Short answer: the KZ AS16 Pro. It ranks #968 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.1/5, at $73; the Soundcore Liberty 5 ranks #994, rated 3.0/5, and costs $79.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Why pick the KZ AS16 Pro: Bass is lifted about 2.2 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 3.8 dB low with an 8.6 dB dip near 5.9 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
What the Soundcore Liberty 5 does well: True wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling, LDAC and AAC support, Bluetooth 5.4, IP55 water resistance and a rated 12 hours per charge with 48 in total using the case. Watch for: In 2 hobbyist measurements on squig.link the preference score is 62, held back by a presence region about 3.4 dB low and a jagged top end with an 8.1 dB peak near 8.1 kHz beside a 10.7 dB dip near 10.6 kHz, so vocals sound recessed while cymbals turn uneven.
Buy the KZ AS16 Pro. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Soundcore Liberty 5 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Bass is lifted about 2.2 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight.
Amazon $73.00 eBay
True wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling, LDAC and AAC support, Bluetooth 5.4, IP55 water resistance and a rated 12 hours per charge with 48 in total using the case.
Amazon $79.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| KZ AS16 Pro | Soundcore Liberty 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $73.00 | $79.99 |
| Ranked | #968 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #994 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | True wireless |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 8 x balanced armature | 1 x 9.2mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 23.5 ohms | - |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (median of 13 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 62 (median of 2 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.68 dB standard deviation | 2.93 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.49 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.46 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (4.6 g) per earbud |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | Yes |
| Battery Life | - | 12 hours (48 with case, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.4 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| IP Rating | - | IP55 |
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