There is a moment in every review week where a budget product quietly exceeds expectations, and the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC produced that moment on day one. I have reviewed audio hardware for years, and I have learned to treat claimed battery figures and big noise reduction numbers with suspicion. Both claims held up here. The Liberty 4 NC are not the best sounding earbuds I have tested, and they are not the best at blocking noise. They are, however, the best combination of those two things you can buy near their price, and that is a meaningful achievement. Soundcore provided the review unit, and this article contains affiliate links, so a purchase through them earns the site a commission at no cost to you.
The specifications are worth stating plainly. Adaptive noise cancelling with a claimed 98.5 percent reduction, Hi-Res certification with LDAC and AAC support, 11mm dynamic drivers, six microphones for calls, multipoint Bluetooth 5.3, IPX4 water resistance, and a total Battery Life of around 50 hours when you count the wireless charging case. That is a flagship feature list at a budget price, and the gap between the spec sheet and the real world is exactly what I set out to measure.
The rest of this review covers the build, the codecs and connection behavior, the battery in real conditions, the call microphones, and how this pair stacks up against the more expensive competition.
Design and Build
The Liberty 4 NC use a stem design with a matte finish that resists fingerprints, and the fit is where the build first impresses. The earbuds are shaped to sit deep in the ear, and with the right tip size from the four included options, the seal is excellent. A good seal matters for two reasons: passive isolation and bass response. Both were noticeably strong, and that is the foundation that makes the ANC effective.
The case is a deliberate trade. It is large by modern standards, and there is no pretending otherwise, but the size houses a battery that makes the earbuds effectively weekly devices. The lid hinge is solid, the USB-C port is on the back, and a small LED shows charging state. The wireless charging convenience worked perfectly with a Qi pad, and the case surface charges without needing a specific placement.
Key Features
For a reviewer who spends time on connection quality, the Bluetooth implementation matters as much as the drivers. The Liberty 4 NC use Bluetooth 5.3, and the connection stability was flawless across the week, with no dropouts in busy downtown areas and fast reconnection when the case lid opened. Multipoint is the feature that earned daily use, because the earbuds stayed connected to my phone and laptop simultaneously, and calls routed to the phone while music paused on the laptop without a hitch.
Audio codec support is a genuine differentiator on Android. LDAC delivers high resolution audio at up to 990 kbps, and with a compatible Android phone the difference is audible on well mastered tracks. On iPhone the earbuds fall back to AAC, which is still clean and stable, though the top end loses a little of the LDAC sparkle. This is the right feature split, because it gives Android users a real reason to pick these over many rivals while iOS users still get a solid experience.
The Soundcore app rounds out the feature set with a five band EQ, preset sound profiles, and HearID, which builds a custom tuning curve from a hearing test. There is also a volume boosting toggle and a control for the ANC modes, which cycle between strong, normal, and wind reduction. The app is well built and does not nag you to register, which is rare and appreciated.
Real-World Performance
I started with the battery, because it is the most quantifiable claim. With ANC on at roughly 50 percent volume, the earbuds ran for about 9 hours and 40 minutes of continuous playback before the first low battery warning. That aligns with the rated 10 hours. Across the week, I used the pair for around four hours a day and the case indicator never dropped below half, which means the 50 hour total is realistic for a typical user. A ten minute quick charge added about four hours of playback, which is the most useful emergency feature I have tested in a while.
Noise cancelling held up to its billing. On a busy subway platform the rumble of trains and the roar of announcements were reduced to a murmur, and inside a noisy office the air handling and keyboard noise faded almost entirely. The adaptive element shifts cancellation strength with your environment, and the transition is smooth rather than abrupt. The dedicated wind reduction mode is the quiet star, because it lets you walk on a windy day without the howling that ruins ANC on many competitors.
The sound signature is warm and punchy, with a bass shelf that gives modern pop and electronic music real energy. The 11mm drivers keep distortion in check at high volumes, and the LDAC connection on Android delivered clean separation between instruments on jazz and rock tracks. This is not a neutral studio monitor, and purists will want to EQ it, but the app makes that easy.
