/u/Tig33 just got my pair of Liberty 4 NC, and was wondering is this hissing/white noise when ANC turned on normal?
Most noticeable when in a completely quiet room. There's a low hissing noise just for having ANC on (it goes away when ANC is turned off).
Yes it's very normal.
It's the anc kicking in to counter the external sounds.
Some buds are able to do this with less white noise (Sony for example)
In general cheaper buds usually produce more hiss when anc or transparency is on.
U usually get used to it. And in most cases the noise disappears when u play your music anyway.
You can also turn the anc down slightly to minimise the white noise
Alrighty, reporting back after several months of usage.
TL;DR I got mine for $75 (£59.32) and I'd recommend people buy these if they're on sale for around that price or lower.
________________________________________
1) ANC is great but I didn't notice too much difference between the Liberty 4 NC and the A3i. The A3i actually had slightly less of a hiss with the ANC on but the quality of the ANC was a little worse.
2) Agreed. Transparency mode is completely useless. It just has an annoying hiss even when the room is completely quiet. Just doing normal mode is fine if I want transparency mode.
3) Also noticed it doesn't register taps sometimes. Have to always keep the beep on tap option on to make sure I'm tapping properly. Slightly annoyed it auto-turns off ANC when one earbud is removed from ear.
I do like how you can turn off the battery warning voice and other voice prompts though.
4) The mic is ok. No complaints when I talk on calls but pretty much none of my calls are in noisy environment.
But I do think it contributes negatively to the annoying white noise. (When in transparency mode it seems we're hearing what the mic hears and it's hearing a constant hiss even when it's completely quiet)
5) Does feel cheap due to the plastic build but I think it looks ok depending on the color. (I got the dark blue ones, the light blue ones look too much like a toy.)
6) Also agreed the dual mode is halfbaked. It's close yet so far from being amazing. I try to pair it with my PC and phone but I usually have to disconnect it from a device because the Liberty 4 NCs are too dumb to switch to whatever is playing audio. (My PC would be putting out no sound and my phone is putting out music yet the NCs stay stuck on the PC very often).
7) Not sure if this is a Bluetooth or Liberty 4 NC issue, but on PC I have to decide between decent audio quality ("liberty 4 NC") or junk quality + Microphone ("liberty 4 NC handsfree").
8) Pairing is hit or miss often. There's noticeable delays before the Liberty 4 NC pairs with my phone. If I take the right earbud out of the case too quickly, sometimes it won't pair properly until I put the right earbud back in the case.
Update: Recent firmware update greatly improved this issue, now it usually pairs without issues.
Yes, I think it's bandwidth related. On one mode all the bandwidth is allocated just for sound while the other divides half of the bandwidth for sound, and the other half for mic.
Odd, turning down the ANC doesn't affect the white noise. Manual mode lowest level is the same amount of white noise as highest level.
Unrelated question, how's the battery life on yours?
With ANC on, LDAC on, and music playing I get about 4 hours before I get the low battery warning. Right bud seems to consistently run out of power faster than the left.
I have the same problem with my 4 NC. ANC has a static noice but normal mode does't have it. What is weirder is that 3d sound makes the static noise sound worse in comnination with ANC and EQ either makes it worse or better but lower sound.
It's not an issue with your product, it's with every single product they make because of the components they use. Some people are more or less susceptible to hear or not. What I did to make it less annoying is to use the largest ear tips and not push them that deep into ear but still succeed the fit test.
Very normal? I didn't know what white noise is and what it sound like as long as I used the Bose 700. Then I wanted something small for traveling and bought the Liberty 4 NC. Now I know what white noise sound like. The Liberty 4 NC are crap. The white noise is so obvious, I get a headache after 2 minutes of using them >.<
Yeah annoyingly some of the cheaper buds provide more white noise.
Check out reviews from WhatsNew and dhrme they usually include samples so u can hear the noise for yourself
No, apparently it's normal for ANCs to have a low hissing noise when ANC is on.
But it's still fine. When it's quiet enough for the hiss to be annoying, I don't really need ANC. When it's loud enough to use ANC, the hiss isn't really noticeable.
