I’ve reviewed many SoundPeats devices over the years, and the SoundPeats PearlClip Pro open-ear earbuds are among the most different ones I’ve tried. They offer a unique blend of comfort, convenience, and impressive sound quality at a budget-conscious price. They feature an innovative clip-on design, a lightweight build, and advanced audio features. These earbuds promise an exceptional listening experience without the hefty price tag. But how do they perform? Are they worth it? Let’s find out.
Design & Comfort
The SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro features a clip-on design that gently attaches to your ear, avoiding pressure on the outer ear. They are surprisingly comfortable and will be perfect for those who wear glasses.
The earbuds weigh just 5.85g, providing a featherlight feel. They are made from 70% liquid silicone and nickel-titanium memory steel, offering skin-friendly durability and superior comfort. I had a feeling that they might offer some pull on the ears, but you generally forget that they’re even “clipped” on. They feel like normal earbuds; there’s no pull, thanks to the lightweight design, and they feel great. They fit securely as well. With a design like this, it’s natural to consider that they will easily fall out and get lost. Once you’re wearing them and walking around, though, you lose those concerns quickly.
I’m not entirely sure about the look when wearing them, but they’ll certainly draw attention. There’s a charming style to them, and the fact that thought has gone into designing earbuds for people with glasses or mask wearers adds bonus points to the design department. It’s something different. Something unique. And you can’t complain at that, especially when they’re this comfortable. I’ve only worn them for an hour max at a time, but I have zero complaints about comfort with these.
The only thing I don’t like design-wise is the case. It’s really not my style or to my tastes. It’s a really smooth case that is different to any other SoundPeats case I have. If you get sweaty hands or they’re wet/damp, you’ll struggle to maintain a hold on the case. They’re also fingerprint magnets, and you can hear the earbuds rattling when you move them. And the button for syncing to a device is very visible and textured. Usually, they’re a lot more subtle. The charging port is on the back instead of the bottom, which isn’t a problem. However, it is another design choice that makes this case very different from others. It’s nice and compact, so it will easily fit in the smallest of pockets.
Sound Playback
The PearlClip Pro features a 12mm dual-magnet driver that delivers crisp highs, smooth mids, and deep, dynamic bass. Maybe a bit too much bass, but it’s fine for my music tastes. As with other open-ear earbuds, they do allow a lot of outside noise in, but the AI noise reduction technology is quite effective, which significantly enhances your listening experience. I was able to enjoy podcasts even while walking past heavy traffic, clearly hearing every word.
These earbuds are equipped with a 12mm dual-magnet driver, providing stronger magnetic field performance for enhanced sound quality at an affordable price (less than £50 on Amazon). You can expect surprisingly good bass from them. Overall, the sound quality is impressive, featuring clear highs and a balanced bass response that complements most music genres. Like always, it’s highly recommended that you download the SoundPeats PeatsAudio app so that you can set your own EQ. They’re fairly bass-heavy, which is perfect for me. But that might not work for everyone’s tastes. Luckily, the new app is simple to use and gives you all the options you need.
For runners or people at the gym, these could be perfect. You can hear your surroundings whilst still hearing whatever you’re listening to with great sound. The only concern is my usual one with earbuds of this type – what everyone else can hear. And there’s no real way to prevent that.
I’ve also found that using these for phone calls falls flat. My brother rang me and commented that he could barely hear me as it was all traffic, and there was a slight echo in my voice. This is a little disappointing as sound quality is one of the key features, but I’ve found that many earbuds do the same. Hopefully, the AI technology in earbuds will improve that greatly in the future. I love that SoundPeats is investing in something like this, though, and it’ll only get better with time. It’s not bad, but it definitely needs some improvement when it comes to heavy-traffic areas. It is noise reduction, though, not cancellation.
PearlClip Pro Key Features
- Adaptive Left/Right Channel: The earbuds automatically adjust the channels when placed in the charging case.
- Fast Charging: A quick 10-minute charge provides 2 hours of playtime.
- AI Noise Reduction: Minimizes background noise for clear call quality.
- Dual-device Connection: Allows you to connect to two devices simultaneously.
- 6 Hours Playtime: Per charge, with up to 24 hours with the case.
- PeatsAudio App: Offers customizable touch controls and EQ settings.
Conclusion
The SoundPeats PearlClip Pro is an excellent choice for anyone seeking comfortable, high-quality audio at an affordable price. With its clip-on design providing a pressure-free fit, the sound quality impresses for this price range. Although the touch controls could use some improvements, they are not a dealbreaker, especially since I typically turn them off anyway. The overall performance and features make it a great budget-friendly option. However, the earbuds are somewhat of an anomaly; while they tend to have excessive bass that overshadows the mids and highs for most music, there are certain songs where they truly shine.
I feel like these have a lot of potential, particularly given the price. If the consistency can be ironed out and a few little tweaks to the sound and AI noise reduction, these could be a brilliant option for a lot of people. I’m really not a fan of the case, but overall, that’s minor because it’s all about the earbuds themselves. I like the design as something quirky and can see how they’d be useful for mask wearers. For the price, they’re certainly worth trying out if you’re after some open-ear earbuds or just want to try something a little different.
