Anker’s audio brand Soundcore has regularly wowed us with its truly wireless earphones that offer excellent value for money. Last year’s Liberty 2 Pro model seemed like an excellent choice due to its lavish and detailed sound quality.
Now, Soundcore presents us with the Liberty 3 Pro with the intention of taking a great leap forward from the most competitive in this audio sector with great additions such as integration of active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, sensors of wear and high-resolution audio through Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec, which by the way, the Liberty 2 Pro did not have.
Not bad for what is basically a negligible price increase. But do these additions make the Liberty 3 Pro a no-brainer for fans of high-quality audio? You will check it out below.
Design
It’s fair to say that the Liberty 3 Pro doesn’t look like your typical pair of truly wireless earphones. They have a wide outer shell with the Anker letter “a” that sits on wings and silicone ear tips.
Unlike some of the AirPods-like earphones, you’ll find in Soundcore’s collection, the Liberty 3 Pro uses something called a triple-point ergonomic design. It is a design that relieves pressure on the ear to make them more comfortable to wear during long listening sessions.
Available in black, gray, lavender, or white, the Liberty 3 Pro cares more about audio quality and fit than making an impressive design statement. They come with a generous range of fit options, including four pairs of different-sized silicone tips, as well as four pairs of ear wings that fit around the earphones’ oval body like a sleeve and provide additional stabilization.
Its charging case is oval and looks a bit like a shell; the lid slides back to reveal the charging cradles instead of opening. Internally, the case is roomy, and so fitting the earphones correctly takes a bit of practice: the magnets are strong and do click into place, but it’s easy to place them inside the case a bit far to trigger the magnetic response.
Controls
The capacitive touch surfaces of the headphones take care of the controls. By default, they require a double-tap and the right earbud controls playback while the left one skips forward a track. A double-tap also answers or ends incoming calls in either ear.
If you press and hold either panel for two seconds, you will switch between ANC and Transparency modes (which allows you to hear your surroundings).
Left earphone:
- Single touch: Turn down the volume
- Double-tap: Skip to the next track
Right earphone:
- One-touch: Turn up the volume
- Double-tap: Play and pause the audio
On either headset:
- Double-tap: Answer or end calls
- Long press for one second: Rejects a call
Hold for two seconds: Switch between ANC mode or transparency mode. While you can’t disable ANC with the remotes, you can turn it off with its companion app.
Using a single earphone:
- Double-tap: Play and pause the audio. It also answers and ends calls.
- Long press for one second: Activate the voice assistant. It also rejects calls.
Additionally, the controls can be adjusted, which is useful because there are so many options and a lot of variety to access them: single, double or triple taps, as well as tap and hold, can be set independently for both earbuds, which makes it easy to pause tracks, increase volume, activate transparency or activate Google Assistant, with a series of gestures.
Unfortunately, the best-laid plans are just that, as the capacitive area of each earbud isn’t sensitive enough to accurately turn this complex dance into action.
Characteristic
Endurance
The IPX4 rating is typical for true wireless ANC: the headphones are splash resistant but don’t expose them to significant water pressure or submerge them.
In any case, they should withstand a sweaty workout without issue, just make sure to dry the earbuds before storing them in the case, to which the water-resistance rating doesn’t apply. If you want a pair of ANC headphones with a more durable build, consider investing in models rated IP57 or higher.
Connectivity
One area Anker never disappoints is connectivity. The Liberty 3 Pro works with Bluetooth 5.2, and both pairing and automatic connection are instant. The headphones can be used independently and can be paired with multiple devices at the same time if you want the option of using them with more than just your phone or laptop.
To connect to an external player, these earphones must be in the open charging case. Pairing the first time is automatic, and then it is activated by pressing the button on the charging case. The wireless connection is stable; it allows a radius of movement of 10 meters through the walls of an apartment and almost 25 meters in open spaces with visual contact.
By repeating the process a second time, a second device, such as a laptop, can be connected. This multipoint connection then allows seamless switching between the two players.
Transparent Mode
A similar verdict applies to Transparency mode. If you activate it, the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro becomes transparent to outside noise through the integrated microphones. As always, this sounds slightly noisy, but it’s still useful for quickly hearing your surroundings. By the way, wind suppression can be activated in both modes, but it hardly has any damping effect especially if you are riding fast.
For transparency mode to work, the headphones use external microphones to pump out sound from outside. However, it’s a good idea to avoid this feature during conversations, because unlike a smaller pair of headphones, you won’t be fooling anyone into thinking your ears are clear. These headphones are very powerful, despite being 20% smaller than their predecessors.
Transparency mode also features two modes: Fully Transparent and Vocal, each of which is self-explanatory. Unfortunately, neither works as well as the Liberty 3 Pro’s other audio features.
