Call performance is one of those specs most people overlook when shopping for earbuds—right up until everyone on the other end says you sound like you’re speaking from inside a gale.
With its new Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Max, Soundcore is trying to make that problem a non-issue. The brand has earned an official Guinness World Record for the world’s clearest calls, based on testing verified by an independent lab that compared them against 14 other flagship earbuds in simulated noisy settings such as busy bars and city streets.
The key upgrade is Anker’s new THUS AI chip paired with a 10-sensor array: eight microphones to capture surrounding sound plus two bone-conduction sensors that read subtle skull vibrations. The goal is simple—lock onto your voice and suppress everything else.
$169.99
Call clarity isn’t the only focus. The Liberty 5 Pro reportedly processes more than 384,000 noise signals per second for active noise cancellation—around twice the rate of the Liberty 4 Pro. It also offers a personalised EQ created from a quick hearing test, similar to the approach used by AirPods Pro and Sony’s XM6 lineup.
Another standout is the charging case, which includes a compact touchscreen so you can switch ANC modes without taking out your phone. Total battery life is rated at 28 hours, and a five-minute top-up is said to deliver up to four hours of listening when you’re in a pinch.
Apple’s earbuds may be the default choice for many people, but Soundcore is positioning these as the option for anyone who wants calls that don’t frustrate the person on the other line.
The Liberty 5 Pro comes in at $169.99, which is $60 less than AirPods Pro. The Liberty 5 Pro Max is listed at $249.99 and adds features aimed at work and meetings, including AI transcription, speaker identification, and action-item summaries.
$229.99
$229
How does Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro compare to AirPods?
It really comes down to what matters most to you.
On specs alone, the Liberty 5 Pro makes a strong case on the practical stuff. The fit is described as more secure, with a kidney-bean style shape that sits differently than AirPods—an important point for anyone who’s dealt with earbuds loosening during exercise or commuting. It also claims roughly two extra hours of listening per charge with ANC enabled, a higher water-resistance rating, and faster case charging.
Where AirPods still tend to win is the Apple ecosystem. If you’re already using an iPhone, Mac, and iPad, the seamless device switching and Siri integration are hard to match. Soundcore supports both iOS and Android, but it won’t feel as tightly woven into the system.
Price is the other major difference: $169.99 versus $229 for AirPods Pro is a meaningful gap. Whether that Guinness-recognised call quality is enough to swing the decision is likely the real deciding factor.