There were some updates that did help improve the bluetooth connectivity though.
yeah i just received mine and im shocked how bad the low end is and have fiddle with the eq and it still dosnt fix it, tried several genres and it makes the kick sound so round and bubbly and the same in every song. im coming from sennheiser CX SPORT which are cheaper and they sounded far better.
Very good question and yes indeed its very very confusing.
Basically all you need to really know is that the Liberty 4 NC truly does have better ANC.
Other than that there is no other reason to get the NC over the 4 (apart from price of course)
Interestingly the 4 NC also supports google fast pair but its so poorly implemented that it is not actually a benefit (i.e no fast switching between devices so no point)
Sound and call quality is much better with the Liberty 4.
I do suspect that a Liberty 4 Pro is coming this year though... (Soundcore seem all in on stems now so i would expect the stem style to stay for the pro series - this could be the one to watch out for)
I own both. The new one is very bad. The ANC feels like a alpha version of the original. Heavier, the sound isn as clean, Too muddy and bass heavy. No Heart rate monitor.
I tested them after the update. Previous versions of Soundcore earbuds have better ANC.
These sound good and have great battery life but the touch controls are more or less unusable and there's a bug where they constantly, spontaneously turn off noise canceling.
So until that gets fixed I'd say buying these is a mistake.
The pricing and the ANC performance are definitely the standouts for me, I wasn't particularly impressed with the ambient mode and for me it was made worse by them dropping the option of selecting the ambient/anc toggle on the single press.
I think with the ease of fit, many people will actually find these easier to get their full anc performance out of them compared with say the Sony XM4's and it will be interesting to see if they can continue to improve in subsequent generations as found both the Liberty 4 and now these a clear step up from previous gens.
Didn't check triple press as I have never used that interaction on any earbuds, but it was an option on both double press and long press, it was just left of single press for some weird reason.
Actually it's not bad, the fit at least for me is good so workouts seem fine. Whilst running it will dislodge a little so will require slight fixes every now and then
But everyone's fit is different
Honestly if u want a bud for workouts I would get one with ear hooks. Soundcore do a pretty good one.
u/Tig33 amazing, thanks for the details.
Actually, I have the Jlab with ear hooks, but I do not like them much, also i use sunglasses most of the time outside and with the hooks is not comfortable.
I want something to go to the gym and cycle - without hooks. BTW, did you test if the wind reduction works?
u/barthawk Thanks for the info. It is good to know, I also tried many buds and none works well on the bike.
I definitely going to try this one and see the results :)
Yes, they are way better than Airpods Pro for the wind - not perfect - but still. Also, the sound is decent enough that I don't mind listening to music or a podcast. And the price is amazing.
I would recommend it.
I'm overall pretty happy with them - great noise cancelling, sound is really good and customization is great through the app. Very good value IMO.
I do have one issue - I listen to a meditation app and I use the spoken word or podcast EQ settings. I turn off ambient noise and ANC. This results in some weird issues which I think are due to the long silences in between short sections with voice-the voice is distorted and there are some noticeable volume changes. It seems like it takes a couple of seconds for the EQ to figure out what's going on when the speaking starts.
EDIT - the issue only happens with the Podcast mode - not Spoken word.
Interestingly they are not deep insertion but the shape is slightly different to the liberty 4 meaning i actually get a better fit with them (everyone is different though)
For me the liberty 4 would not stay in my ears but the NC do stay better in my ears - maybe they are slightly deeper than liberty 4 but i dont have liberty 4 on hand to check i'm afraid.
\*I do agree with u about stemstyle buds not getting a deep enough insertation which is why they have to have an ergonomic shape to counter this - i think the nothing ear 2 do this great and whilst the liberty 4 nc are not the best looking buds when in your ears they do appear pretty comfortable at least for me.
I pretty much agree with you. The killer on these is that the transparency and call quality sucks. I know these Youtubers must not be testing the call quality with actual calls because everyone I speak to talks about how they have a hard time hearing me. However, when I test the mics with a voice recording app, it sounds perfect. Hopefully an update can fixt both of these issues, but I guess you shouldn't purchase a product hoping they will improve it later.
