “noisy house, 3 dogs and asbo african grey parrot,” described the ANC as a “life saver,” and I can see why. During my testing, it virtually eliminated the low-frequency rumble of a train, turning the journey into a tranquil experience. It significantly dampened the high-pitched chatter and clatter of a busy cafe, allowing me to focus on my work. The soundcore app provides granular control, with 10 levels of ANC, but I found leaving it on the adaptive setting was the best “set it and forget it” experience. This is a top-tier ANC implementation that rivals, and in some situations surpasses, what you’d find in much more expensive earbuds. It’s a feature that truly redefines what’s possible at this price point.

Studio-Level Hi-Fi: The ACAA Dual-Driver Difference

While one user review mentioned a struggle with “bass and mid-range at the same time,” my experience, along with the vast majority of other feedback, was the exact opposite. The audio quality on the soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Wireless Earbuds Noise Cancelling is nothing short of spectacular. The magic lies in the enhanced ACAA (Astria Coaxial Acoustic Architecture). This system pairs a 10.5mm bass driver with a titanium-coated tweeter, managed by a digital crossover. In layman’s terms, it’s like having a separate woofer and tweeter for each ear, allowing for incredible clarity and separation in the soundstage.

Listening to complex tracks, the bass is punchy, deep, and controlled, never bleeding into or muddying the mid-range vocals. The highs are crisp and detailed without being harsh or sibilant. As one user who came from AirPods Pro 2 noted, “The second driver in these earbuds really does help with bass performance, high ends and mids are still there.” This is where the soundcore app becomes your best friend. The HearID sound test plays a series of tones to map your personal hearing sensitivity across different frequencies, creating a custom EQ profile that is perfectly tailored to you. For me, this process dramatically opened up the sound, revealing details in familiar songs I hadn’t noticed before. Whether listening to podcasts, classical music, or bass-heavy electronic tracks, the audio is rich, dynamic, and deeply engaging, making them an absolute joy for any audiophile.

Beyond the Buds: A Smart Case and Intuitive Controls

Often, the case is an afterthought—a simple plastic box for charging. soundcore has turned it into a core part of the user experience. The integrated touch bar and display on the charging case are, as one user put it, “not a gimmick, it’s actually very useful.” It allows you to switch between ANC modes, check battery levels for both the case and each earbud, and manage other settings without ever needing to pull out your phone. This is incredibly convenient when you’re on the move. While another user admitted, “I don’t see Myself using it frequently,” they appreciated that the option was available. I found myself using it constantly for quick adjustments.

The on-bud controls are equally well-implemented. Instead of a simple tap, which can be imprecise, the Liberty 4 Pro uses a squeeze action on the stems, similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro. This is far more reliable and prevents accidental triggers. Volume is controlled by sliding a finger up or down the stem. It’s intuitive, responsive, and quickly becomes second nature. Add to this the super-fast charging—a mere 5-minute charge provides a staggering 4 hours of playtime—and a total battery life of up to 40 hours with the case, and you have a product that is not only smart but also eminently practical for daily life. The only real downside is that to accommodate this tech, the case is slightly bulkier than competitors like the AirPods Pro, but it’s a trade-off we feel is well worth making. The thoughtful design and feature set are a clear upgrade over previous models.

What Other Users Are Saying

The general consensus among users is overwhelmingly positive. Many, like one reviewer, hail them as “by far and large one of the best set of earbuds I’ve used,” praising the combination of excellent sound quality, effective ANC, perfect fit, and useful features. Another user highlighted their value proposition, calling them a “big surprise for the quality of this product” and “much cheaper than air pods or Samsung with similar quality.” The seamless connectivity and ease of setup were frequently mentioned, with one person loving that they “work seamlessly with my laptop, phone, and tablet” and connect automatically.

However, the feedback isn’t universally perfect. One long-time Anker user expressed disappointment with the sound quality for music, suggesting a “physical issue with the components used.” This stands in stark contrast to the majority of reviews and our own testing, which suggests it might be an issue of personal preference, an improper fit, or potentially a defective unit. Another user reported intermittent connection drops while watching YouTube on a newly updated iOS device, acknowledging it “could be bugs in a brand new iOS.” This highlights a potential hiccup for some, though it appears to be an isolated software-related issue rather than a widespread hardware flaw.

How Does the Liberty 4 Pro Stack Up? A Look at Alternatives

While the soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Wireless Earbuds Noise Cancelling is a phenomenal all-rounder, different users have different needs. Here’s how it compares to three distinct alternatives available on the market.

1. LC-dolida Bluetooth Sleep Headband Headphones

This product serves a completely different purpose. The LC-dolida Sleep Headband is designed for ultimate comfort while resting or sleeping. Its soft fabric band houses flat earphone drivers, making it possible to lie on your side without the discomfort of a traditional earbud pressing into your ear. While it offers wireless Bluetooth audio, it lacks any form of active noise cancellation or the high-fidelity audio of the Liberty 4 Pro. This is the ideal choice for someone who primarily wants to listen to podcasts, audiobooks, or calming music in bed. If your main goal is sleep and relaxation, this is a better fit; for commuting, work, or critical listening, the soundcore is infinitely superior.

2. 1Mii Y8+ Noise Cancelling Headphones

The 1Mii Y8+ represents the primary alternative form factor: over-ear headphones. The main advantage here is battery life, with a colossal 75 hours of playtime, and potentially even greater passive noise isolation due to the earcups. Like the Liberty 4 Pro, it supports the high-resolution LDAC codec. The choice between these two comes down to preference. The Liberty 4 Pro offers supreme portability and discretion, making it perfect for workouts and carrying in a pocket. The 1Mii Y8+ is better suited for long-haul flights or extended sessions at a desk where the bulk is less of an issue and maximum battery life is the priority. Audio and ANC quality will be competitive, but the use case is different.

3. Logitech H111 Stereo Headset Noise-Cancelling Microphone

This Logitech headset is a budget-focused, utilitarian tool. It’s a wired headset that connects via a 3.5mm audio jack, designed primarily for voice calls on a PC or laptop. Its “noise-cancelling” feature applies only to the microphone, helping to clarify your voice for the person on the other end, but it provides no active noise cancellation for the listener. It cannot compete with the Liberty 4 Pro on any front related to music quality, wireless freedom, or personal noise reduction. This is a practical, low-cost solution for an office or call centre environment, whereas the Liberty 4 Pro is a premium lifestyle product for music, travel, and immersive audio.

The Final Verdict: A New Champion in the Wireless Earbud Arena?

After extensive hands-on testing, it’s clear that the soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Wireless Earbuds Noise Cancelling is a triumph. Anker has successfully packaged top-tier features—phenomenal dual-driver audio, powerful adaptive noise cancellation, and innovative usability with its smart case—into a product that seriously challenges the industry’s biggest names. The comfort is exceptional, the battery life is robust, and the deep customisation offered through the soundcore app allows you to tailor the experience perfectly to your own ears.

While the charging case is a bit on the larger side and the transparency mode could be more natural, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise stellar package. We would unreservedly recommend these earbuds to anyone looking for a premium, all-encompassing audio experience without paying the exorbitant flagship tax. From the daily commuter to the discerning audiophile, the Liberty 4 Pro delivers on almost every promise. If you’re ready to upgrade your listening experience and reclaim your sonic space, we highly recommend you check the latest price and discover more about them today.