Call quality is above average. The six microphones with AI noise reduction kept my voice audible and intelligible in a quiet room, and even beside a busy road callers reported that my voice remained clear, with background noise reduced to a distant hiss. On very loud construction sites the AI could not do magic, but for the vast majority of call situations the performance was dependable.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Reliable multipoint Bluetooth 5.3 connection
- LDAC high resolution audio on Android
- Realistic 50 hour total battery life
- Effective adaptive noise cancelling with wind mode
- Comfortable, stable fit with good passive isolation
- Wireless charging case
- Full custom EQ and HearID tuning
Cons:
- Case is large compared with premium rivals
- Bass forward tuning may need EQ for some
- ANC trails the flagship Sony and Bose pairs
- AAC on iOS means no LDAC benefit for iPhone users
How It Compares
The most useful comparison is against the two leaders of the budget and mid range categories, the Liberty 4 NC and the Soundcore Liberty 4, with a nod to the flagship AirPods Pro. The table below shows where the value sits.
| Feature | Liberty 4 NC | AirPods Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Budget friendly | Premium |
| Noise cancelling | Strong for price | Excellent |
| Battery life | Up to 50 hours total | Up to 30 hours total |
| High res audio | LDAC on Android | AAC only |
| Multipoint | Yes | Limited ecosystem |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
The AirPods Pro 2 are better at pure noise cancelling and integrate seamlessly with Apple devices, but they cost more than twice as much and offer less total battery life. The Liberty 4 NC undercut them on price, outlast them on battery, and match them on multipoint flexibility. For Android users the LDAC support is a clear edge that AirPods cannot touch. The decision comes down to ecosystem: Apple loyalists should stay with AirPods, while everyone else gets most of the experience for far less money.
Who Should Buy It
Buy the Liberty 4 NC if you use Android and want high resolution LDAC audio, if you commute daily and want dependable noise cancelling, or if you simply hate charging gadgets and want a case that lasts the week. They are also a smart pick for students and anyone buying their first pair of ANC earbuds, because the price removes the risk of a premium purchase.
Do not buy them if you are deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, if you need the absolute best noise cancelling available, or if a truly small case is a deal breaker. The current price is worth checking, because Soundcore frequently discounts the pair. You can see the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC price on Amazon today.
How We Test
I tested the Liberty 4 NC over a week with an Android phone for LDAC and an iPhone for AAC, measuring battery with continuous playback until depletion and tracking case recharge counts across daily use. I evaluated connection stability in a downtown area, multipoint behavior with a laptop, and ANC effectiveness on a subway, in an open office, and on windy streets. I ran the HearID test and compared the EQ tuned sound with the default signature. For a detailed breakdown of the LDAC codec and how it compares with AAC and SBC, SoundGuys covers LDAC thoroughly, and it is worth a read before deciding between codecs. The Liberty 4 NC listing on Amazon shows current pricing and available colors.
Questions People Ask
What is the difference between Liberty 4 and Liberty 4 NC?
The Liberty 4 add a heart rate sensor and spatial audio, while the Liberty 4 NC focus on a bigger battery, adaptive noise cancelling, and a lower price without the sensor features, so the choice is about whether you want the extras or the battery life.
How loud do the Liberty 4 NC get?
The 11mm drivers reach a comfortable listening volume without distortion, and the Soundcore app adds a volume boost and a customizable EQ so you can tune the output to your liking.
Do the Liberty 4 NC work with iPhones?
Yes, they pair with iOS devices over Bluetooth 5.3, though LDAC is limited to Android, while iPhones still get AAC support for clear, stable playback with no dropouts.
Is the Liberty 4 NC case waterproof?
The earbuds carry an IPX4 rating for sweat and light rain, but the charging case itself is not rated for water, so keep it dry and protected during workouts and travel.
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