With so many capabilities, Anker’s new flagship earbuds might very well compete with Apple’s AirPods Pro 2. The headphones, known as Liberty 4(opens in new tab), are made by Anker under the Soundcore line of audio equipment. They will include some of the same capabilities as the AirPods Pro 2, such as spatial audio and active noise cancellation with HearID ANC. The right earbud of the Liberty 4 features a heart rate monitor that was supposed to be in the Apple earphones but was, reportedly, removed.
As stated, the Soundcore app(opens in new tab) must be used to first activate the heart rate sensor; no additional equipment is required. A small red light will illuminate when the sensor is measuring the blood oxygen levels, according to Soundcore. The feature may not be the most accurate because, as the firm acknowledges, it is intended more for general health and fitness purposes than for use as a true medical device.
Features
In addition to the other capabilities, the spatial audio on the Liberty 4 should give consumers the impression that music is playing all around them. Gyroscopes that are already there are helping the feature by allowing for dynamic head tracking. In this manner, the sound quality will remain constant regardless of your head movement.
According to Soundcore, HearID ANC (Adaptive Noise Canceling) is different from standard noise cancelling capabilities since it adapts to the environment. In noisy contexts like public transportation and less so in quiet locations, HearID ANC will be more noticeable. Additionally, HearID enables you to design unique equalisation profiles via the official app for particular audio genres. Additionally available are Music and Movie Modes, which, as their names imply, are particular audio setups for their respective content.
On a single charge, the anticipated playtime is nine hours, and when using the wireless charging case, the maximum playtime is 28 hours. Nevertheless, the battery life varies depending on the feature that is turned on. Playtime is reduced to seven hours when HeadID ANC is turned on, and to five hours when spatial audio is added, according to Soundcore.
Unknown facts
On the surface, the Liberty 4 appears to be a really excellent vehicle, but we have some concerns.
To begin with, there isn’t much information available about the speakers. We do know that each bud contains “two dynamic drivers” that, according to Soundcore, can deliver “crisp sound” and “deep bass.” A certification for LDAC, a Sony-developed audio codec(opens in new tab) that assures a high-quality sound feed via a wireless connection, can be found on the product page.
The IPX certification, which indicates water resistance, is the most obvious loss, though. Although the earphones aren’t specifically designed as workout equipment, it’s not difficult to picture someone donning them before going for a run. It would be useful to know how well the Liberty 4 earphones resist moisture and perspiration. If Soundcore gets back to us with information, we’ll update this story.
For $149.99 (or $100 less than the AirPod Pro 2), you can get a pair of Liberty 4 earbuds from Soundcore’s website (opens in new tab). Midnight Black is the sole colour offered, and the Cloud White variant will start shipping before October 20.
If the Liberty 4 earbuds caught your attention, see TechRadar’s list of the top earbuds for 2022. We compiled a list that includes both the priciest and best-performing models.
