Most of the Bluetooth audio devices out there are running the Bluetooth 4 specification, even fancy completely wireless buds like the Jaybird Run and Samsung IconX. The Zolo Liberty+ from Anker is one of the first affordable Bluetooth 5.0 devices, and the price is just $150. That’s cheaper than many competing devices on the older standard. They were a big hit on Kickstarter, but do the Zolo Liberty+ earbuds live up to the hype?
These earbuds are more compact than the Jaybird Run but less so than the Samsung Gear IconX. They come with various tips and wing attachments to help find your ideal fit. When they’re inserted correctly, they stay in place well enough. The seal isn’t perfect no matter which tips I use, though.
Each bud has a button for controlling playback on your connected device, but the button functions are convoluted. On the right bud, for example, press is play/pause, a slightly longer press is skip, and an even longer press activates pass-through audio mode. It’s hard to nail the right length because the buttons are rather spongey and inconsistent.
In the sound department, the Zolo Liberty+ are good enough. The highs and mids are clear, but bass is lacking compared to competing buds. That probably has something to do with the poor fit. Even with EQ settings, the Liberty+ sound a bit flat to me. However, audio-video sync is very nearly perfect. That’s something a lot of completely wireless buds miss. Connectivity is also excellent.
I’ve been seeing under three hours of battery life on these earbuds before they need a recharge, which is a bit below average. The charging case has enough juice for another 10 cycles, but it charges over microUSB. It’s time for accessories to get with the program and use Type-C. The case lid doesn’t snap into place to close; it just has a sort of spring-loaded hinge. I’m worried it’ll open too easily in my backpack. Getting the buds out of the case is also weirdly difficult (they’re very recessed).
Overall, these are competent completely wireless earbuds, but they’re not the best you can get. The addition of Bluetooth 5.0 doesn’t put them in a different league, although sync and connectivity are good. Anker just needs another hardware revision to sort out all the little annoyances.
