The SoundLiberty 92 from TaoTronics are a pair of affordable, budget-friendly earbuds which offer a design not too dissimilar to Apple’s AirPods but for a quarter of the price whilst including appealing features such as an IPX8 waterproof rating and touch controls.
Video Review
Design
The earbuds feature a lightweight plastic construction with a glossy black finish, the lightweight construction makes the earbuds extremely comfortable to wear for long listening sessions but the glossy finish does mean that they will be prone to fingerprints and potentially scratches that could appear over time from regular usage.
The earbuds follow a stem-style design with solid plastic throughout, so there’s no option for rubber ear tips – it’s one size fits all. This could be a downside for some people that may find that they are unable to get a secure or comfortable fit with the earbuds – I have been able to get a good fit and I have found them comfortable as I am used to the feel of AirPods.
To help create a more secure fit the stem of the earbuds has a small notch within it which wraps around the bottom of the ear – this will certainly come in handy if you plan to wear these earbuds doing sport or moving around a lot.
The overall design of the earbuds is simplistic as there’s not too much going on. The touch controls can be found at the top of the earbuds, alongside a status LED that will let you know when the earbuds are connected. At the bottom of the earbuds are the charging pins for when they are placed into the charging case.
Overall, I think the earbuds provide a good quality fit for the price and manage to maintain a good quality build. If you prefer rubber-tip earbuds, these may not be for you, but if you quite like this style of earbuds – I think you’ll be happy with the comfort and lightweight listening experience they offer.
Charging Case
The charging case for the SoundLiberty 92 earbuds is very compact and easy to bring around with you, making it ideal for keeping the earbuds with you on the go – wherever you are. The case feels well made and features a matte black design; I wish the earbuds shared the same matte finish as the charging case.
Like the earbuds, the charging case design features are fairly simplistic. On the front, there is some TaoTronics branding and a single status LED, this does mean it can be difficult to quickly tell how much charge the case has left within it, as you will not be able to know when it needs charging apart from when it says it is low.
The top of the charging case has a sturdy hinge that stays firmly in place as you take the earbuds out of the case and put them back in and the bottom of the case features a USB Type-C charging port.
Sound Quality
The SoundLiberty 92 provide a good listening experience that, for the money, can’t be faulted too much. The earbuds have a fairly neutral sound signature which means the bass and treble is fairly balanced with one another making the earbuds good for pop music and spoken word content.
Bass is smooth and present, resulting in good sounding drums in genres such as electronic and pop. The earbuds don’t provide overly powerful bass, so if you’re looking for a thumping listening experience, a pair of in-ear rubber-tip earbuds may work better for you.
The earbuds do lack the high-end treble clarity which can provide a wider soundstage, giving a more immersive listening experience. This does mean that vocals and percussion instruments such as cymbals and hi-hats may sound a little restrained.
As can be expected with the design style that these earbuds use, there is little to no sound isolation, meaning that you’re going to be hearing everything going on around you when you’re wearing the earbuds. This has both its advantages and disadvantages – good if you want to be aware of your surroundings and are wearing these earbuds out in public but bad if you want to be isolated from your environment and focus on the music.
Microphone Quality
The SoundLiberty 92 features a great quality microphone for using during phone calls or to make voice memos. The microphones managed to clearly pick up my voice and to an easily audible volume, which means the other person on the end of the call will be easily able to hear you if you choose to make a phone call using the earbuds.
Features
The earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and seamless pairing and earbud switching, allowing you to take an earbud out of the charging case and put the other in without the Bluetooth connection dropping, providing a smooth and pleasant user experience. The earbuds will also pair to your device as soon as the case is opened, so there’s no waiting for them to pair when they are in your ears.
The earbuds also feature an IPX8 water resistance rating so you can comfortably wear these whilst out in the rain or breaking up a sweat during exercise. The touch controls on the earbuds work well, allowing for control of volume, tracks and calls from the earbuds so you can control your listening experience without needing to get your phone out.
Battery Life
The SoundLiberty 92 can provide up to 5 hours of listening on a single charge, with an additional 25 hours of listening provided by the charging case – raising the total to 30 hours of total listening time. This is very impressive given the size and form factor of both the earbuds and the charging case.
When it comes to charging up the earbuds, this is done over USB Type-C but unfortunately, there’s no mention of any fast charging capability.
Conclusion
The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 are a great option for a pair of true wireless earbuds on a budget, especially if you like the design and form-factor of Apple’s earbuds. The one-size-fits-all style may not work for everyone but, for those that it does work for, the earbuds provide a good quality sound for the price.
The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 are available to purchase on Amazon, or you can learn more on TaoTronics’ website.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92The Good
- Good sound for the price
- Lightweight design
- Compact charging case
The Bad
- No sound isolation
- No fast or wireless charging
- One size fits all may not work for everyone