Nothing CMF Buds 2a vs Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro: which should you buy?

On aggregated review scores the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 84. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.

Our pick: Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro - Great overall at around $170.

True Wireless

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro leads on 5 of 7 measures.

Nothing CMF Buds 2a
Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro

HearWiki score

Sound

8.0

8.5

Noise cancelling

7.5

8.0

Battery

7.0

8.5

Calls

6.5

9.0

Value

9.0

8.0

Price (USD)

$42

$170

Generation & platform

The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?

New platform

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro (2026) against Nothing CMF Buds 2a (2024). The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 6.1 against 5.4, Top codec LDAC against AAC and ANC type Adaptive against Feed-forward. It also adds Wireless charging and Water resistance IP55 against IP54.

CMF Buds 2a2024
Liberty 5 Pro20262 yr newer

What differsCMF Buds 2aLiberty 5 Pro

Bluetooth: 5.4; 6.1
Top codec: AAC; LDAC
ANC type: Feed-forward; Adaptive
Wireless charging: No; Yes
Water resistance: IP54; IP55

Level on: Multipoint pairing, USB-C, Transparency mode, Custom EQ, Companion app.

Specifications

CMF Buds 2aLiberty 5 Pro

Type: True Wireless; True Wireless
Price (USD): $42; $170
HearWiki score: 77; 84
Released: 2024; 2026
Availability: Discontinued; Sold new
Driver: 12.4 mm driver; 9.2 mm dynamic
Driver type: -; dynamic
Driver size: 12.4 mm; 9.2 mm
Drivers per side: 1; 1
Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz; -
Bluetooth: 5.4; 6.1
Codecs: SBC, AAC; SBC, AAC, LDAC
Multipoint pairing: Yes; Yes
Wireless range: -; 10 m
Battery life: 8 h; 12 h
Battery life (ANC on): 5 h; 6.5 h
Battery incl. case: 35.5 h; 28 h
Full charge time: 89 min; 60 min
Quick charge: 10 min → 5.5 h; 5 min → 4 h
Wireless charging: No; Yes
Active noise cancelling: Yes; Yes
ANC type: feedforward; adaptive
Transparency mode: Yes; Yes
Companion app: Yes; Yes
Custom EQ: Yes; Yes
Wear detection: No; No
Controls: touch; touch
Voice assistant: Yes; -
Weight: 4.3 g; 5.5 g
Case weight: 42.8 g; -
Water resistance: IP54; IP55
USB-C: Yes; Yes
Microphones: 4; 10
Call noise reduction: -; Yes
Call NR technology: -; bone-conduction VPU

Specification comparison of Nothing CMF Buds 2a vs Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
Spec	Nothing CMF Buds 2a	Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro
Type	True Wireless	True Wireless
Price (USD)	$42	$170
HearWiki score	77 / 100 Great	84 / 100 Great
Released	2024	2026
Audio
Driver	12.4 mm driver	9.2 mm dynamic
Driver type	-	dynamic
Driver size	12.4 mm	9.2 mm
Drivers per side	1	1
Frequency response	20 Hz - 20 kHz	-
Wireless
Bluetooth	5.4	6.1
Codecs	SBC, AAC	SBC, AAC, LDAC
Multipoint pairing	Yes	Yes
Wireless range	-	10 m
Battery
Battery life	8 h	12 h
Battery life (ANC on)	5 h	6.5 h
Battery incl. case	35.5 h	28 h
Full charge time	89 min	60 min
Quick charge	10 min → 5.5 h	5 min → 4 h
Wireless charging	No	Yes
Features
Active noise cancelling	Yes	Yes
ANC type	feedforward	adaptive
Transparency mode	Yes	Yes
Companion app	Yes	Yes
Custom EQ	Yes	Yes
Wear detection	No	No
Controls	touch	touch
Voice assistant	Yes	-
Design
Weight	4.3 g	5.5 g
Case weight	42.8 g	-
Water resistance	IP54	IP55
USB-C	Yes	Yes
Calls
Microphones	4	10
Call noise reduction	-	Yes
Call NR technology	-	bone-conduction VPU

What reviewers said

Nothing CMF Buds 2a

The Nothing CMF Buds 2a deliver a compelling mix of solid audio performance, adaptive noise cancellation, and long battery life at a very accessible price point. They are a practical pick for budget-conscious listeners who want reliable everyday earbuds with app-based customization, though they come with some expected trade-offs in materials and features.

Pro:Strong value for the price
Pro:Adaptive ANC with 42 dB reduction
Pro:Good battery life with case

Con:Plasticky build quality
Con:No in-ear detection
Con:Limited codec support (AAC, SBC)

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro

The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro are feature-packed true wireless earbuds that deliver strong all-around performance, with adaptive noise cancellation, LDAC support, and a comfortable fit. They excel in voice-call quality and offer a versatile set of controls and app customization, though battery life per charge is modest. Overall, they represent a compelling mid-range option with a few notable strengths and minor trade-offs.

Pro:Excellent voice-call clarity with 10-mic setup
Pro:Adaptive ANC and transparency modes work well
Pro:Supports LDAC for high-resolution audio

Con:Battery life per charge is only 6.5 hours
Con:No wear detection for auto-pause
Con:Touch controls may require adjustment for some users

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

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