TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
FOUR STARS - If you're looking for half-in-ear wireless earbuds exclusively, the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 is a great budget option, with its 4,5 hours battery life and entertaining warm sound.
Specs of the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC codec
4,5 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with USB-c cable
$40 on Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other Amazon stores - check new price!
Below this TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 review, you will find comparisons between the SoundLiberty 92 vs SoundLiberty 88, Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE, QCY T7, and Tronsmart Onyx Ace.
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Design, comfort and battery life
The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 comes in a compact AirPods-like case, which you can lay down and stand up. It's square design looks and feels robust, also when opening the hefty lid. On the front, a single LED-light shows when the case is charging, and on the bottom, you'll find the USB-C port to recharge it. The case is sensitive to scratches and fingerprints, however.
The earpieces also resemble the AirPods. These are half-in-ear earphones: they don't go into your ears entirely. You 'hang' them in your ears instead. On top of the stems, the earpieces have a little gap leaving room for your ear lobe. The touch panel on top has a triangular shape, a detail that differentiates them from those many direct AirPod clones.
The SoundLiberty 92 is comfortable to wear for a long amount of time, but it isn't that secure in your ears. When you bow to pick something up, chances are these will fall out of your ears. Happily, they will likely sit still enough when you're walking or cycling. In these scenarios, you will be helped by the IPX8 waterproof rating, making them withstand heavy rainfall and showers.
Battery life is excellent for half-in-ears, which often perform less than fully-in-ears. The earbuds provide 4,5 up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge. The case can recharge them four times fully before needing power itself.
Connectivity and controls
The Bluetooth connection on the TaoTronics holds strong up to ten meters from your device. The earbuds don't automatically pause music when you remove an earbud from your ears, but they switch seamlessly between single and stereo mode.
That means you can put one earbud in the charger, continue listening to the other bud, take the charged but out the case, and immediately listen to both earbuds in stereo again. It's very convenient and fast on the 92.
The triangular touch panels on top of the stems respond well to your input most of the time. Tap twice to pause/ resume music playback, and hold the panel to activate your phone's voice assistant. With three taps on the right earpiece, you skip a track. Doing so on the left earpiece will make you return a song.
There are volume controls on the earbuds as well: tap on the right bud once to increase volume, tap the left bud to decrease it. All the controls you need are right on the earbuds.
Calling and video playback on SoundLiberty 88
Taking a phone call with the SoundLiberty 92 is doable in quieter areas... as long as you're indoors. Outside, your voice is battled by wind noise, traffic sounds, people talking nearby, and even low-frequency background noise. It all comes through loud in your calls - even causing crackles on the phone line.
When watching videos, there is some delay in the sound on the YouTube app on iPhone. Audio-video synchronization fares good on Android, however, and in other video apps on both systems as well. There is a severe delay in sound effects when playing games, however.
This is a big difference with the SoundLiberty 88, which performs terrific in both videos and calls.
Also read: The best true wireless earphones under $50
Sound quality of SoundLiberty 92: engaging
The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 has a surprising amount of bass for half-in-ear wireless earphones and sounds warmer than many competitors.
As you may have read before in Scarbir TWS reviews, earphones that go halfway in your ears often sound thinner than full in-ear earphones. That's because the sound doesn't go directly into your ear canal. Instead, it shouts sideways in your ears. Full in-ear earphones often fuller and more detailed sound.
However: the SoundLiberty 92 does a pretty good job presenting an entertaining, warm, and even bassy sound. The bass has a steady, ever-present thump that empowers dance, pop, and more modern genres and also shows itself in easier-going songs. It can even rumble in your ears a bit, which is a rarity for the form-factor.
Next to the bass, the 92 boosts the lower mid-tones. Darker electronic tones and drums play an important role in the sound, and male vocals stand out - they're placed a bit forward.
The same goes for higher-pitched male and female vocals. They are elevated, sound upfront and come with decent clarity. Still, they don't become harsh or bright - they sound smooth instead. Other mid-tones, like pianos and guitars, sound a little more in the background, but are still represented nicely.
You can turn the SoundLiberty 92 quite loud on iPhone (less so on Android, unfortunately). On the highest volumes, it can sound a little thin. Mostly though, these earbuds keep their dynamics greatly. The 92 offers an airy sound, with good separation between instruments and layers. Even when songs become crowded, the frequencies - from the bass to the highs - stay in their role perfectly.
The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 deliver an engaging and warm sound. It's one of the best choices you can make for half-in-ears wireless earbuds on a budget.
SoundLiberty 92 comparisons
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 vs SoundLiberty 88
TaoTronics has another set of half-in-ears wireless earphones in its line-up: the comparably priced SoundLiberty 88. The SoundLiberty 92 has a warmer sound, with stronger bass and more emphasis on lower-mids. Vocals and mids sound smoother. The SoundLiberty 88 has clearer, more upfront vocals, but they can sound harsh and brighter. The cheaper 92 has a friendlier sound, with better dynamics and more space between the instruments. It also offers around 1,5 hours of extra battery life. The SoundLiberty 88 has (way) better call quality, however.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 vs Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE
The Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE is one of the most balanced sounding half-in-ears little money can buy, yet it sounds bright next to the warm SoundLiberty 92. The TaoTronics has more weight on the lower tones and a stronger, more pumping bass. Vocals have more body on the 92 as well - they sound thinner on the Xiaomi. The Mi Air 2 SE can go louder and has a clearer sound. It has more emphasis on instruments like violins, guitars, and higher-pitched vocals. While the battery life is comparable, the slightly cheaper and larger Xiaomi is a better all-rounder - it's better at handling videos and phone calls.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 vs Fiil CC
The Fiil CC may be the sleekest looking half-in-ear wireless earbuds on the market, but their tiny stems rarely provide more than three hours of listening time. The SoundLiberty 92 fares around 1,5 hours better per charge, but the Fiil counters with much clearer phone calls. The CC has a more mid-based sound, with more prominent instruments and vocals. It can sound a little flatter than the TaoTronics, which maybe has a more straightforward sound - with a more prominent bass, smoothed-out mids and boosted upper-mids.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 vs QCY T7
The cheaper QCY T7 has around 1,5 hours less battery life than the TaoTronics, and its sound isn't as outspoken. The T7 sounds like a tame, closed-in version of the Xiaomi, which means the SoundLiberty 92 has stronger bass, more pronounced lower-mids, and more space in between instruments and details. The T7 has clearer upper-mids (which can benefit higher-pitched male and female vocals, and podcats), the 92 has a more dynamic, uplifting, enjoyable sound. The T7 is better at handling phone calls, however.
SoundLiberty 92 vs Tronsmart Onyx Ace
While getting some good reviews here and there and offering better call quality than the TaoTronics, the SoundLiberty 92 sounds much better than the Tronsmart Onyx Ace. The Onyx Ace seems muffled, lifeless next to the SoundLiberty 92, which has a stronger, more autonomous bass, more layered lower-mids, clearer vocals, and more space between instruments musical details. The SoundLiberty 92 also wins on battery life by 1-1,5 hours.
—> See all TWS reviews and ratings here
Verdict
If you're looking for half-in-ear wireless earbuds exclusively, the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 is a great budget option, with its 4,5 hours battery life and entertaining warm sound.
FOUR stars - very good
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