Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Earbuds review – Totally different from earlier Liberty Pros, but still totally excellent

REVIEW – Way back in 2019, I reviewed the new (at the time) Liberty 2 Pro earbuds from Soundcore (an Anker company) and was surprised by how much I liked them. Fast forward to 2021—Soundcore released the Liberty 3 Pro earbuds with active noise canceling (ANC) and other enhancements. While they were a big improvement, they were visually identical to the Liberty 2 Pro earbuds. It’s now 2025 and Soundcore has released the Liberty 4 Pro earbuds (in 2024) and they are a whole different animal—so much so, that I’m not sure they should be called Liberty Pro anymore. Let’s get into it.

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $129.99
Where to buy: Soundcore.com and Amazon

What is it?

The Soundcore Liberty 4 earbuds are the latest iteration in a successful line of Liberty-branded earbuds. The 4 Pro version is a complete departure from either the Liberty 2 & 3 models. Gone are the snug-fitting ergonomic earbuds that fit almost inside the ear. They’ve been replaced by an AirPod-shaped stem design that will please some and disappoint others. 

The Liberty 4 Pro earbuds feature improved noise canceling. Six audio sensors and one barometric sensor determine how much noise canceling is needed, adjusting every .3 seconds.

The case has also undergone major updates. It now features a built-in display with a touch bar that allows for manual adjustment of ANC and a few other adjustments that can be turned on or off in the included app.

Soundcore supplies 6 different-sized pairs of ear tips. Also included is a USB-C to USB-A charging cable.

IPX5 water resistance is used to help the Liberty 4 Pro earbuds withstand sweat, rain, or water forcefully projected. However, it does not protect from dust or submersion.

The Liberty 4 Pro’s speaker is a 10.5mm bass dynamic driver combined with a titanium-coated tweeter with a digital crossover for optimum driver performance.

Six mics help with call quality in a quiet or windy environment using AI-enhanced algorithms (whatever that means). Charging times have been sped up. Just five minutes of top-off charging provides up to 4 hours of playtime. Normal charging is 10 hours for the earbuds for a total of 40 hours of playtime with the case.

A Fit Test can make sure the correct ear tips are being used. The earbuds can also be set to pause when removed from the ear and resume when re-inserted.

What’s included?

• Liberty 4 Pro earbuds
• Case
• 6 sizes ear tips
• Charging cable
• iOS or Android app

Tech Specs

• ANC
• Bluetooth 5.3
• 10mm dynamic speaker
• Charging: 3 hours
• Charge: 40 hours (with case)
• Case touch controls
• IPX5 water resistance
• 3 colors: Glossy Black, White, Lt. Blue
• Spatial Audio
• Head tracking 

Design and features

After using the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro for a month, I decided that they don’t replace the Liberty 3 Pro earbuds as much as they are their own model. If I was Anker, I would have named them something else entirely. They are that different. However, these are Liberty 4 Pro earbuds, so they will be compared to their older siblings.

Let’s talk comfort. Since the Liberty 4 Pros are so different, some who loved the Liberty 3s may not feel the same about the 4—and vice versa. With all the different earbuds and earphones I’ve reviewed, I discovered that different designs can be equally comfortable and that’s true here. I’ve loved how the Liberty 3 Pro earbuds felt in my ears. The Liberty 3’s silicone “wings” helped to secure a better fit. In my ears, the Liberty 4s are as comfortable as the 3s despite the differences. There are no wings—they are not needed. After hours of using them, I forgot that I was wearing them.

Inserting the Liberty 4 Pro earbuds is a bit easier than the 3’s. Most people are used to the AirPod look by now and inserting them is almost second nature. The 3s required some twisting to insert properly, but the 4s did not. 

The Liberty 4 Pro earbuds (new for Liberty Pro) stem acts much like the Apple AirPods stem. A haptic engine “clicks” as it’s pressed to switch between pre-programmed settings. There are single, double, and triple clicks as well as press and hold settings. Soundcore has some settings that are locked in, but many can be set as you want within the app. Also sliding a finger up or down the stem raises and lowers the volume. It quickly became my favorite function.

ANC (active noise canceling) is noticeably improved. I still prefer Apple’s ANC overall, but if I didn’t have the AirPods Pro to compare, I would think these might be perfect. ANC cuts out the drone of background noise almost completely while letting in some sudden sounds and higher frequency sounds—but at a much-reduced level.

Soundcore allows different levels of ANC from 0% to 100%. I am an either/or person. If I want ANC on, it’s 100%. If I want Ambient, it’s set to 0%. I just don’t set anything in between—but that’s me.

Soundcore also has what they call Barometric pressure ANC. This means that ANC will adapt itself depending on varying pressure levels encountered while flying. Apparently, sound frequencies can affect ANC differently depending on altitude. Who knew?

The opposite of ANC is Ambient Mode (0% ANC). This allows outside noise into the earbuds. Ambient allows you to carry on a conversation without removing the Liberty 4 Pros—although it can appear rude when left in your ears. Again, it’s always 0% for me when the Liberty 4 Pros are in Ambient mode.

The Liberty 4 Pro earbuds come in three colorways—Gloss Black, White, or Light Blue. Black and Light Blue come with a transparent sliding case lid allowing the display info to show through a closed lid. For some reason, the white case has an opaque lid.

These Ambient settings can be adjusted either in the Soundcore app (iOS or Android) or on the case itself. The case has an indented track bar just below the monochromatic display that your finger can slide along to perform the settings the case provides. While the track bar is unique, I don’t use it much simply because I haven’t incorporated it into my routine. YMMV.

One aspect that Soundcore promotes with the Liberty 4 Pro earbuds is their audio quality of reproducing music. Here, they succeeded. Music sounds relaxed and just right for my requirements. Within the Soundcore app, I found an equalizer (EQ) setting and left it there. Soundcore’s app lets the listener choose from many presets, as well as make and save their own. If given the chance, I will always create my preferred EQ settings. Mine is a weird setting, but it’s mine. There is no wrong EQ.

One of my guilty pleasures in music is the British group Altered Images. Lead singer Clare Grogan’s squeaky, girlish voice would be grating in many instances, but it’s a pleasant contrast when combined with the band’s mostly minor chord playing. The Liberty 4 Pro earbuds handle her high-frequency voice and lower-frequency 80s electronic beat and guitar without sounding either harsh or boomy. The bass has punch without overtaking the mids. The Liberty 4 Pro earbuds are just a fun listen.

Soundcore offers “head-tracking” with the Liberty 4 Pro earbuds. Head-tracking positions the music front and center. It remains there as you turn your head providing an almost eerie sense of 3D audio. It’s a cool effect but becomes a tiring gimmick after a few songs. If you’re moving around, the 3D effect keeps trying to re-center itself which can be disconcerting. Also offered is Spatial Audio, which expands the soundstage a bit, but it’s subtle. Note that if any EQ is used, Spatial (with or without head tracking) is unavailable.

Call quality is great for me when making calls. I can hear and understand the caller quite well. I’m told my voice sounds a bit artificial to the person on the other end. However, vocal clarity remains excellent which is the most important quality in a phone call.

Final thoughts

As I said, I’m not sure how many people will applaud or reject the Liberty 4 Pro’s redesign, but one big point in its favor is that despite the tech improvements, the price is now lower than either the Liberty 2 or 3 Pros were when they were new. That alone is worth celebrating.

What I like about the Liberty 4 Pro earbuds

• Comfortable
• Sound great
• Easy to use  
• Attractive

What needs to be improved?

• Head tracking can become a gimmick if moving about
• Case display limited

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: Soundcore.com and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Soundcore. Soundcore did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.

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