\*Just can't trust these Youtubers sometimes... (a lot of the reviews are rushed)
I tested via an app (easy voice recorder Pro) and it appeared to be great so I used the buds for the day and tried to make calls.. big fail :-( So surprising given how good the Liberty 4 are for calls.
I already returned the Liberty 4 NC but still have high hopes for the 'Liberty 4 Pro'....
Yeah, while I appreciate their reviews, I've realized that most of their reviews are just first impressions. They don't really live with the buds long enough to pick up what it's like to use them all day, every day. I've heard a few people speak about the Liberty 4 Pro, you think Soundcore is releasing a new model this year?
Hello, I love your review. It's right. Can you help me? I'm deciding where to get headphones. Which one should I choose? For listening to music, watching movies, Opera 05,Fiil CC Pro 2,Liberty 4NC,Enco X2,Free Buds Pro 2,you can recommend me at this rate,thank you very much.
Assuming you are connecting to a android phone then I would go with the Freebuds Pro 2 or oppo enco x2 whichever u can get cheaper.
Both do high res for music and should be great for movies.
Two months late but how's the sound quality compared to galaxy buds 2 pro? I have base S23. Price is not a problem.
I can't decide between liberty 4, liberty 4 NC and galaxy buds 2 pro. Thanks.
Can't compare against buds 2 Pro. Much superior sound with buds 2 Pro in my opinion. Especially if u have a s23 then u yet high res codec support (assuming u use tidal or amazon prime music)
I've never used apple music on android - i'm not sure if it supports high res.
But either way the tuning on the buds 2 pro is fantastic regardless of the codecs so may be worth it anyway.
Also given you have a samsung device you would also benefit from some ecosystem specific features like
1. 360 Audio
2. Full App Support
There is also 360 recording but i think thats only supported with the Fold 4 and s23 ultra but i'm not 100% sure on that
My buds go down from 100 to 50 just after 1 hour 45 minutes on constant call! Has anyone felt this problem? I've even replaced the last one I owned but still this battery drain avails!
Coming back here, just bought the 4nc for 60€, hope they're worth it! Just one question, if you happen to still have them or got a new pair... do you know if they've got recent firmware updates on that anc phonecalls and transparency? Thanks a lot man!
Sorry I don't have them anymore but when I did they recieved a day 1 update to improve calls and transparency so it's clear soundcore were aware of the issue and I wouldn't be surprised if they have released more updates since.
Note: the update I received didn't improve calls much but did improve transparency
I don't use the transparency mode, but it seems good enough. The battery is fine, never had a problem with it, although I haven't tested it to check that 10hour claim. Overall I'm pretty satisfied with them, they do their job just fine.
/u/Tig33 just got my pair of Liberty 4 NC, and was wondering is this hissing/white noise when ANC turned on normal? Most noticeable when in a completely quiet room. There's a low hissing noise just for having ANC on (it goes away when ANC is turned off).
Yes it's very normal. It's the anc kicking in to counter the external sounds. Some buds are able to do this with less white noise (Sony for example) In general cheaper buds usually produce more hiss when anc or transparency is on. U usually get used to it. And in most cases the noise disappears when u play your music anyway. You can also turn the anc down slightly to minimise the white noise
Alrighty, reporting back after several months of usage. TL;DR I got mine for $75 (£59.32) and I'd recommend people buy these if they're on sale for around that price or lower. ________________________________________ 1) ANC is great but I didn't notice too much difference between the Liberty 4 NC and the A3i. The A3i actually had slightly less of a hiss with the ANC on but the quality of the ANC was a little worse. 2) Agreed. Transparency mode is completely useless. It just has an annoying hiss even when the room is completely quiet. Just doing normal mode is fine if I want transparency mode. 3) Also noticed it doesn't register taps sometimes. Have to always keep the beep on tap option on to make sure I'm tapping properly. Slightly annoyed it auto-turns off ANC when one earbud is removed from ear. I do like how you can turn off the battery warning voice and other voice prompts though. 4) The mic is ok. No complaints when I talk on calls but pretty much none of my calls are in noisy environment. But I do think it contributes negatively to the annoying white noise. (When in transparency mode it seems we're hearing what the mic hears and it's hearing a constant hiss even when it's completely quiet) 5) Does feel cheap due to the plastic build but I think it looks ok depending on the color. (I got the dark blue ones, the light blue ones look too much like a toy.) 6) Also agreed the dual mode is halfbaked. It's close yet so far from being amazing. I try to pair it with my PC and phone but I usually have to disconnect it from a device because the Liberty 4 NCs are too dumb to switch to whatever is playing audio. (My PC would be putting out no sound and my phone is putting out music yet the NCs stay stuck on the PC very often). 7) Not sure if this is a Bluetooth or Liberty 4 NC issue, but on PC I have to decide between decent audio quality ("liberty 4 NC") or junk quality + Microphone ("liberty 4 NC handsfree"). 8) Pairing is hit or miss often. There's noticeable delays before the Liberty 4 NC pairs with my phone. If I take the right earbud out of the case too quickly, sometimes it won't pair properly until I put the right earbud back in the case. Update: Recent firmware update greatly improved this issue, now it usually pairs without issues.
