Soundcore Liberty Lite - Review

UPDATE 28-Sep-2018 - Further to my initial impression - I can confirm that I am not getting anywhere near the advertised 3.5 hrs of on-board battery life - having now had time to measure multiple charge cycles, my average is approx 2.5 hrs and that is at a consistent volume of 50-60% on my Galaxy S8 - Not great to be honest!

I thought I would share my experiences with the Soundcore Liberty Lite’s which I purchased just over a week ago and have been used daily with my Galaxy S8 for streaming both locally stored music as well as internet services such as BBC Radio, Amazon music, YouTube etc.

First some background - I have have purchased and reviewed many Bluetooth in-ear and over-ear audio devices over the past 2 years - and have retained only the very best performers. In addition to these Liberty Lite’s (which are keepers) I also own 2 neckband style wireless earbuds - the RHA MA650 wireless and the V-Moda Forza Metallo wireless - both of which support aptX and sound fantastic with long battery life - they are my reference points for in-ear bluetooth sound quality.

OK, back to the Liberty Lite’s - below is my summary along with a few photos - I hope you find them useful :wink:

  • Sound quality - For me, this is the most important criteria and this is the first pair of totally wireless buds that I have tested that support a Bluetooth Codec higher than the standard SBC. Unfortunately, they do not support aptX (which is a pity) however they do support AAC which is similar to SBC but with more efficient encoding which returns better sound quality and latency. I must say these Liberty Lite’s sound fantastic with an excellent, tight bass (not over emphasised or “muddy”) and with very clear & warm mids and crisp highs - they also create a decent level of stereo separation.

  • Video latency (lipsync issues) - I have watched a number of videos (both locally stored and streamed via YouTube etc) using the AAC codec and while there is a very small (and I mean small) delay it is hardly noticeable and less than any previous totally wireless buds I have reviewed.

  • Bluetooth connection - supporting BT5.0 they are very good at retaining a strong connection, even if my source device is on a different floor in my property. I did experience the odd audio sync issue between the left and right bud - but this was rare and easily rectified by pressing the function button on either bud.

  • Fit & comfort - These aren’t the smallest or lowest profile totally wireless buds I have tested, however they do strike a good balance between comfort, size/weight and battery life (which is often compromised the smaller the buds get). There is a good selection of silicone tips and sports “fins” - for normal listening I preferred using no fins as I found them secure enough and more comfortable in this configuration, however for running, vigorous exercise etc, I would imagine the fins would help with an even more secure fit.

  • Battery life & case - I was only able to get just under 3 hours of continuous music streaming, not quite the advertised 3.5 hours of on-board battery life - I haven’t tested the case capacity, but I don’t expect any problems given Anker’s pedigree in this area!. The case is very small and compact which is a plus, however on the flip side they could have housed a slightly larger battery than the 600mAh to give you more re-charge capacity.

  • Overall - As I mentioned above, these are keepers, and are by far the best sounding totally wireless buds I have tested. They strike a good balance between size, fit/comfort, & battery life and are excellent value at under £60. I do hope (request) that Anker (Soundcore) include atpX support in a future revision - that would differentiate them even further from the competition and also make them more attractive to Android users who are looking for the very best bluetooth audio quality.







11 Likes

Good detailed review @b8drf thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

Do you happen to have some photos of the earbuds in use that you could also share with the community?

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nice review @b8drf good job!

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Nice review. I’m a big fan of them as well. Why anyone would pay twice as much for Airpods is beyond me. Anker offers a lower price point, better look, and better quality. Keep kicking Apple’s butt, Anker!

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Thanks for sharing your thorough review! Nice job! :grin:

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Thanks share your thoughts. Great review but do you have any pics?

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Nice review. Thanks for sharing.

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Yes, will post some photos shortly

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Wonderful review!

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Great review and pics

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Do you have a list of the codecs it does support? TIA!