Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.4
Reviewed Dec 23, 2020 at 08:16 am
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless Picture
5.9
Mixed Usage
6.0
Neutral Sound
5.8
Commute/Travel
7.5
Sports/Fitness
5.1
Office
4.7
Wireless Gaming
4.6
Wired Gaming
5.6
Phone Calls

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless are budget-level truly wireless headphones. These simply-designed earbuds have a glossy stem design and feel well-built. However, they're prone to inconsistent audio delivery and lack a bit of low-bass. They also have a dark, underemphasized treble. They also passively isolate against very little ambient noise around you, and some users may find their one-size-fits-all design uncomfortable. On the upside, while their 5.2-hour battery life may not be enough to get you through your workday, their charging case offers around three additional charges.

Our Verdict

5.9 Mixed Usage

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are sub-par for mixed usage. They're well-built, as well as adequately comfortable and stable, but they may fall out of your ears during moderate exercise. They're also somewhat prone to inconsistent bass and treble delivery and have a warm sound profile that lacks low bass. They don't block out any bass or mid-range noise either, so you hear bus and train engines while on your commute or ambient chatter at the office. They're also Bluetooth-only and have high audio latency on PC, so they may not be ideal for gaming.

Pros
  • Good build quality.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • Somewhat inconsistent bass and treble delivery.
  • Poor controls.
6.0 Neutral Sound

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are mediocre for neutral sound. These well-built headphones have a somewhat inconsistent bass and treble delivery. They also struggle to deliver a thumpy low bass, their treble sounds dark, and they don't have a companion app to help tweak their sound. On the upside, they have a neutral mid-range, so vocals and lead instruments are present and accurately reproduced.

Pros
  • Good build quality.
Cons
  • Somewhat inconsistent bass and treble delivery.
5.8 Commute/Travel

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are disappointing for commute and travel. Their one-size-fits-all design may not be comfortable for all users, and they don't cut down any bass-range noise around you, like bus or plane engines. They also have a continuous battery life of just over five hours, which may not be enough for longer commutes. Luckily, their carrying case comes with around three additional charges.

Pros
  • Good build quality.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • Poor controls.
7.5 Sports/Fitness

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are good for sports and fitness. These small and portable headphones are somewhat comfortable and stable. Since they're truly wireless Bluetooth headphones, you don't need to worry about snagging a cable on something and pulling them off your head either. However, they don't come with stability fins or ear tips, so they may fall out of your ears with moderate exercise. They also don't have an IP rating for dust or water resistance.

Pros
  • Good build quality.
  • Okay stability.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
5.1 Office

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are inadequate for office use. They don't reduce almost any mid-range noise like ambient chatter, and some users may find their fit a little uncomfortable. Their 5.2-hour battery life may also not be enough to last throughout your 9-5 workday. However, the case offers around three additional charges, so you can replenish their battery when they're not in use.

Pros
  • Good build quality.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • Poor controls.
4.7 Wireless Gaming

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are Bluetooth-only headphones. While they can be used via Bluetooth on PCs, their latency is likely too high to be recommended for gaming.

4.6 Wired Gaming

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are Bluetooth-only headphones and can't be used wired.

5.6 Phone Calls

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are sub-par for phone calls. While your voice sounds somewhat natural and clear to whoever you're speaking to on the other end of the line, the mic struggles to separate your voice from ambient noise around you. These earbuds also have a bad noise isolation performance, so you can struggle to hear your phone call if you're talking, even in a moderately noisy environment.

Pros
  • Good build quality.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • Disappointing noise isolation.
  • Poor controls.
  • 5.9 Mixed Usage
  • 6.0 Neutral Sound
  • 5.8 Commute/Travel
  • 7.5 Sports/Fitness
  • 5.1 Office
  • 4.7 Wireless Gaming
  • 4.6 Wired Gaming
  • 5.6 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Dec 23, 2020: Review published.
  2. Updated Dec 17, 2020: Early access published.
  3. Updated Nov 23, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Nov 18, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  5. Updated Nov 14, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 come in two color variants: 'Black' and 'White'. You can see its label here. The 'White' variant should perform similarly to our test unit. 

If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussion section below and we'll update our review. 

Compared To Other Headphones

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are budget-friendly truly wireless headphones. They have a similarly sleek and glossy look as the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, but they don't feel as well-built or comfortable. Even though they have a closed-back design, they also struggle to isolate almost any ambient noise around you and lack a thumpy low-bass. That said, they offer low audio latency on iOS and Android. Check out our recommendations for the best budget wireless headphones, the best earbuds under $50, and the best AirPods Alternatives.

TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 Truly Wireless

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 Truly Wireless and the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless are truly wireless earbuds with similar performances. The SoundLiberty 92 have better controls and offer around five additional charges. However, the SoundLiberty 95 have lower latency on iOS and Android. 