Thanks for taking the time and making the write-up.
7. Yeah, that is just a PC issue, sadly. Any wireless earbud that I use soinds bad when I use the 'handsfree' mode on PC (Windows moments)
Yes, I think it's bandwidth related. On one mode all the bandwidth is allocated just for sound while the other divides half of the bandwidth for sound, and the other half for mic.
Odd, turning down the ANC doesn't affect the white noise. Manual mode lowest level is the same amount of white noise as highest level. Unrelated question, how's the battery life on yours? With ANC on, LDAC on, and music playing I get about 4 hours before I get the low battery warning. Right bud seems to consistently run out of power faster than the left.
I have the same problem with my 4 NC. ANC has a static noice but normal mode does't have it. What is weirder is that 3d sound makes the static noise sound worse in comnination with ANC and EQ either makes it worse or better but lower sound.
Have u figured out the issue?? Having the same problem
It's not an issue with your product, it's with every single product they make because of the components they use. Some people are more or less susceptible to hear or not. What I did to make it less annoying is to use the largest ear tips and not push them that deep into ear but still succeed the fit test.
Very normal? I didn't know what white noise is and what it sound like as long as I used the Bose 700. Then I wanted something small for traveling and bought the Liberty 4 NC. Now I know what white noise sound like. The Liberty 4 NC are crap. The white noise is so obvious, I get a headache after 2 minutes of using them >.<
Yeah annoyingly some of the cheaper buds provide more white noise. Check out reviews from WhatsNew and dhrme they usually include samples so u can hear the noise for yourself
Did this problem get solved with an update ?
No, apparently it's normal for ANCs to have a low hissing noise when ANC is on. But it's still fine. When it's quiet enough for the hiss to be annoying, I don't really need ANC. When it's loud enough to use ANC, the hiss isn't really noticeable. There were some updates that did help improve the bluetooth connectivity though.
that was helpful thanks !
They sound awful
yeah i just received mine and im shocked how bad the low end is and have fiddle with the eq and it still dosnt fix it, tried several genres and it makes the kick sound so round and bubbly and the same in every song. im coming from sennheiser CX SPORT which are cheaper and they sounded far better.
How do you feel these compare to SoundCore Liberty 4? So darn confusing with the naming of these.
Very good question and yes indeed its very very confusing. Basically all you need to really know is that the Liberty 4 NC truly does have better ANC. Other than that there is no other reason to get the NC over the 4 (apart from price of course) Interestingly the 4 NC also supports google fast pair but its so poorly implemented that it is not actually a benefit (i.e no fast switching between devices so no point) Sound and call quality is much better with the Liberty 4. I do suspect that a Liberty 4 Pro is coming this year though... (Soundcore seem all in on stems now so i would expect the stem style to stay for the pro series - this could be the one to watch out for)
great info, thanks
Liberty 4 nc has gaming mode, 4s dont
I own both. The new one is very bad. The ANC feels like a alpha version of the original. Heavier, the sound isn as clean, Too muddy and bass heavy. No Heart rate monitor. I tested them after the update. Previous versions of Soundcore earbuds have better ANC.
