Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Review: Impressive Bass and Detailed Sound

Experience rich bass and detailed audio with Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 wireless earbuds featuring adaptive ANC and customizable controls.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5: An Overview

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 earbuds offer wireless, over-ear hook style listening at a moderate price, delivering "richly detailed" sound and adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC). Priced around $110, these earbuds face a competitive market but strive to stand out with an extensive feature set.

One way they aim to differentiate themselves is by packing in a broad array of features. From an equalizer test, low-latency gaming mode, customizable touch controls, to adaptive noise-canceling modes — there’s plenty to explore. The adaptive ANC is notable, though not revolutionary; while more effective noise cancellation exists elsewhere, these earbuds do a solid job of muting external sounds with ample customization options.

To compete with top earbuds, great sound is essential—and thankfully Liberty 5 delivers solid performance. You’ll catch plenty of audio details—especially when using the LDAC codec—as well as powerful bass and decent soundstage width with Dolby Audio enabled.

Out of the box, the Liberty 5 leans towards bass and treble, sacrificing a bit of neutrality and balance. Music detail and instrument layering might not thrill audiophiles, but considering the price, these earbuds serve their purpose well.

Design-wise, the Liberty 5 is less impressive. The plastic casing and stem design feel cheap, and the touch controls on the stems can be inconsistent and awkward to use. However, the earbuds come with a cool sliding case and IP55 dust and water resistance.

Price and Availability

• Price: Approximately $110
• Released: May 2025
• Colors: Black, White, Blue, Apricot

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 launched in May 2025, following their predecessor Liberty 4 by over two years. They come in four colors, giving users some choice to suit their style.

Key Specs of Anker Soundcore Liberty 5

Features That Set Liberty 5 Apart

One standout is the Soundcore companion app — a treat compared to many audio apps that can feel clunky or slow. The app sports a clean, user-friendly design, placing main settings front and center and more detailed options in menus.

Key app features include:

• Multipoint Bluetooth connectivity
• Find My Device function for lost earbuds
• Customizable touch controls (though these have mixed usability, as we'll see)
• Extensive equalizer options allowing bass boosts, genre presets, and Dolby Audio tuning
• Low-latency gaming mode enhancing footsteps and voice sounds (but incompatible with LDAC mode)
• Personalized sound profile tests, similar to those in Anker's Space One Pro headphones, for an individualized audio experience

The ANC is effective but not the best in class. In busy environments like next to traffic, ambient noise is dulled but still audible, and in office settings, quieter conversations seep through. ANC strength can be adjusted on a five-level scale, with additional wind noise reduction and specialized modes for travel.

Battery life claims are solid—up to 8 hours with ANC at moderate volume and minimal features activated. However, real-life use shows a drop of about 20% battery per hour, suggesting slightly less than advertised endurance. Still, the charging case provides extra juice to keep you going.

Features rating: 4/5

Sound Quality: Bold Bass Meets Detailed Audio

At this price point, finding better sound quality is tough. While not audiophile-grade in detail and separation, the Liberty 5 offers a well-rounded audio experience.

Listening to tracks like It’s Possible by Piero Piccioni & Catherine Howe, vocals had pleasant detail with breath and tongue clicks sounding authentic, especially when LDAC was enabled. However, vocals didn't dominate the mix as much as they might for some listeners.

On Black Eye by Allie X, vocals were clear but not prominent, showcasing the earbuds' deep bass capabilities. Percussion, while not as lively as in higher-end headphones like the Technics EAH-AZ100, still packed significant depth. Similarly, Breather by Christ Stussy & S.A.M. highlighted the Liberty 5's powerful bass foundation.

One drawback is that upper-range percussion can sound a bit too intense at high volumes, potentially causing listener fatigue during long sessions. Fortunately, the Soundcore app’s eight-band equalizer lets you tweak the sound profile extensively to mitigate this.

Dolby Audio provides a richer, fuller bass experience, though it’s not Dolby Atmos, which some competitors offer.

Regarding microphone quality for calls, the six-mic setup with AI wind noise reduction delivers decent voice clarity but picks up background noise at times. Voice notes sounded audibly clear but lacked loudness and were susceptible to ambient noise.

Sound quality rating: 4/5

Design: Practical but Polarizing

Personally, the Liberty 5 design doesn’t excite me. I prefer more compact, understated earbuds like the Sony WF-C710N.

The Liberty 5’s plastic build feels less refined than AirPods, with a slightly angled stem lending a sharper, edgier look. Color options include black, white, blue, and apricot.

Touch controls on the stems are a weak spot—Soundcore uses a "pinch" method that felt awkward and inconsistent during my tests. Sometimes multiple attempts were needed to pause or skip tracks, which isn’t ideal.

On the bright side, the sliding charging case is satisfying to use—just slide and your earbuds are right there, unlike the more common flip-top cases.

The earbuds fit comfortably and securely with several included ear tip sizes. However, some distortion occurs near 65-70% volume due to imperfect noise isolation, despite a feature in the app designed to counter sound leakage.

Water resistance rating is IP55, meaning the earbuds can handle light splashes and dust well but aren’t designed for full submersion. This is decent but beat by models like Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro with IP57 ratings.

Design rating: 3/5

Value: Solid but Not Outstanding

The Liberty 5 competes in a crowded price segment where many brands offer excellent alternatives.

While the pricing is reasonable, many earbuds offer better sound or design for less or the same amount. Alternatives include:

• Sony WF-C700N: Compact, excellent sound
• Nothing Ear (a): Energetic sound, strong noise cancellation, compact design (more details below)

For a comprehensive list of budget-friendly earphones, many guides are available online.

Ultimately, the Liberty 5 stands out mainly thanks to its excellent app and rich feature set. Sound quality, ANC, and design, however, are more mixed. If found on discount, they become a better deal, but otherwise, I’d lean toward Sony or Nothing options.

Value rating: 3.5/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Summary Table

Recommended Alternatives

• Nothing Ear (a): Budget-friendly earbuds with energetic sound, strong noise cancellation, and compact design. Battery life is moderate but overall a strong package.
• Apple AirPods 4: Similar pricing and design but lack noise cancellation, with decent spatial audio and cross-platform support.

How I Tested the Liberty 5

• Two weeks of use in office, public spaces, and outdoors
• Music streaming mainly via Tidal, also Spotify and YouTube
• Playlist spanned multiple genres and personal favorites
• Compared occasionally with LG xboom Buds for comfort, sound, and ANC

"The ANC is effective but not the best in class... If you don’t need complete silence, Liberty 5 will do just fine."

— Review Observer

Conclusion: Are Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Worth It?

The Liberty 5 earbuds pack plenty of features and a compelling app, with punchy bass and a decent soundstage. However, inconsistent touch controls and average noise cancellation keep them from reaching greatness. If you value customization and solid audio without breaking the bank, they’re a strong contender. But if top-tier ANC or refined design matter most, exploring alternatives might be wise.

What matters most to you in wireless earbuds — sound quality, comfort, or noise cancellation? Share your thoughts!

FAQs

• How long does the battery last on Liberty 5 with ANC on?
  Around 8 hours at moderate volume, though real use may fall a bit short.
• Is the ANC comparable to premium earbuds?
  It’s effective but falls short of the best-in-class noise cancellation.
• Can I customize the sound profile?
  Yes, with a detailed equalizer, Dolby Audio, and personal preference tests in the app.
• Are Liberty 5 earbuds water resistant?
  Yes, they have an IP55 rating for protection against dust and light water splashes.
• Do Liberty 5 earbuds support multipoint Bluetooth connection?
  Yes, you can connect to multiple devices simultaneously.

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