Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC vs Anker Soundcore Space A40
Quick take: The Anker Soundcore Space A40 costs $30 less.
Which one to buy
On paper, almost nothing separates these Soundcore siblings. Both have adaptive ANC, LDAC, multipoint (on the Liberty, with an either-or catch: LDAC or two devices), wireless charging, 8 hours per charge with 50 total, and the same 10-minutes-for-4-hours quick charge. Owners choosing between them say it comes down to the shell, not the spec sheet.
The Liberty 4 NC is the bigger, more protruding bud (5.7g, 11mm drivers, oval stems) and cancels slightly more noise when it seals. That condition is doing a lot of work. A loose seal flattens the bass and lets noise past the ANC, so many owners end up on foam tips, and a meaningful share report ears aching within one to two hours. The Space A40 is small and nearly flush (4.9g), which is why side-sleepers and riders wearing helmets seek it out and why owners keep it in for multi-hour sessions. Its ANC gets described as about 90% of buds twice its price, and its rotate-to-lock fit doesn't hold for every ear either.
Neither is a calls headset; owners describe both mics as weak, especially outdoors. Both carry the same long-term reliability story too, scattered reports of one bud's battery fading around the one-year mark, covered by Anker's 18-month warranty. The A40 adds two of its own irritations: no volume gesture out of the box and no wear detection.
So the Liberty earns its $30 premium only if your ears tolerate a chunkier bud and you want every last bit of ANC. Both swing into the $40s and $50s on sale, so check prices before deciding.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
If you have larger ears, are happy to swap to foam tips, and want some of the strongest noise cancelling under $100, plus HearID tuning that owners say fixes the V-shaped default sound.
Anker Soundcore Space A40
If you want to sleep in your earbuds, wear them under a helmet, or keep them in for hours. You give up a little ANC for much better comfort and save about $30.
| Spec | Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC | Anker Soundcore Space A40 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$75 | ~$45 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Wireless Earbuds | Wireless Earbuds |
| Noise Cancelling | Adaptive ANC | Adaptive ANC |
| Battery (single charge) | 8 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | 50 hrs | 50 hrs |
| Quick Charge | 10 min = 4 hrs | 10 min = 4 hrs |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Size | 11 mm | 10 mm |
| Weight | 5.7 g | 4.9 g |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial Audio | No | No |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
Pros & cons
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
- ✓Claimed 98.5% noise reduction genuinely delivers
- ✓HearID builds a custom EQ profile that works
- ✓LDAC, multipoint, and wireless charging under $75
- ✓10-minute charge buys four hours
- ✓11mm drivers with a 50-hour total
- ✓Street price dips to $57 on sales
- ✗LDAC and multipoint can't run simultaneously
- ✗Glossy pill case scratches fast
- ✗Soundcore app nags with promos and firmware pushes
- ✗Flat oval stems seal loosely, undermining the ANC
- ✗Battery fade reports around the one-year mark
Anker Soundcore Space A40
- ✓Adaptive ANC hangs with buds twice the price
- ✓LDAC plus true multipoint at $45
- ✓50-hour total with wireless-charging case
- ✓Small enough to sleep on
- ✓10-minute charge adds four hours
- ✓Still the budget ANC benchmark two years on
- ✗LDAC cuts ANC battery from 8 hours to roughly 5
- ✗No volume touch control by default, no wear detection
- ✗Mediocre mics for outdoor calls
- ✗One-bud battery fade reported past a year
- ✗Aging Bluetooth 5.2 shows the 2022 roots
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC vs Anker Soundcore Space A40: common questions
Is the Liberty 4 NC's ANC noticeably better than the Space A40's?▾
Slightly, and only when it seals properly. Owners with a good fit put the Liberty's ANC near Bose on planes and buses. The A40 is close behind on low rumble, and a badly sealed Liberty will lose to a well-fitted A40.
Is the Space A40 or the Liberty 4 NC better for side sleeping?▾
The Space A40. Its shells sit nearly flush with the ear, and side-sleepers regularly report wearing it on a pillow. The Liberty 4 NC protrudes enough that a meaningful share of owners report sore ears within a couple of hours, even awake.
Do the Liberty 4 NC and Space A40 share the same battery problem?▾
Both have scattered owner reports of one bud's battery draining fast around the one-year mark, on the A40 sometimes after a firmware update. The rated numbers are identical (8 hours with ANC, 50 total), and the 18-month warranty is the remedy for either.
Is either Soundcore, the Liberty 4 NC or the A40, any good for calls?▾
Not well. Owners call the Liberty's mic pretty bad, and A40 owners say people struggle to hear them outdoors. If calls matter, neither of these is the pick.