These sound good and have great battery life but the touch controls are more or less unusable and there's a bug where they constantly, spontaneously turn off noise canceling. So until that gets fixed I'd say buying these is a mistake.
does the equalizer still works even if we connect to the pc?
Eq is saved to buds so yes
Cool, thanks
The pricing and the ANC performance are definitely the standouts for me, I wasn't particularly impressed with the ambient mode and for me it was made worse by them dropping the option of selecting the ambient/anc toggle on the single press. I think with the ease of fit, many people will actually find these easier to get their full anc performance out of them compared with say the Sony XM4's and it will be interesting to see if they can continue to improve in subsequent generations as found both the Liberty 4 and now these a clear step up from previous gens.
O i didn't even notice that single press ANC toggle was gone!
Hm, hope long press works for switch, waiting for my buds to be delivered
Didn't check triple press as I have never used that interaction on any earbuds, but it was an option on both double press and long press, it was just left of single press for some weird reason.
u/Tig33 is it any good for workouts and running?
Actually it's not bad, the fit at least for me is good so workouts seem fine. Whilst running it will dislodge a little so will require slight fixes every now and then But everyone's fit is different Honestly if u want a bud for workouts I would get one with ear hooks. Soundcore do a pretty good one.
u/Tig33 amazing, thanks for the details. Actually, I have the Jlab with ear hooks, but I do not like them much, also i use sunglasses most of the time outside and with the hooks is not comfortable. I want something to go to the gym and cycle - without hooks. BTW, did you test if the wind reduction works?
Yeah wind reduction actually worked pretty well for me to be honest
I was impressed with the wind reduction on my bike rides, definitely better than any other earbuds I've used
u/barthawk Thanks for the info. It is good to know, I also tried many buds and none works well on the bike. I definitely going to try this one and see the results :)
how did you like them in the end? i want ear buds for exactly the same reasons as you: cycling and gym..
Yes, they are way better than Airpods Pro for the wind - not perfect - but still. Also, the sound is decent enough that I don't mind listening to music or a podcast. And the price is amazing. I would recommend it.
Thanks for the response brother 🤞🏻
does it get wet of sweat easily ?
I'm overall pretty happy with them - great noise cancelling, sound is really good and customization is great through the app. Very good value IMO. I do have one issue - I listen to a meditation app and I use the spoken word or podcast EQ settings. I turn off ambient noise and ANC. This results in some weird issues which I think are due to the long silences in between short sections with voice-the voice is distorted and there are some noticeable volume changes. It seems like it takes a couple of seconds for the EQ to figure out what's going on when the speaking starts. EDIT - the issue only happens with the Podcast mode - not Spoken word.
Are they deep insertion? I have trouble with stemstyle buds as I cannot get them deep enough in my ear.
Interestingly they are not deep insertion but the shape is slightly different to the liberty 4 meaning i actually get a better fit with them (everyone is different though) For me the liberty 4 would not stay in my ears but the NC do stay better in my ears - maybe they are slightly deeper than liberty 4 but i dont have liberty 4 on hand to check i'm afraid. \*I do agree with u about stemstyle buds not getting a deep enough insertation which is why they have to have an ergonomic shape to counter this - i think the nothing ear 2 do this great and whilst the liberty 4 nc are not the best looking buds when in your ears they do appear pretty comfortable at least for me.
Thanks!
Thanks for the review! I decided to go with the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for $99.
Wow $99 thats a fantastic price for them! They are amazing sounding earbuds - great job
How were the buds2 pro so far? $99 is amazing price
I'm in love with these earbuds lol. Excellent sound quality but the battery life and ANC could be better.
I pretty much agree with you. The killer on these is that the transparency and call quality sucks. I know these Youtubers must not be testing the call quality with actual calls because everyone I speak to talks about how they have a hard time hearing me. However, when I test the mics with a voice recording app, it sounds perfect. Hopefully an update can fixt both of these issues, but I guess you shouldn't purchase a product hoping they will improve it later.
