NEW! Anker Soundcore Lineup: AeroClip 2, Space 2 Pro and Liberty Buds 2

AeroClip 2: the open-ear choice for comfort and awareness

The Soundcore AeroClip 2 is built for running, cycling and any situation where I want to hear what is going on around me. Its clip-on design leaves the ear canal largely open, so I can hear my surroundings almost as well as if I were not wearing an earbud at all. It is also a better fit than hook-style open earbuds for people who wear glasses or have long hair.

Comfort is a real strength. I wore these all day and forgot they were on, while the clamping force still kept them secure during vigorous movement. They have an IP57 dust-resistant and waterproof rating, tactile on-bud button controls with volume control, wireless case charging and a compact matte case that is easy to pocket.

I get 8 hours from the buds and 32 hours in total with the case. A 10-minute charge provides 4 hours of playback. Connectivity includes Bluetooth 6.0, SBC, AAC, LDAC, Hi-Res and Google Fast Pair. The multipoint takeover is exceptionally quick: I can press play on a second connected device and it switches almost instantly. It is the fastest multipoint takeover I have used.

Open earbuds generally cannot deliver the deepest bass because there is no seal, and the AeroClip 2 is no exception. Still, it delivers punchy bass, rich mid-bass, clear vocals and crisp but smooth treble. In very noisy places, the open design will naturally be less useful because I can hear so much around me.

The Pros and Cons

Space 2 Pro: strong noise cancelling and Soundcore's best headphone comfort

The Soundcore Space 2 Pro is for anyone who wants to shut out noise and focus. Its noise cancelling performs well across the board, including voices, low-frequency plane noise, higher frequencies and inconsistent sounds such as gym weights or keyboard typing. The transparency mode is close to what I hear naturally, although it is not at the level of pricier headphones.

These are Soundcore's most comfortable headphones I have tested. The ear pads are soft, spacious and deep enough that my large ears do not touch the inside. The clamping force is balanced too, so they are secure without being too tight. My small complaint is the included soft case. At this price, I would expect a hard case.

Battery life is 30 hours with noise cancelling on or 60 hours with it off, and a 5-minute charge gives 8 hours with noise cancelling off. There are straightforward button controls, wearing detection and hands-free voice commands for playback and volume. I do not personally use the always-on voice assistant, but the basic voice commands worked well in my testing.

The stock tuning is seriously bass-heavy, with too much treble for my taste and some muddiness through the mids and upper mids. I was able to fix that with the eight-band EQ: bass remained deep and impactful, vocals and instruments came through better, and the treble was less harsh while retaining detail. The deep ear cups also help create a reasonably wide soundstage for noise-cancelling headphones.

The Pros and Cons

Liberty Buds 2: Soundcore's best-sounding product I have tested

The Soundcore Liberty Buds 2 packs much of the Space 2 Pro experience into a tiny true wireless earbud. At 4.7 grams, it is extremely compact, and the small portion that sits in the ear makes it comfortable for smaller and larger ears. Two wing sizes are included for a more stable fit, which makes these the better exercise option for me. They also carry an IP55 dust and water-resistance rating.

Noise cancelling is very close to the Space 2 Pro, but each has its own strengths. The Liberty Buds 2 blocked middle-high-frequency plane hiss slightly better and did better with voices. The Space 2 Pro had the edge with the lower engine hum and high-pitched sounds such as fan noise, keyboard typing and clanging weights. Transparency is just as clear as on the headphones.

With noise cancelling on, battery life is 7 hours in the buds and 27 hours in total with the case. A 10-minute charge gives 4 hours of playback, and the case supports wireless charging. It also has wearing detection, Bluetooth 5.3, SBC, AAC, LDAC and Google Fast Pair.

This is easily the best-sounding Soundcore product I have tested. The stock sound is balanced V-shaped rather than as excessive as the Space 2 Pro, but I still preferred a little eight-band EQ to clean up the mid-bass and bring vocals and instruments forward. I get deep impact, punchier bass, crisp treble detail and some airiness. Metal, hard rock and rock work especially well: double kicks hit hard, distorted guitars have crunch and attack, and the overall presentation has a heavy live feel.

The Liberty Buds 2 sits only just behind the Liberty 5 Pro in my overall ranking of 67 earbuds. The Liberty 5 Pro has slightly stronger noise cancelling, clearer transparency and call quality, plus the screen on its case. I think the Liberty Buds 2 can sound better, looks more compact in the ear and costs less, which makes it one of the best-value earbuds available right now.

The Pros and Cons