The 79’s produce Hi-Fi stereo, smart AI noise cancellation (passive only), and they come in a pill-shaped USB-C magnetic charging case. The earbuds last 8 hours on a single charge or 30 hours with the case and are rated IPX8 for boosted water and dust proofing. The buds can automatically turn on and pair to any Bluetooth device when taken out of the case and turn off when put back in, and you can use a single earbud to listen to music, calls, or video content. And speaking of calls, the headphones use smart AI algorithms to block out background noise to give you a clear, headache-free experience making them perfect for remote/office workers and travelers. As someone who tried dozens of wireless headphones, these look and feel the most premium despite costing below $50. The aesthetic reminds me of the Jabra Elite or Sony WF-1000X true wireless headphones. But do they match those luxury headphones in quality and are they worth buying . . . keep reading and we’ll find out together.
TaoTronics Product Info
SoundLiberty 79 Vs. AirPods, Galaxy Buds, and Pixel Buds
The big question I’ll get is whether or not an inexpensive pair of buds can match higher-end brand offerings from Apple, Sony, Samsung, or Google. And for the most part, the SoundLiberty 79 wireless headphones come pretty close. There’s not a ton of audio difference compared to the other earbuds, and the bass is surprisingly good though not as loud as other buds. Where it does differ however is aesthetic, comfort, and functionality. What Apple/Samsung/Google have done well is made their headphones incredibly responsive. The 79 buds have a bit of lag to them when using the playback controls, which could get irritating. For example, I don’t like having to double-tap the buds to pause/play music but the single tap to lower/raise volume is a good idea that works well. In addition, when compared to my Galaxy Buds, the 79’s were not very comfortable to wear and felt much thicker than the Buds. They stayed in my ears just fine and they do have several sized ear hooks/tips for you to try, but after trying a couple, the headphones still didn’t feel good in my ear. I could wear the Galaxy Buds for hours but I can’t see myself wearing these for very long. The one upside is they’re well-positioned for workouts even with rigorous side to side movements.
Calling
I read a lot of complaints about the 79’s having poor connection and call quality but they worked fine for me. I don’t think they’re any worse than other expensive wireless headphones for calls.
Voice Assistant Controls
I haven’t tried the new Pixel Buds yet but I imagine Google’s new headphones are much more responsive too.
Noise Cancellation
The SoundLiberty 79 headphones do not have active noise cancellation but neither did the 1st Gen AirPods or Galaxy Buds. Instead, they have passive noise canceling and something called smart AI noise reduction. Supposedly this produces 96% less ambient sound with up to 40dB of noise reduction. I can’t say whether this is accurate but I was satisfied with the level of reduction and voice isolation.
Bluetooth Range
Finally, let’s talk about the Bluetooth range. Unlike my Galaxy Buds, these definitely have more range when away from connected devices. I used them at 50-70ft away and the sound didn’t start breaking up til near 70ft. However, the range will greatly depend on object and magnetic/electronic interference. If there are more objects in the way then the range will get reduced. Still, this is an impressive accomplishment for >$50 headphones.
Best Features of SoundLiberty 79 Headphones
So what do the SoundLiberty 79 True Wireless Headphones have to offer really? A lot it turns out; below are a few features that satisfied or surprised me.
Why I Like the SoundLiberty 79 Earbuds
Auto On/Off/Pair Settings
USB-C Charging Case
Premium Look of the Earbuds
Good Bass & Sound Quality
Smart AI Noise Cancellation
Auto On/Off/Pair Settings
This is my favorite part about the Galaxy Buds and it’s a must have wireless Bluetooth headphones feature. Being able to simply take your earbuds in/out of the charging case and auto-pair to your smartphone is super convenient and makes me want to use the headphones more frequently. The only hiccup is the initial pairing process, which I’ll admit was more challenging with the 79’s than other Bluetooth headphones. However once that was sorted out, everything worked great. Oh and the Bluetooth range is very good; it’s one of the few things these headphones best their competitors at.
USB-C Charging Case
More and more of my devices are with the new USB-C standard so it’s good SoundLiberty went with this too. USB-C allows for faster charging, better transmissibility, and it’s easier to use since it’s double-sided. I also like the battery case because it extends the battery life to 30 hours and is fun to carry around. It’s a nice pill-shaped case that’s a bit wider than some but can easily fit in your pocket. Sadly it can’t be charged wirelessly, which stinks but we can’t have it all can we.
Premium Look of the Earbuds
I like the style of these earbuds; they look like $200 headphones from Sony or Jabra and I’ve had people thinking that’s what they were. But comfort is another story. The inclusion of 6 ear tips and 4 ear hooks gives you plenty of variability but nothing quite fits right. Despite that flaw I still think these headphones will impress a lot of people and their silver-black color goes together with anything. They’re also far less subtle to wear in public than the AirPods…if that’s a worry for you.
Good Bass & Sound Quality
I’d give the bass a B+ and the overall sound quality a B. They sound better than a lot of cheaper units with good bass and treble that soars with its competitors. They’ll perform great if you’re listening to music or videos and few will notice much difference between these and say the Pixel Buds.
Smart AI Noise Cancellation
The noise cancellation, though passive, is pretty good. The smart AI algorithms play a role here as they block out more noise than other passive noise cancelling headphones. The AI helps with calls too; the voices are more isolated and there’s less static. I don’t these are the best for calls as there can be occasional cut-offs and frequency interruptions on your end or the other caller but they’re not bad overall.
TaoTronics SoundLiberty 79 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds: Final Review
The SoundLiberty 79’s are a sophisticated pair of user friendly headphones on a budget and they’re more durable than you think. I would give the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 79 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds 4 out of 5 stars. And you can add the 79’s to that pile because these earbuds deliver on state-of-the-art specs, sound, and quality. They cost less than a third of top-end true wireless earbuds and can occasionally outscore them. I’ll be using these headphones for workouts, music, and videos because they’re a great substitute to my Samsung Galaxy Buds. They come in a terrific USB-C case, they can auto-pair, and they don’t stand out (in a bad way) in public. I can forgive their faults and I wish they were more comfortable and responsive but it’s tough to find the right earbuds nowadays. The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 79 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds may not be for audiophile zealots or tech nerds but they’re a buyer friendly product that’ll take care of your entertainment and professional needs.
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