The Liberty 4 is Soundcore’s current flagship premium true wireless earbuds, and the now 4th iteration of the series has become quite popular over time. And then there’s the Space A40 – it’s not quite as expensive or well known, but it too is presented as a HiFi tier piece of equipment, and one that is ultra light and compact, enough so that it feels like, per the actual product name, space.
How do these two earbuds actually compare to one another though? Is one decidedly better than the other? I have fully reviewed both of them and will answer those questions here.
Soundcore Liberty 4 vs Space A40 Side by Side at a Glance
Soundcore Liberty 4 vs Space A40 Noteworthy Specs and Features Comparison
| Spec | Liberty 4 | Space A40 |
|---|---|---|
| release date | Sep 2022 | Aug 2022 |
| price-tier ⓘbudget: around $30 or less value: around $30-$60 performance: around $60-$100 premium: around $100-$200 elite: more than $200 |
premium | performance |
| earbuds battery life | 9h | 10h |
| total + case battery life | 28h | 50h |
| weatherproofing | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| onboard controls | buttons | touch based |
| warranty | 18 months | 18 months |
| active noise cancellation | yes | yes |
| transparency mode | yes | yes |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| EQ app compatibility | yes | yes |
| Multipoint 2+ device support | no | yes |
Does the Soundcore Liberty 4 or Space A40 Have Better External Noise Blocking?
While the Space A40 has impressively good isolation and ANC for how small and light it is – and that’s definitely one of its selling points – the Liberty 4 seems to have superior noise attenuation with ANC on, and I’d say this is in part due to it simply being bigger and having a deeper and firmer fit.
Winner: Liberty 4
Does the Soundcore Liberty 4 or Space A40 Have Better Onboard Controls?
The Liberty 4 and Space A40 both have six function slots that can be customized to whatever command you’d like with the Soundcore app: volume changing, tracking, etc. The only real difference between the two is that the Liberty 4 has very subtle buttons on the sides of the stems while the Space A40 is touch based on the backs. Both sets of controls are easy to use and reliable, so I’d say the best choice here is a matter of preference.
Winner: draw
Does the Soundcore Liberty 4 or Space A40 Have a Better Case?
The Liberty 4 case is definitely better, and is really cool in its own right – the lid slides off in a neat way, and when it’s closed it feels very firm and sturdy. The Space A40 case is fine, but is a little thin and flimsy for its price-point. Also, the Space A40 case Bluetooth reset button is prone to getting stuck.
Winner: Liberty 4
Does the Soundcore Liberty 4 or Space A40 Have Better Fit and Comfort?
Both the Liberty 4 and Space A40 have a comfortable and secure fit with no seal breaking issues. The Space A40 fit is very light – which again is a selling point of it – while the Liberty 4 fit feels a little deeper and firmer. The custom tips that come with the Liberty 4 are particularly nice. I’d say it’s a matter of personal preference here.
Winner: draw
A note before the next section: this page describes how I evaluate the sound quality of headphones and earbuds.Does the Soundcore Liberty 4 or Space A40 Sound Better?
As much as I was expecting the Liberty 4 to sound better, the opposite seems to be true as it turns out. I worked on the EQ of both of these quite a bit, but, the Space A40 just has noticeably better accuracy than the Liberty 4, no matter what I did with the latter EQ wise. The Space A40 is a little soft, warm, and lacking in crisp detail – even when I tuned up the trebles as far as they could go in the app – but, the Liberty 4 is thin, sucked out in the mids, and kind of hissy in comparison, and its overall accuracy is just kind of off compared to the Space A40, which sounds more full and natural.
One thing to note: you really need to use the EQ app to get the best out of the Space A40. Probably the Liberty 4 too for that matter.
Winner: Space A40
Which Should You Choose Between the Soundcore Liberty 4 or Space A40?
All things considered I actually think the Space A40 is, overall, the better of the two, even despite it being the less expensive pair of earbuds. They manage to sound really good for their price, albeit after some significant EQ adjustments (which I discussed in my full review), while the Liberty 4 leaves a little to be desired fidelity wise. The Space A40 is also so small and light and particularly appealing to those who wants something that feels minimalist and non-invasive.
Get the Liberty 4 wireless earbuds on Amazon (affiliate link)
Get the Space A40 wireless earbuds on Amazon (affiliate link)
Relevant Articles
• Full Liberty 4 review
• Full Space A40 review
• Is Soundcore a good audio brand?
