Our Verdict
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 are okay for neutral sound. While their sound profile is decently well-balanced, it's a little bass-heavy and their mid-range is slightly recessed. Like all closed-back in-ears, they also have a very poor soundstage. On the upside, their harmonic distortion and imaging performances are both very good, and their companion app includes a graphic EQ so you can change the sound profile to better match your own personal preference.
- Great price-to-performance ratio.
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Excellent battery life for truly wireless headphones.
- Premium look and feel for budget headphones.
- Mediocre microphone performance.
- Disappointing touch-sensitive controls.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 are good headphones for commuting or travel. Even without ANC, their noise isolation performance is quite good, though they'll block out background chatter better than plane or train engines. They're decently comfortable for in-ear headphones and are extremely portable thanks to their truly wireless design. On the downside, they won't quite last a full day off a single charge, though this is normal for truly wireless headphones, and they can be charged five additional times from their case, which is great.
- Great price-to-performance ratio.
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Excellent battery life for truly wireless headphones.
- Premium look and feel for budget headphones.
- Mediocre microphone performance.
- Disappointing touch-sensitive controls.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 are great headphones for fitness use. Once you find the right sized silicone tip, they feel quite stable in your ear and will likely be able to withstand most workouts without falling out. They're also fairly comfortable and have a decent touch-sensitive control scheme so you can change your music without taking out your phone. They're rated IPX5 for sweat and water resistance, though we don't test for this.
- Great price-to-performance ratio.
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Excellent battery life for truly wireless headphones.
- Premium look and feel for budget headphones.
- Mediocre microphone performance.
- Disappointing touch-sensitive controls.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 are decent headphones for office use. They do a very good job of blocking out background chatter, which will help you stay focused at work. Unfortunately, their battery lasts just under 6.5 hours, meaning you'll likely have to take a break to charge them in the middle of the day. They also may not be the most comfortable for everyone due to their in-ear fit.
- Great price-to-performance ratio.
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Excellent battery life for truly wireless headphones.
- Premium look and feel for budget headphones.
- Mediocre microphone performance.
- Disappointing touch-sensitive controls.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 aren't recommended for wireless gaming. They can only be used via Bluetooth, which means they aren't compatible with Xbox One of PS4. While they'll connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs, their high latency may not be suitable for gaming.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used wired.
The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 are okay for phone calls. Like most Bluetooth headphones, their microphone will make your voice sound slightly muffled and lacking in detail. Their noise handling is also sub-par, meaning the person on the other end of the line won't be able to hear you in even moderately noisy environments.
- Great price-to-performance ratio.
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Excellent battery life for truly wireless headphones.
- Premium look and feel for budget headphones.
- Mediocre microphone performance.
- Disappointing touch-sensitive controls.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 09, 2021: Retested Bluetooth for negative latency values.
- Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 05, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Dec 04, 2019: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Liberty Air 2 are a nice upgrade over the previous model, with a more premium look and a much better battery life. They have a well-balanced sound profile that should be versatile enough for most genres, and are decently comfortable for in-ears. While they don't have some high-end features like ANC, they are very impressive for their price-point and outperform some more expensive options. We suggest taking a look at our recommendations for the best truly wireless earbuds, the best wireless earbuds, and the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears.
The Jabra Elite 4 Active True Wireless are a bit better than the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2. They have longer continuous battery life and a much better mic recording quality. They have a much better onboard control scheme and are rated IP57 for dust and water resistance, while the Anker aren't rated for dust resistance. On the other hand, even though they don't have ANC, the Anker offer a better noise isolation performance. Their bass-rich default sound profile makes them better-suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop, but both options come with a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 and the Anker Soundcore Life A2 NC Truly Wireless each have their own advantages, and you may prefer one over the other depending on your needs. The Liberty Air 2 deliver audio more consistently, block out more ambient noise despite lacking an ANC system, leak less audio, and have lower Bluetooth audio latency on some iOS and Android devices. Meanwhile, the Life A2 NC have a more comfortable, stable fit, noticeably better microphone noise handling capability, and much longer continuous battery life.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 are better overall headphones than the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 Truly Wireless. The Anker have a more comfortable fit and a more consistent audio delivery. The Anker also have a more neutral sound profile, though it's slightly bass-heavy, especially compared to the TaoTronics' lack of sub-bass. Unlike the TaoTronics, the Anker have a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound. The Anker are also a better choice for isolating background noise, and they leak less noise, too.
The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 and the Mpow X3 Truly Wireless have different strengths. The Mpow are more comfortable, they have better controls, and they feel more stable in-ear. However, the Anker have a bass-heavy sound that some users may prefer. Even without an ANC feature, they're able to reduce more ambient noise than the Mpow's ANC, and they even have a companion app with a graphic EQ and presets. If you're looking for something to wear while commuting, go with the Anker but if you're looking for a more neutral listening experience, go with the Mpow.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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