Mpow X3 Truly Wireless

The Mpow X3 Truly Wireless are better earbuds than the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless. The Mpow are more comfortable and stable. Their sound profile is better-balanced and while it doesn't offer the best performance, they have an ANC that's able to cut down a bit more ambient noise around you. However, the TaoTronics have lower latency on iOS and Android. 

TaoTronics SoundLiberty 79 Truly Wireless

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 79 Truly Wireless are better headphones than the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless. The SoundLiberty 79 are more comfortable, stable, and have a better-balanced sound profile. They're able to isolate more ambient noise around you and have four additional charges in their carrying case.

Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless

The Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless are better earbuds than the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable, feel better built, and offer a longer continuous battery life. They also have an H1 chip, which allows you to connect with different Apple devices more easily. However, the TaoTronics have better bass accuracy.

Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless

The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better wireless headphones than the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable and stable, and they have a better build quality. Their sound profile is better balanced too, and they have a great active noise cancelling feature that helps reduce ambient noise around you. They also have an H1 chip so that you can seamlessly pair with Apple devices, and their carrying case also holds five additional charges.

Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless

The Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless are better earbuds than the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless. The Anker are more comfortable as well as stable and their sound profile is better-balanced. They're also able to isolate more noise passively, and have a companion app with a graphic EQ plus presets to help customize their sound.

TaoTronics SoundLiberty 94 Truly Wireless

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 94 Truly Wireless are more versatile than the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless. The 94 have a superior control scheme, more consistent audio delivery, far better noise isolation performance, and better mic recording quality. They also have a better-balanced sound profile and leak less audio. Meanwhile, the 95 have a slightly more spacious soundstage and even lower audio latency on mobile devices.

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Earbuds
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 look very similar to the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless. They have a long stalk design and glossy plastic casing. They come in two color variants: Black and White.

6.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 are adequately comfortable. They have a one-size-fits-all design, so their comfort can vary across users depending on the shape and size of your ears. While they feel light in the ear, they're also made of hard plastic, which isn't the most comfortable material for your ear. They feel like they could fall out of your ear and could be fatiguing if worn for a while.

4.9
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Okay
Feedback Decent
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control No
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

These headphones have a poor control scheme. While they offer decent feedback, the touch area is very small, so it could take you several tries to enter the correct command. Tapping twice on the left earbud activates voice controls, while twice on the right earbud allows you to play/pause. However, the play/pause command also won't work if only the right earbud is connected. Instead, it activates voice control. Tapping twice on either earbud can also answer or hang up a call. You can also triple-tap the left or right earbud to return to a previous track or skip to the next one, respectively. Triple-tapping on either bud also declines a call.

9.4
Design
Portability
L 1.8"
W 1.3"
H 0.7"
Volume 1.5 in³
Transmitter Required No

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 have exceptional portability. They're small, lightweight, and easy to take with you on-the-go. They also come with a hard case, which should easily fit into a small pocket or bag.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 2.2"
W 1.9"
H 1"
Volume 4.2 in³

These headphones have a good hard case. It's made of all matte plastic and has a light near the bottom of the case to let you know if your earbuds are charging. There's also a reset button for the buds inside the case.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95's build quality is good. The headphones and case are both made from glossy plastic, which makes them feel a bit sturdy. However, they're very prone to fingerprints. They also don't have an IP rating for dust or water resistance.

6.5
Design
Stability

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 have okay stability. They have a one-size-fits-all size design, so their stability really depends on the shape and size of your ear. If you get a good fit, you should be able to wear them during light physical exercise without them falling out of your ears.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 Truly Wireless headphones
  • Charging case
  • USB Type-C charging cable
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-5.14 dB
Treble Amount
-4.4 dB

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 have a dark and warm sound profile. They struggle to reproduce a thumpy, rumbly bass, and instruments sound harsh while lacking in detail and brightness. Unfortunately, they don't have an EQ or presets. Their audio delivery varies slightly, and you may experience deviations in bass and treble.

6.2
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.87 dB

These earbuds have a mediocre frequency response consistency. They have a one-size-fits-all design, so their bass and treble delivery can vary a bit depending on their fit, seal, and positioning in your ears.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
6.5
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.59 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
71.27 Hz
Low-Bass
-9.32 dB
Mid-Bass
-1.44 dB
High-Bass
1.79 dB

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 have an okay bass accuracy. They really struggle to deliver a thumpy low bass and are still a little overemphasized in the mid-bass range, which means that they lack a bit of punch and body. They're overemphasized in the high-bass, giving instruments warmth. Note, their bass delivery varies noticeably across users and is sensitive to their fit and seal. The response here represents the average bass response, and your experience may vary.

