Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Earbuds: First Impressions and Pricing

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On May 21, Soundcore unveiled two new models of earbuds during its Anker Day event: the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and the Liberty 5 Pro Max.

These earbuds are the first from Soundcore to incorporate the innovative THUS AI chip, which significantly enhances the microphone’s performance for superior call quality, voice activation, and advanced features such as live translation and AI note-taking. The microphone performance on these earbuds is remarkably impressive.

Both the Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max became available for purchase on May 21. I have spent several days testing both pairs of earbuds—my findings, including their specifications, pricing, and my overall impressions, are detailed below.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro: Specifications and Pricing

The Liberty 5 Pro is priced at $169.99 and boasts the following features:

• Battery Life: 6.5 hours with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) (28 hours with charging case), 12 hours without ANC (50 hours with charging case)

• Active Noise Cancellation: Yes, adaptive with five manually adjustable levels

• Microphones: Eight microphones, plus two bone conduction sensors

• Connection: Bluetooth 6.1

• Multipoint Connectivity: Yes, supports up to three devices simultaneously

• IP Rating: IP55

• Ear Tips: Available in five sizes, from XXS to L

• Ear Fins: Offered in three sizes

• Color Options: Blue, white, black, and pink

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro: Initial Impressions

While I haven’t explored all the features of the Liberty 5 Pro yet, Soundcore’s marketing highlights the “whisper clear” call quality these earbuds promise. I prioritized testing the microphone along with sound quality, which I found to be rich and diverse during my initial listening sessions, as well as the effectiveness of the active noise cancellation.

Exceptional Microphone Quality

Highlighting call quality may seem unusual, but anyone who has used earbuds with poor microphones understands the frustration of disconnecting them for phone calls.

For my first test, I made a FaceTime call while using the earbuds. A friend in the same room leaned into the camera frame to say hello, but my friend on the other end was unaware, as she couldn’t hear the background noise at all. Meanwhile, she could hear my voice clearly. Impressive, right? I’ve also managed to hold conversations effortlessly while others were watching TV and chatting nearby, without the other party being aware of the noise around me. Early results are looking very positive.

Is it all about matching multiple microphones with an AI chip? Not entirely. Soundcore enhances the experience by incorporating two bone conduction sensors that pick up vibrations from your skull, ensuring that only your voice is transmitted, even in noisier settings.

Impressive Noise Cancellation

I was startled when someone approached to greet me while I was listening to music at around 40 percent volume—apparently, they had been trying to get my attention for quite some time. That was another informal test passed with flying colors.

On a technical level, these earbuds utilize eight microphones in conjunction with the THUS chip to deliver top-notch noise cancellation. The results are remarkable, especially at a price point of $169.99. While I look forward to testing them in various environments, they have already excelled in my home office, where I reside with seven other people.

Comfortable Fit and Stability

The combination of ear fins and tips on these earbuds closely resembles the Bose QuietComfort series. When I find myself positively comparing the comfort of earbuds to Bose’s, that’s a strong endorsement, given that Bose earbuds are among the most comfortable I have encountered.

I haven’t yet worn these earbuds for extended periods to determine if they will earn similar accolades, but so far, I have not experienced any fatigue during one to two-hour sessions. They fit securely and create an excellent seal to enhance passive noise cancellation.

Innovative Charging Case Design

No companion app is necessary for adjusting the earbuds’ settings. Credit: Soundcore

The charging case of the Liberty 5 Pro features a 0.96-inch mini touchscreen, allowing users to adjust settings such as ANC levels, equalizer presets, spatial audio, and Bluetooth pairing. This design reduces the need for a companion app for any adjustments beyond playback and volume. Despite its compact size, the touchscreen proved to be a surprisingly convenient tool for managing the earbuds—especially when connecting to new devices.

While the case feels sturdy, I am curious to see how it stands up when tossed into a bag for travel.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max: Specifications and Pricing

The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max is priced at $229.99 and includes the following features:

The Liberty 5 Pro Max includes a larger case display and the capability to record meetings for AI note-taking. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

• Battery Life: 6.5 hours with ANC (28 hours with charging case), 12 hours without ANC (50 hours with charging case)

• Active Noise Cancellation: Yes, adaptive with five manually adjustable levels

• Microphones: Eight microphones, plus two bone conduction sensors

• Connection: Bluetooth 6.1

• Multipoint Connectivity: Yes, supports up to three devices simultaneously

• IP Rating: IP55

• Ear Tips: Available in five sizes, from XXS to L

• Ear Fins: Offered in three sizes

• Color Options: Titanium-gold and black

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max: Initial Impressions

The Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds share many features with the 5 Pro, including the same technology for noise cancellation, sound quality, and microphone performance. one significant difference sets them apart, which will be discussed below:

Microphone Performance on the Pro Max is Impressive

The Pro Max earbuds utilize the same 10-sensor matrix (microphones and bone conduction sensors) as their 5 Pro counterparts. it comes as no surprise that, with the AI chipset’s assistance, these earbuds also deliver outstanding call quality and effectively reduce background noise.

Living with seven other people means that the chances of taking a call while someone else is conversing are quite high. During my tests, the individuals on the other end of the calls never detected any background noise from my side. I look forward to testing these earbuds in busier environments.

Expansive Display on the Earbud Case

The entire top of the case serves as a display for customizing features on the earbuds. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The 5 Pro Max features a significantly larger touchscreen on the charging case than the 5 Pro, occupying the entire top surface. The 1.78-inch AMOLED display provides access to many of the same features as its smaller counterpart, along with the AI note-taking function that records conversations.

AI Note-Taking Feature Offers Great Utility

As a journalist, I appreciate any efficient method for recording interviews or conversations, and Soundcore aims to facilitate this with its AI note-taker. Essentially, the case records the conversation, meeting, or discussion and transfers the file to the companion app. Upon request, it can generate a transcript and summary, identifying speakers as needed.

While recording, tapping the flag button adds markers to the recording, which are highlighted in the transcription. You can also select the recording type (discussion, presentation, etc.) to help the AI format the information appropriately.

So far, I find this feature incredibly valuable, and I am eager to explore its limitations (a Pro version for additional transcription minutes appears to be available) and compare it with Apple’s built-in voice memo functionality.

Consistent Noise Cancellation and Sound Quality

In my testing thus far, the sound quality and noise cancellation are nearly identical to those of the 5 Pro earbuds, meaning they both deliver excellent sound and effectively block external noise.

One minor issue I observed while using the adaptive ANC on the 5 Pro Max was a faint clicking sound in the left earbud—it was almost unnoticeable with audio playing but noticeable in silence. This could simply be a software glitch that a future update might address, so I will keep an eye on it as I continue my testing.

Where to Purchase the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max

As of May 21, you can purchase the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro for $169.99 and the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max for $229.99 at various retailers: