Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro Earbuds Review
Punchy ANC earbuds with custom EQ tuning that punch way above their price tag.
Active noise cancellation and a custom EQ that actually works, for less than half what Apple and Sony charge. The Liberty Air 2 Pro is the budget ANC pick that keeps embarrassing pricier rivals.
What the Liberty Air 2 Pro actually is
These are Anker's swing at premium earbuds without the premium tax. You get active noise cancellation, transparency mode, wireless charging, and a hearing-test-style feature called HearID that builds a custom EQ around your ears. The asking price usually lands somewhere in the $60 to $100 range depending on color and sale timing.
The design is unapologetically AirPods Pro. Same stubby stems, same in-ear silicone tips, same general silhouette. Anker even throws in nine sets of ear tips, which is more thoughtful than most companies bother to be. If a stem-style fit annoys you, nothing here changes that.
How they perform day to day
Sound is the headline, and it earns the attention. Out of the box the tuning leans warm and bass-forward, which makes pop, hip-hop, and electronic tracks hit hard. Run the HearID setup and the soundstage opens up noticeably. It's a gimmick that turns out not to be a gimmick. Owners consistently rate the audio quality above what the price suggests, and we agree with that read.
ANC is solid for the money without pretending to be Sony's WF-1000XM5. It flattens the low rumble of a plane cabin, a bus engine, or an office HVAC system. Sharp, sudden sounds and voices still leak through. Transparency mode is usable but a little artificial sounding compared to Apple's.
Battery is roughly 6 hours per charge with ANC on, closer to 7 without, and the case stretches that to around 26 hours total. That's middle of the pack, not class-leading. Call quality is the soft spot. Callers report you sounding fine in a quiet room and noticeably rougher outdoors with wind.
The pros and cons worth knowing
On the plus side: genuinely good bass-heavy sound, a custom EQ that improves things, working ANC, wireless charging, a generous pile of ear tips, and a price that undercuts the obvious competition by a wide margin. For commuters and gym use, that's a strong package.
The compromises: mediocre call performance in wind, an older Bluetooth setup with no proper multipoint for jumping cleanly between a phone and a laptop, and a fit that depends entirely on whether you get along with stem buds. The app is fine but occasionally clunky. None of these are dealbreakers at this price. They're just the corners Anker cut to hit it.
Who should buy them, and who shouldn't
Buy these if you want big, punchy sound and competent noise cancellation for commuting or workouts, and you refuse to spend $200-plus on earbuds. They're also a smart pick for anyone who likes tweaking EQ instead of accepting whatever tuning a brand decides for them.
Skip them if you take a lot of calls outdoors, if seamless multipoint switching between devices is non-negotiable, or if you already live inside Apple's ecosystem and value the instant-pairing magic of AirPods. People with small ear canals who dislike in-ear pressure should try before committing.
The verdict
The Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro is one of the easiest budget recommendations in the audio space. The sound punches well above its price, the ANC is real, and the custom EQ is the rare extra that justifies its existence. Call quality and the dated connectivity hold it back from being a giant-killer, but at this price you're not expecting perfection.
For most people who want strong-sounding ANC earbuds without an Apple or Sony budget, this is the value pick to beat.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the noise cancellation on the Liberty Air 2 Pro any good?
- Yes, for the price. It handles steady low-frequency noise like planes, buses, and office air systems well. It won't fully silence voices or sudden sounds the way Sony's flagship buds do, but it's far better than no ANC at all.
- Do they work with Android and iPhone?
- Both. They pair over standard Bluetooth with any phone and the Soundcore app runs on Android and iOS for EQ tuning and HearID. You lose Apple's instant-pairing convenience compared to AirPods, but core features work fine either way.
- How long does the battery last?
- Expect around 6 hours per charge with ANC on and roughly 26 hours total with the case. Disabling ANC pushes per-charge time closer to 7 hours. The case supports wireless charging, which is rare at this price.
Marcus has spent over a decade testing consumer tech and gadgets. He cares about whether a product earns its price in real life — not on a spec sheet.