8.2
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.38 dB
Low-Mid
0 dB
Mid-Mid
0 dB
High-Mid
3.79 dB

These headphones have great mid accuracy. The low and mid-mids are exceptionally neutral, resulting in present and accurate vocals and lead instruments. That said, there's a bump in the high-mids that makes vocals and lead instruments honky and harsh.

4.7
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
7.01 dB
Low-Treble
-5.68 dB
Mid-Treble
-6.25 dB
High-Treble
-8.44 dB

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 have poor treble accuracy. It's underemphasized across the range, resulting in veiled vocals and lead instruments. Sibilants like cymbals also sound dull and lispy. That said, these headphones are prone to inconsistent treble delivery, so your real-world experience may vary.

6.5
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
2.25 dB
Dips
1.93 dB

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 have alright peaks and dips performance. There's an extended peak in the bass, which adds punch and boom to your mix. There's also a large peak in the high-mids, which makes vocals and lead instruments sound harsh and honky. However, the dip in the low treble veils the upper harmonics of vocals and lead instruments.

8.6
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.2
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.44
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.39
Weighted Phase Mismatch
1.28

These earbuds have excellent imaging. Their weighted group delay falls entirely beneath the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, its L/R drivers are exceptionally matched in regards to amplitude, frequency, and phase response. This means that objects and instruments, like voices and footsteps, are accurately localized in the stereo image, resulting in a more immersive listening experience. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.

2.9
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
9.4
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.4

These earbuds have a poor soundstage. Sound interacting with your outer ear is a key factor in creating a large and natural soundstage. However, these in-ears bypass the outer ear altogether, resulting in audio that sounds like it's coming from inside your head rather than all around you. It also sounds less open or spacious than that produced by open-back headphones.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App

These headphones don't have a virtual soundstage.

7.2
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.227
WHD @ 100
0.428

These headphones have a decent weighted harmonic distortion performance. There's an extended peak at max volume throughout the mid-range, but this can be a bit difficult to hear with real-life content.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
Unknown
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 5.0
Codec
aptX, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
Integrated

These are the settings we used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid with these settings.

Isolation
1.5
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-3.39 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
0.09 dB
Mid
0.69 dB
Treble
-10.69 dB

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95's noise isolation performance is bad. Even though they have a closed-back design, they let in all bass and mid-range noise like bus and plane engines or ambient chatter. While they're able to cut down some higher-pitched noise like the hum of an AC unit, it's not a very significant amount. If you're looking for similarly-priced truly wireless headphones that do a much better job of blocking out background noise, consider the noise cancelling TaoTronics SoundLiberty 94 Truly Wireless.

7.0
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
39.66 dB

The leakage performance of the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 is satisfactory. Their leakage is mostly concentrated between the mid to treble range, so escaping audio sounds mostly thin. If you like to listen to your audio at a high volume, people around you can hear parts of it, even in a moderately noisy environment.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes

These headphones have an integrated microphone.

6.8
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
171.98 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
4.84 dB
HFE
6,088.74 Hz
Weighted THD
0.608
Gain
-15.64 dB

The recording quality of the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95's microphone is alright. Your voice sounds somewhat natural and full-bodied. You shouldn't have a problem being understood by whoever's on the other end of the line.

5.9
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
10.39 dB

The mic has disappointing noise handling. It struggles to separate your voice from ambient noise, even in a moderately loud environment.

Active Features
6.0
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
5.2 hrs
Additional Charges
3.0
Total Battery Life
20.8 hrs
Charge Time
1.3 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 have a just passable battery performance. Although they're advertised to provide seven hours of continuous playback time, we measured just over five hours. Luckily, their charging case comes with three additional charges. You can also use one earbud while the other one is charging, which is quite handy in a pinch.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

These headphones don't have a companion app.

Connectivity
6.9
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
163 ft
PC Latency (SBC)
359 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
323 ms
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
5 ms
Android Latency
19 ms

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 have fair Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device or NFC pairing. They also have high audio latency on PC, even when using aptX. However, their latency is much lower on iOS and Android, especially when compared to alternatives like the JBL Tune 225TWS True Wireless, which is ideal if you like to watch movies. That said, apps and devices compensate for latency differently, so your experience may vary.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A

These headphones are Bluetooth-only.

0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

These headphones can't be used wired. They come with a USB-C cable to charge the carrying case.

Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC/PS4 Analog
No
PC/PS4 Wired USB
No
PC/PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 can only be used via Bluetooth on PCs and aren't compatible with the PS4. Because they have high audio latency, they aren't recommended for gaming.

Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones aren't compatible with the Xbox One as they're Bluetooth-only.

2.2
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Charging Case
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Power Supply
USB-C

These headphones come with a small charging case that offers around three additional charges. The case is charged via its USB-C cable and doesn't offer any additional inputs.