To propose an example, if you go to a market for purchases and activate the totally transparent mode all the time, it is possible that you will not be able to distinguish the voices well, such as that of a cashier, which could be perceived as muffled and even changing to Vocal the result does not ensure that the situation is fully clarified.
Calls
Six microphones and an AI should have a positive effect on voice quality, and this works great in a quiet room for a Zoom conference. The voice is present and very intelligible.
In a noisy environment, the electronics manage to reduce the background noise to almost zero, but this is at the expense of the naturalness of the voice, which now seems obviously electronically treated, but remains robust.
Its quality is comparable to that of the Liberty Air 2, which is surprisingly good for making louder, clearer indoor calls, as well as having a conversation outside with similar results if it’s not too windy.
From a general point of view, the Liberty 3 Pro is intermediate: good, but not excellent. In most situations, you should not receive complaints about the clarity of your voice due to background noise.
Noise Cancellation
Anker’s ANC circuitry doesn’t reduce ambient noise to the level of Apple, Bose, and Sony technologies, but it can handle enough for quiet listening in certain environments.
Indoors, headphones can quiet common household distractions like kitchen appliances, loud TVs, and chattering family members. Noises such as those emitted by washing machines or the hum of the air conditioner can also be reduced.
For high-frequency noises, the results can be variable. For example, a baby’s cry can be audible from a nearby room, and even the repetitive ringing of the iPhone if it’s nearby.
The wind is another variable that affects noise neutralization. In normal mode, the hissing effect caused by gusts of wind and fast-moving cars is more uncomfortable, although turning on the wind noise reduction setting can help in this context.
It is advised to use the HearID ANC feature and let the Anker software create a custom profile that optimizes the ANC based on your hearing preferences. It opens the door to two other ANC modes: Adaptive and Manual. The former will automatically adjust ANC levels based on your environment, which it does decently, and the latter offers a wheel to manually adjust levels between Weak, Moderate and Strong. Many will find Strong to be the best for all situations.
Application
One of the best features of the Liberty 3 Pro is shared with many of Anker’s higher-end Soundcore earphones: a superlative app experience that makes fine-tuning the listening experience not only joyous but rewarding.
The Soundcore app (available for Android and iOS) is a bigger selling point than most of the companion apps we tested. Unlocks several useful features for the Liberty 3 Pro, including ANC and transparency mode settings.
The app also allows you to customize the controls, as well as access the eight-band equalizer. Note that the equalizer settings are in a section called Sound Effects, which includes a 3D surround sound effect that we recommend leaving disabled.
The number of customization options in the Soundcore app is insane. Several of the great features of the app have already been taken into account, such as the equalizer with presets, control customization, Fit Test, HearID, LDAC and 3D surround sound.
There are a handful of other useful features worth checking out. The first thing you’ll see on the home page is the product attractively displayed at the top with battery level indicators for the earphones and charging case. Below are controls for listening modes and menus for other sound settings.
Do you want to change the equalization settings? There are a ton of presets available, from “Signature” to “Podcast” to “Hip-Hop” to an evaluation-based custom EQ called HearID that does a lot of testing to determine which frequencies to adjust to adapt to hearing impairments.
If you scroll to the bottom, you’ll find a More Settings option to enable in-ear detection, alert tones, auto power-off, and firmware updates. The quick start guide setting also comes in handy when you need a crash course in functionality without having to get the user manual out of the box.
Another thing most people forget is that Soundcore has partnered with music service LÜM, giving listeners access to a wide variety of independent music and playlists for free. This is useful if you’re tired of the conventional selections offered by Apple Music and Spotify.
Sound
Internally, a dual-driver array, consisting of a Knowles balanced armature for the highs and a 10.6mm dynamic driver for the lower frequencies, provides the audio. According to Soundcore, they’re primed to deliver powerful bass, luscious mids, and sparkling highs. The result is that the Liberty 3 Pro roars loud, and offers a nice wide soundstage and a good level of detail and finesse.
The Liberty 3 Pros work well across a wide range of music genres and are capable of delivering that great warmth and meatiness on the lower tracks and soft mids on the more vocal tracks. As well as offering great sound, there are plenty of other modes and features at your disposal which probably account for the slight price increase compared to previous Liberty models.
Soundcore includes a simulated 3D surround sound setup in its app. This enhances the sense of space, but also hollows out the sound, and can’t quite compete with a true Dolby Atmos track. I also include its exclusive dual coaxial technology (ACAA 2.0) capable of delivering high and low-frequency sound directly to your ear without interference for deep punchy bass, luscious mids and smooth highs.
Being compatible with the Bluetooth 5.2 standard, the headphones support AAC, LDAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs, but not AptX. The inclusion of LDAC means that you can use this pair for high-resolution streaming if your source device also supports that codec.
