TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
4.5 STARS - Six hours battery life, great call quality, and a soothing warm sound. The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 is one of the most practical, best AirPods-like wireless earbuds under 50 dollars.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX codec
‘Splash proof’ waterproof
6 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with USB-C cable
$40 on Amazon US or from other Amazon countries
Below this TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 review, you will find comparisons between the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 vs TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92, SoundPEATS TrueAir 2, Edifier TWS200, Tronsmart Onyx Ace and Fiil CC.
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Design, comfort and battery life
Edifier seems to give other earphone manufacturers their green light for using their true wireless earbuds. The brand new Earfun Pro Air is a take on the Edifier TWS NB2, and the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 seems familiar straight away as well: it's the Edifier TWS200 all over again.
That means the black-colored SoundLiberty 95 has an AirPods-like appearance in both the case and the earbuds. The charging case is a little more square than Apple's example, and the stems of the earpieces are less rounded as well. Their comfort is comparable to AirPods and its many clones and alternatives.
These are half-in-ears: you 'hang' them in your ears, and they will stay in comfortably, without applying pressure to your ear canal. They may stay in during a rapid shake test, or they may not. It's probably not the best idea to do heavy workouts with them - although some people don't have any problems in that area.
It's the inside that has been changed and improved upon over the Edifier TWS200. You can now recharge the case via USB-C (was micro-USB on the Edifier), and the battery life has increased dramatically. The Edifier scores 4,5 hours playtime per charge, the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 reaches up to 6 hours playtime on a single charge. That's the most impressive score seen so far on half-in-ears; absolutely enough battery life for commuting or workdays. The case can recharge the earbuds three times fully before needing a recharge itself.
Connectivity and controls
The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 has touch controls on the upper part of the stem. You may need to tap them a bit harder than on most wireless earphones, but you won't easily make a mistake because of this. The control scheme is straightforward and convenient:
Tap L or R twice to play/ pause music
Tap R three times to skip a song
Tap L three times to return a song
That's it. There are no volume controls on the earbuds, and you can't activate the voice assistant on your phone either. The controls that are here work like a charm.
Connectivity on the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 is solid. The Bluetooth signal keeps stable up to ten meters away from your device and easily picks up easily after a drop. Once during the test, one of the earbuds didn't pick up the music right after taking both out of the case - but happily, putting it in the case and taking it out again, immediately made the earphones play stereo again.
Unfortunately, you can't seamlessly switch between listening to one and two earbuds - as one of the earbuds holds the master connection, putting that one in the case will make both earbuds stop playing.
Calling and video on SoundLiberty 95
There's one thing TaoTronics didn't throw overboard from the Edifier TWS200: its excellent call quality. Taking a phone call with the SoundLiberty 95 is a breeze, both indoors and outside. Your voice has that typical telephone-sound, putting you through bright and clear. Your voice volume could be a little louder, but it still easily overpowers sounds from your surroundings. Traffic passing by and people talking around you are suppressed neatly.
The SoundLiberty 95 is also good at handling videos. On Android and iPhone, the sound synchronizes perfectly with the video you see on screen - including the challenging YouTube-app.
There is a delay in sound effects when playing games, as is the case on almost all wireless earphones.
Also read: The best true wireless earphones under $50
Sound quality of SoundLiberty 95: warm
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 changed the one thing that Scarbir.com readers disliked most about the Edifier TWS200 - they've added bass.
The mid-bass doesn't overpower the music but has a nice thump giving the music that needed oomph. As these are half-in-ears, don't expect the deepest darkest sub-bass tones to rumble in your ears, but the bass does sound lovely dark.
This darkness goes for the entire music. The SoundLiberty 95 focuses on the lower frequencies. As a result, darker sounding instruments like drums, low male vocals, and darker electronic tones take up a prominent place in the music. Drums come with impact, and there's (just) enough separation between the instruments in the lows.
It doesn't stop there, however. Typical mid-instruments, like piano play, guitars, and even higher-pitched instruments like violins, all tend toward the lows too. They drop the higher notes - there's not much clarity and detail in the higher frequencies on the SoundLiberty 95. Happily, both male and female vocals are elevated just enough to sound clearer than the instruments or electronics around it. The SoundLiberty 95 doesn't sound too dark, but it's pretty close. It certainly sounds very warm.
This TaoTronics has that ideal-for-background-listening kind of warmth. The sound is not very outspoken but very easy to listen to - for hours in a row.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 comparisons
SoundLiberty 95 vs SoundPEATS TrueAir2
The brand new SoundPEATS TrueAir 2 has more outspoken mid-tones, putting vocals and higher-pitched instruments more on the music's foreground. It sounds more balanced, yet its bass has a stronger thump and is a little quicker, giving the TrueAir 2 a more uplifting character. The SoundPEATS has volume controls on the earbuds and has even better call quality. Your voice sounds thinner, but it reduces surrounding noises so well, it's still a stellar performer. The TrueAir 2 is a better all-rounder then, but the SoundLiberty 95 boasts better battery life: around 6 against 4,5 hours. Both are great.
SoundLiberty 95 vs SoundLiberty 92
It's a bit confusing, but TaoTronics has another set of great half in-ears under 50 dollars. The biggest differences are the battery life and call quality. The SoundLiberty 92 has around 4,5 hours of battery life (1,5 hours less), and its call performance is good, but not as stellar as the 95, as your voice can be softer than traffic and people talking around you. Both SoundLiberty's sound pleasantly warm. However, the 92 boosts vocals way more, making them sound clearer and the sound brighter than the 95. The 92 sounds a little more engaging. The 92 also has volume controls on the earbuds; the 95 controls easier. All in all, the Soundliberty 95 may just be a better all-rounder thanks to the battery life and call quality.
SoundLiberty 95 vs Edifier TWS200
Comparing the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 to its original, the Edifier TWS200, there's not much reason to opt for the original anymore. While the call quality is equally great on both models, the SoundLiberty 95 has some steady improvements over the Edifier. It has 1,5 hours battery life per charge more and the case recharges via USB-C instead of micro-USB. Although: if you prefer a more open, more mid-balanced sound, the Edifier may still be a better choice. The Edifier pays more attention to higher-pitched vocals and individual instruments, but sacrifices the bass and lower-mids for it. The SoundLiberty 95 sounds fuller, probably to the liking of many.
SoundLiberty 95 vs Tronsmart Onyx Ace
For your convenience, a comparison with the hugely popular Tronsmart Onyx Ace. It's a quick win for the TaoTronics, which has up to 2,5 hours longer battery life per charge, easier controls, and way better sound quality. The Tronsmart boosts its bass so much, it becomes muddy and drowns the other aspects of the music. The SoundLiberty 95 also elevates the lower tones but presents them with more details and sounds more easygoing in vocals.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 vs Fiil CC
If you don't want to wear earphones that look like AirPods in black, the $50 Fiil CC may be a terrific alternative with its stylish looks. The CC offers 3,5 hours on a single battery, and while its call quality is great (your voice sounds loud and clear, and noise around you is reduced well), the TaoTronics reduced noise around you a bit better still. When it comes to sound, the Fiil CC offers more refinement. It has more prominent and detailed mids, clearer vocals, and a wide soundstage in which instruments can be placed more precisely - without forgetting emphasis on and separation in the lower frequencies.
—> See all TWS reviews and ratings here
Verdict
The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are the most practical AirPods-like wireless earbuds you can buy for under 50 dollars, with impressive battery life, call quality, and a soothing warm sound.
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