Soundcore Liberty Air 2 by Anker

Both these in-ears and their transport case, which serves as a charging station, are impeccably finished. Primarily made of plastic, the headphones are lightweight: the handy case weighs 42 grams and wearing the headphones is hardly noticeable, with a weight of just 5.5 grams per side. These in-ears fit well into your ear, only discreetly protruding, allowing you to wear a hat if you wish. Another practical feature is that the Liberty Air 2 is sweat and water-resistant to IPX5, which provides protection against weather-related moisture and makes them easy to keep clean.

At higher levels, the battery life is six and a half hours, with the in-ears being fully recharged three times in the charging case for a total of approximately 26 hours. For long journeys, it should be taken into account that a charging cycle of the headphones takes almost two hours. The case can be powered either via the existing USB-C connection or wirelessly, with the charging time per Qi being three and a half hours according to the manufacturer, while the case can be recharged in 90 minutes via the supplied USB-C to USB-A charging cable.

Device control

Coupling the headphones, which in combination with various Android and iOS devices offered a stable range of more than eight metres, happens directly with their removal from the case. This switches the system on and puts it into pairing mode; both sides can also be used individually in single mode. Holding down the touch surface for a longer period of time allows the system to be switched on and off manually, while the in-ears are automatically switched off when the system is returned to the charging case. If there is a wireless connection, a double tap on the right side is used to start and stop playback. On the left-hand side, double tapping can be used to skip to the next track, and double tapping on both sides is used to answer and end telephone calls. By briefly pressing and holding down the surface of the headphones, it is also possible to call up voice assistants. The remote reacts reliably and the operating concept largely rules out misinterpretations. However, the standard assignment of the touch control does not provide for volume control, but this can be adjusted via the Soundcore app according to personal preferences. This also applies to automatic pause when removing the in-ears; this function can be deactivated via the app. When making a phone call, it was noticeable that your own voice is accompanied by a slight background noise. Apart from that, however, the speech intelligibility is good.

Sound

Compared to the Liberty Air, the Liberty Air 2 is more bass sensitive, which is especially noticeable in the low frequency range as there is plenty of depth. However, this stronger bass foundation does not sound overloaded or dominant, but is defined with a powerful presence that offers listening pleasure even in bass-oriented productions. There is also a clear midrange and treble reproduction, whereby the high-frequency range does not drop off and, despite a pleasing softness, draws clean contours. Also favoured by this direct approach, the sound is appealingly lively. Overall, there is more fullness and depth than in the previous model, which was characterised by a bright sound image. What has remained is a successful balance in the trebles, which do not tend to be exaggerated, and this has a positive effect on sibilants, for example. The existing reserves of the output can be used without a tendency to harshness. In this respect, there is nothing to complain about from a sound point of view, especially since both iOS and Android users benefit from the support of high-quality audio codecs.

App connection

The free Soundcore app for iOS and Android systems allows you to adjust the sound with an equalizer. A selection of over 20 presets is available for this purpose, covering a wide stylistic range. In addition, your own settings can be saved. Alternatively, a hearing test can also be completed, which generates a so-called HearID and automatically makes individual adjustments; this is particularly useful for balancing the left and right ear. Another advantage is that firmware updates can be made via the app.