To enable Hi-Res Audio listening, you will need to download the firmware in the companion app to access it and you are warned that it will consume more power and could cause some connection instability in some environments. It takes about 10 seconds to switch between Hi-Res and Standard Audio modes.
The experience that you will be able to obtain with LDAC is intrinsically related to the improvement in audio quality. But the difference is incredibly subtle, even with very high-quality headphones, and when streaming 24-bit lossless tracks from a service like Amazon Music.
If you’re in a perfectly quiet room, listening to a very high-quality recording, with the Liberty 3 Pro you can detect an extra level of smoothness and depth, as if someone had carefully trimmed away the sharp parts, leaving you with a more natural sound. Or you may not notice the difference at all.
Since enabling LDAC significantly reduces battery life and prevents the Liberty 3 Pro from connecting to a second Bluetooth device, it is not a suitable feature for all circumstances.
Battery
The battery life of the Liberty 3 Pro is satisfactory. A full charge equals 6 hours with ANC on and 8 hours with ANC off. Loud volume and other features like LDAC consume battery life and reduce playback time by 1-2 hours. This is still enough for 3 days of moderate use (2 hours daily) before recharging.
And more importantly, you get more listening time than with AirPods Pro (4.5 to 5 hours). Those who want a model that lasts longer will want to invest in more expensive models like the Sony WF-1000XM4 (8 hours) and the Master & Dynamic MW08 (10 hours).
The charging case lasts between 28 and 32 hours, depending on how you use the headphones. For all you math wizards, this is about 4 extra charges. With a quick charge, you can get 3 hours of use in just 15 minutes. Wireless charging is part of the package.
Verdict
Should you buy the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro?
Anker’s Liberty 3 Pro has many advantages: they’re comfortable, they sound great, they offer excellent noise cancellation, and they last a long time before needing to be recharged. Also, the app is really useful and offers numerous customization options.
However, there are some caveats that cannot be ignored. They’re not the most secure in the ears, so you’ll often need to make sure they’re fully in, and their large dimensions make them easier to pass around than smaller pairs, which isn’t the best combination.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro is more than useful for most people’s needs. While these wireless earphones don’t blow our minds, there are enough customization features available for just about anyone to get a satisfying experience.
Although the ANC is not as powerful as some of the leading competitors, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro provides a secure fit and a comfortable listening experience thanks to the wide selection of ear tips and wings.
Anker always offers feature-packed companion apps for its headphones, and the Liberty 3 Pro is no exception. Full sound and ANC personalization, as well as extras like headphone fit testing and wind reduction, provide a premium experience.
Anker has priced these headphones cheaper than top competition from Sony, Apple, and Bose, though the wireless headphone market is awash with more affordable options. If you appreciate all the features and customization that the Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro offers, these headphones are probably a good buy for you.
The updated design, robust connectivity, and extensive functionality via the Soundcore app-only make this product even more enticing. With so many features, you couldn’t miss a handful that didn’t perform as intended, like fit testing, transparency mode, and motion controls. Despite these flaws, the Liberty 3 Pro stands out for its general performance, very close to the high-end models on the market.
Alternatives
Now significantly reduced in price, the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro brings back most of the features of the Liberty 3 Pro. The performance and overall experience remain the same, apart from a couple of key omissions like the lack of surround sound. 3D, multipoint Bluetooth and wings for the ears.
Superior ANC, durability and sound quality right out of the box make the Jabra Elite 7 Active a great alternative option. If you are looking for headphones to train, the Jaybird Vista 2 is also a great option, with its military-grade durability rating.
Apple AirPods Pro can often be found at significant discounts and are the proven choice for those integrated into the Apple device ecosystem. On the other hand, Samsung users should consider the Samsung Galaxy Bud+ or the Galaxy Buds2.
In my opinion, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro is a sound beast that offers more than its fair share of sound quality. I’m not saying it can beat audio savants like the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 or the Sony WF-1000XM4, but the music sounds better on these headphones than on the AirPods Pro, which is what most consumers care about.
Specs
| Case recharge time | 4 hours wireless charging and 3 hours with USB-C cable |
| Headphone recharging time | 2 hours |
| Waterproof | IPX4 |
| codes | LDAC, CAA, SBC |
| Output power rating | 8mW |
| frequency response | 20Hz – 40kHz |
| Impedance | 16Ω |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth range | 10m |
| Entry | 5V 0.5A |
| Playing time (varies depending on volume level and content | Up to 8 hours (32 hours total with charging case) |
| Playing time (with ANC mode on) | Up to 6 hours (24 hours total with charging case) |
| controller unit | 10.6mm dynamic driver, balanced armature driver |
| Package | 1 Liberty 3 Pro bluetooth headset 4 spare tips, 4 ear wings 1 USB-C cable Charging case User manual |
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