I’m probably the biggest Apple fanboy you know. Even if you don’t personally know me — Hello, my name is Collin and I am an Apple geek.
When the AirPods were released, I of course picked up a pair. When the Pros came out, I immediately wanted them. However, dropping that amount of cash seemed like a lot. While I was in the process of moving, and I have a wife and son at home, I decided to do the responsible thing and wait.
And I am glad that I did.
While waiting, Anker’s Soundcore released the Liberty Air 2 Pros and I was able to get my hands on them. These headphones are so incredible, Soundcore can boast that at least 19 Grammy award winning artists endorse them.
First off, they are obviously wireless earbuds, with a charging case. That seems obvious for an AirPod Pros comparison. The Liberty Air 2 Pro case is also wireless charging, which is in line with AirPod Pros as well. But here is where Liberty Air 2 Pro starts to take the lead.
When I first unboxed the Liberty Air 2 Pros, I noticed that there were not just a small, medium, and large set of tips to fit my ear, there were 18 tips. This allowed me to get a perfect seal, even when my left ear canal is slightly larger than my right.
Then, I was able to take what I can only describe as a hearing test, along with a seal test. These combined created a custom EQ based around my hearing. And not just my hearing in general, but specified to each ear. Meaning that in my left ear, Soundcore was able to recognize that I can’t hear as low of lows as I can in my right, however I can hear better mid range frequencies. Now, when I wear both headphones, my Liberty Air 2 Pros EQ with that reference point, allowing for perfectly customized listening.
If you are an audiophile, and you know what your desired EQ is, you can also jump in and adjust your EQ settings on your own.
Further, when both headphones are in, I can activate Targeted Active Noise Canceling. Now I know that AirPod Pros along with most mid to high end headphones these days have noise canceling. But this is a whole different entity. Targeted Active Noise Cancelation allows for four different noise canceling modes. Normal, which is what most of us think of. Transport, where it actively drowns out sounds you would find on airplanes, trains, and the likes. Outdoor, where it drowns out classic city sounds as well as other low and mid-frequency range noises. And lastly indoor where Soundcore actively targets and eliminates other voices.
All of this is done without the classic ear strain I’ve experienced from other noise canceling headphones.
One more mind boggling feature is that you can set the headphones to be fully transparent, or to be in vocal mode. Vocal mode will actually identify the speaking voice, and boost their voice over whatever else you are playing. Allowing for you to hear quickly what you need to hear, and then jump right back into your own oasis.
With my former AirPods, I was lucky to get through an afternoon of music. But with my Liberty Air 2 Pros, I can get through a full 7 hour work session before needing to recharge. Oh, did I mention that the charging case can recharge my headphones nearly three times on a single charge? Plus, if that somehow isn’t enough, I am able to fast charge my case for 15 minutes and gain another 3 hours of listening.
I also love that I can customize the controls of what a double tap on either headphone, or a long press does. This can control a vast array of commands, but my favorite is to control the noise cancelation settings — which can also be toggled via a widget for iOS.
It takes a lot for something to become a part of my everyday carry, and even more to become something that I rely on daily. The Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pros did just that. I haven’t used my AirPods since I tried these on, and I don’t see myself going back to them anytime soon.
