If you haven’t noticed, headphone jacks are dead. Or, at least on their way to the grave. However, as with most tech, when a certain protocol dies another is soon to rise up and take its place.
Wireless headphones are trying to live up to the heritage of the 3.5mm jack and it’s a heated market. Anker excels in this field and has a great new addition to its portfolio with the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air Wireless Earphones.
Hardware
Anker makes good hardware at a reasonable price in all of its products; the Liberty Air earphones are no exception.
When you open the box, you are presented with a pod-like charging case that houses the Liberty Air earphones. It is very minimalistic with no sharp edges and soft-touch coating on the outside. It also throws in several sizes of silicone bud covers to find the best fit for your ears.
Pop the top on the case, and you’ll find the Liberty Air buds themselves. Now, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. They look quite a bit like the recently reviewed TicPods Free, and that means they also look a lot like Apple Airpods. I don’t think this is a knock on the Liberty Air. Honestly, it’s just a good design. No need to fix what isn’t broken.
The angle buds make it easier to sit in your ears and gives you passive noise cancellation. The stems that stick out, while looking like a Sonicare toothbrush head, also have a practical use. By protruding out of the ear you get a better, and more consistent, Bluetooth connection.
Sound
Generally speaking, you have to qualify your judgment of wireless earbuds. They will never have the power or pop of a wired headset. With that in mind, the Anker Liberty Air have good sound for earbuds. They are crisp, with a tad of bass that never feels “too much”. They are also louder than other similar models of earbuds I’ve tested.
Again, they are never going to outperform your favorite canned earphones. However, I found the sound and richness of the Liberty Air to be surprisingly good. I was able to enjoy music and podcasts in several different environments like the gym, cooking, and walking the dog with no issues.
Call Quality
It’s often an overlooked feature when dealing with devices geared towards music, but the Soundcore Liberty Air are also able to make wireless calls. Much like the overall sound quality, I found them adequate. I did have one call where the other person said I sound like I was in a barrel, but overall I no issues taking calls on the earbuds.
Battery Life and Case Design
If I had one major negative to choose about these Anker earbuds, it would be the case design. It’s compact, sturdy, and stands up to the elements with the soft-touch coating. But that’s all it stands up to… literally.
The case is too top-heavy. You struggle to stand it up with the lid closed and it’s impossible with it open. It may be a minor gripe to some, and it’s not a deal-breaker, but it irritated me enough to mention in this review.
On the flip side, the battery life is stellar. Anker rates the Liberty Air to five hours per charge with the case lasting around four recharges to give you a total of 20 hours of playback. I can confirm that those numbers are pretty legit. I easily got over four hours before having to reach for the battery case to top off the supply.
Final Thoughts
I’ve become a real fan of Anker products over the years and the new Soundcore Liberty Air did not disappoint. Aside from the quirky weight distribution of the case, these are solid earphones for those looking to enter the wireless world of audio.
You can pick up the Liberty Air for $80 from its Amazon marketplace. They are available in two color options: black or white.
