My favorite earbuds of the year just got an open-ear makeover, as this top cheap headphone brand debuts 7 new models

Date:
Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:30:00 +0000

Description:
At IFA 2026, Anker's Soundcore unveiled 7 new audio products, including open earbuds which take features from my favorite pair of buds so far this year.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Anker sub-brand Soundcore unveils 7 new headphones at IFA New wireless open-ears, over-ears and
in-ears, as well as sleep buds These include Aerofit 2, taking features from some top options released earlier in the year Released in May, the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro are my favorite earbuds of 2026 so far, leading to a glowing 4.5-star review... and now Soundcore has taken that DNA, and given it a
little twist.

I'm talking about the Soundcore Aeroclip 2, which have just been unveiled at IFA 2026 . On the surface, they seem like simple successors to the original Aeroclip , and an odd comparison for the aforementioned in-ear buds. But it's all about the feature set. You see, the Aeroclip 2 come with Anker 's Thus chip, the firm's very own internal AI chipset, used in the Liberty 5 Pro.
This brings a suite of advantages that other earbuds of this design simply don't have, including clearer call quality, optimized battery life and a listening test. The new buds are due to cost $169.99 / 159.99 (about AU$320) and go on sale on September 22. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Another point of comparison is that both the Liberty 5 Pro and Aeroclip 2
also now have an advanced model: the 5 Pro Max and Aeroclip 2 Pro respectively. In the latter case, as in the former, the big upgrade is a control panel on the charging case, as well as a note-taking and
transcription tool which uses the actual case to take notes. The advanced model is due to cost $229.99 (about 200, AU$400) but has no set release date just yet.

Not all of the Thus chip's features are present: I loved its noise cancellation capabilities, but since clip-style earbuds are designed to not cancel noise, naturally that won't show its face here. But if I want ANC, I have plenty of other options... You may like The best open earbuds, all real-world tested by our experts Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro review: feature-packed, great fitting earbuds highly recommended Best earbuds: top buys, all TechRadar-tested and recommended A busy IFA for Anker (Image
credit: Future) Anker's Soundcore sub-brand had plenty of other devices at IFA.

First up, there's the Soundcore Space 2 Pro, over-ear headphones which build on the Space 2 we saw earlier this year. Again, the improvement is that they use the Thus chip, with noise cancellation that's apparently 1.5x better than on the original model. There's also a listening test, longer battery life and comfier build, with whatever an "optimized headband" is. These cans are set
to cost $199 / 199 (about AU$400), and again go on sale on September 22. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Don't want over-ears? Well, Soundcore has standard earbuds too, in the form
of the Liberty Buds 2. These are lightweight, without long stems, and weigh 4.7g each. They use 9.2mm wool paper diaphragms, and once again have the Thus chip, for the listening test and clear calling.

You can buy the Liberty Buds 2 on the same day as these other gadgets: September 22. They'll sell for $129.99 / 129.99 (about AU$230).

Soundcore is continuing its line of sleep earbuds with the... Sleep Earbuds 4 (and 4 Pro). These follow on from the Sleep A30, so the brand is changing up its naming conventions here. What to read next I've tested headphones full-time since 2019 here are top models of 2026 so far The 9 best wireless earbuds for all budgets, all tested by our reviewers The best
noise-cancelling earbuds for all budgets, all tested by experts

These have build-in photoplethysmography sensors to track your sleep stage, heart rate, heart rate variation and other metrics, with "snore masking" and
a redesigned shape so they're even smaller. A neat tool is that they offer dynamic audio: if it notices you waking up, it'll start playing a sleep sound to lull you back to sleep.

The standard buds come in October, and I wasn't provided a price. The Pro models come later, in November, and their main upgrade is that they have a screen on the case, so you don't need to use your phone to manage or monitor them.

Finally, we have the Anker RIC Hearing Aids, which continue a growing trend among audio companies: using their tech to create over-the-counter hearing devices. These use the Thus chip, and therefore the clear-calling and Hear ID tools, to boost sounds you struggle to hear. No word on a price or release date for these.

Phew. Take a breath. That's only the tip of the iceberg for Anker at IFA,
with charging devices and home security cameras and more, but luckily for
this missive, none of them go on (or near) your ear. The best open earbuds
for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best open earbuds 1. Best overall: Shokz OpenFit 2+ 2. Best cheap around-ear design: Huawei FreeArc 3. Best cheap clip design: Shokz OpenDots One 4. Best high-end clip design: Bose Ultra Open Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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