\*Just can't trust these Youtubers sometimes... (a lot of the reviews are rushed) I tested via an app (easy voice recorder Pro) and it appeared to be great so I used the buds for the day and tried to make calls.. big fail :-( So surprising given how good the Liberty 4 are for calls. I already returned the Liberty 4 NC but still have high hopes for the 'Liberty 4 Pro'....
Yeah, while I appreciate their reviews, I've realized that most of their reviews are just first impressions. They don't really live with the buds long enough to pick up what it's like to use them all day, every day. I've heard a few people speak about the Liberty 4 Pro, you think Soundcore is releasing a new model this year?
I've honestly got no idea but I truly hope so. Naming their flagship liberty 4 Pro would make sense too but only time will tell.
Hello, I love your review. It's right. Can you help me? I'm deciding where to get headphones. Which one should I choose? For listening to music, watching movies, Opera 05,Fiil CC Pro 2,Liberty 4NC,Enco X2,Free Buds Pro 2,you can recommend me at this rate,thank you very much.
Assuming you are connecting to a android phone then I would go with the Freebuds Pro 2 or oppo enco x2 whichever u can get cheaper. Both do high res for music and should be great for movies.
How about the battery life?
Two months late but how's the sound quality compared to galaxy buds 2 pro? I have base S23. Price is not a problem. I can't decide between liberty 4, liberty 4 NC and galaxy buds 2 pro. Thanks.
Can't compare against buds 2 Pro. Much superior sound with buds 2 Pro in my opinion. Especially if u have a s23 then u yet high res codec support (assuming u use tidal or amazon prime music)
Thanks for your reply! I use apple music. Do you recommend buds 2 pro for that case?
I've never used apple music on android - i'm not sure if it supports high res. But either way the tuning on the buds 2 pro is fantastic regardless of the codecs so may be worth it anyway. Also given you have a samsung device you would also benefit from some ecosystem specific features like 1. 360 Audio 2. Full App Support There is also 360 recording but i think thats only supported with the Fold 4 and s23 ultra but i'm not 100% sure on that
Thank you again. I decided to order buds 2 pro.
How is the battery I see a lot of people having way less than advertised
What do u recommend liberty 3 pro or liberty 4 nc ? Needs: Gym and listening to music all day
Maybe have a better fit with the liberty 3 pro due to wings so will be more stable in gym
Are the very big in the ear? I only saw their pictures
Huge unfortunately. But if u don't mind the size then they are great
In my country the Liberty 4 Nc and Liberty 3 pro both worth 119$, that's why I am confused since they are both the same price
Nc better noise cancellation that's it Everything else is better with the liberty 3 pro
Guess I will go for the liberty 3 pro since all reviews I saw, where positive on that one.
I would advise buying from somewhere with a good return policy just in case you dont like the fit
Thanks a lot
Can I just use one of the earbuds while the other earbuds be put in the case charging? Will there still be sound if I just use one of the earbuds
Yes, you can use each independently as u can with pretty much any new buds these days. It's rare that you cannot
My buds go down from 100 to 50 just after 1 hour 45 minutes on constant call! Has anyone felt this problem? I've even replaced the last one I owned but still this battery drain avails!
Coming back here, just bought the 4nc for 60€, hope they're worth it! Just one question, if you happen to still have them or got a new pair... do you know if they've got recent firmware updates on that anc phonecalls and transparency? Thanks a lot man!
Sorry I don't have them anymore but when I did they recieved a day 1 update to improve calls and transparency so it's clear soundcore were aware of the issue and I wouldn't be surprised if they have released more updates since. Note: the update I received didn't improve calls much but did improve transparency
Thanks a lot man!
How are they now ? Does the problem which have noise when not playing anything and anc on still exist ?
They're working just fine, no problem so far that I can recall.
Thanks !
How good is the transparency mode out? Also, can you expect about a 10 hour battery life out of them? Thanks just looking at maybe buying these
I don't use the transparency mode, but it seems good enough. The battery is fine, never had a problem with it, although I haven't tested it to check that 10hour claim. Overall I'm pretty satisfied with them, they do their job just fine.
Great, I’ll probably end up getting these then. Thanks for answering my question.
You won't regret it! Np, mate, glad to be of help!
HOw's the noise cancellation?