Soundcore Liberty 4 NC

The Liberty 4 NC sits at $80 and delivers features that justify the premium over the A40. Buyers prioritize this model when they value superior driver tuning and more granular ANC control. Review consensus highlights the dual-driver architecture—11mm dynamic woofer paired with a balanced armature tweeter—as producing clearer separation between bass, mids, and treble than single-driver competitors. The HearID personalized EQ adapts to your hearing profile via in-app test tones, a differentiation point that resonates with audio enthusiasts shopping in this price band.

Adaptive ANC here includes six transparency modes, allowing precise control over ambient passthrough. Commuters appreciate the ability to tune external awareness without removing earbuds, a workflow improvement over binary on-off implementations. Battery life matches the A40 at 10 hours per charge with ANC, but the case adds USB-C fast charging that delivers 4 hours of playback from a 10-minute charge. Owners report this feature eliminates pre-flight charging anxiety.

The Liberty 4 NC's algorithmic value score reflects strong durability signals—IPX4 rating, reinforced nozzle design, and low reported driver failure rates over 18 months. The touch controls are capacitive rather than physical buttons, reducing mechanical wear points. Call quality edges ahead of the A40 in noisy environments according to buyer feedback, with six-mic arrays providing better voice isolation. The $80 price positions this as the value leader for buyers who want flagship tuning flexibility without crossing $100. Its rank reflects premium features delivered at a price point that still undercuts mid-tier competitors by $50-70.