Scientific ANC Testing
We placed calibrated measurement microphones inside an artificial ear (IEC 60318-4 ear simulator) and measured noise reduction in five real-world environments: airplane cabin (85dB pink noise), open office (65dB mixed chatter), subway train (78dB rumble), coffee shop (72dB ambient), and wind (15mph sustained). We tested 10 earbuds under $150 against the Sony WF-1000XM5 ($300) as a reference.
Top Pick: Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro
The Liberty 4 Pro achieved an average of 28dB noise reduction across our five test environments — within 3dB of the Sony WF-1000XM5 at half the price. ANC was most effective against low-frequency rumble (32dB reduction on subway) and least effective against human voices (18dB reduction in coffee shop). The adaptive ANC automatically adjusts intensity based on ambient noise level, and the transition is smooth rather than abrupt.
Best Sound Quality: Sennheiser CX True Wireless 2
Sennheiser's audio heritage shows in the CX TW2's tuning. Frequency response is balanced with a slight bass emphasis that doesn't muddy mids. ANC effectiveness averaged 24dB — less than the Soundcore but still effective for commuting. The Sennheiser Smart Control app offers a 5-band EQ that's genuinely useful for fine-tuning to your preference.
Best Fit: Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
At $100, the Buds FE include wing tips that lock securely in the ear — the only earbuds in this roundup that survived our shake test (vigorous head movement for 30 seconds). ANC measured 22dB average reduction. The ambient sound mode is the most natural-sounding in this price range, letting in environmental audio without the tinny, processed quality that cheaper implementations produce.
ANC Effectiveness Rankings (5-environment average)
- Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro: 28dB reduction
- EarFun Air Pro 4: 26dB reduction
- Sennheiser CX TW2: 24dB reduction
- Samsung Galaxy Buds FE: 22dB reduction
- JBL Tune 235NC: 20dB reduction
- Reference — Sony WF-1000XM5 ($300): 31dB reduction
Call Quality
In noisy environments, the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro's six-microphone array with AI noise reduction produced the clearest call quality. Test callers rated voice clarity 8.2/10 in our coffee shop test. The Samsung Buds FE scored 7.5/10, and the Sennheiser CX TW2 scored 6.8/10 — adequate but not exceptional for calls.
Battery Life With ANC On
- Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro: 8.5 hours (30 hours with case)
- Samsung Galaxy Buds FE: 6 hours (24 hours with case)
- Sennheiser CX TW2: 7 hours (28 hours with case)
Bottom Line
The Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro at $130 delivers ANC performance that rivals earbuds costing twice as much. If sound quality is your priority, the Sennheiser CX TW2 offers superior tuning. For the best fit during exercise, the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE's wing tips are unmatched at this price point.
