SOUNDPEATS Clip1 is an amazing open ear wireless earbud that is designed for users who want a more comfortable, spatial awareness, and secure fit without having to stick anything into their ear canals. From SOUNDPEATS’ previous take on open-ear buds, this pair is suited for a better fit and comfort. The SOUNDPEATS Clip1 are ideal for running, commuting, and work, just as well for all-day users. These earbuds are currently selling for €75.99; regional prices may differ. A huge thank you to SOUNDPEATS for kindly sending these out for review.
The SOUNDPEATS Clip1 comes in a neat retail box that clearly shows what is expected inside. Within the box, you will find the charging case, along with the two earbuds, a USB-C charging cable, and a user manual/app guide. Overall, the packaging is clean and includes everything that is needed and necessary. The earbuds case is slightly bigger than their previous earbud charging cases; thus, it would be nice if there was an option to buy a travel pouch or protective case. As a future cosmetic suggestion, a clip-on hook would be an interesting design choice to allow the case to be hooked onto a bag, belt, or even with keys for convenience.
Some of the specifications these earbuds offer are the following: 12mm dual-magnet drivers with a titanium PVD coating, N-Flex Arch Memory Wire, Hi-Res Audio Certified with LDAC, AAC, SBC codec, DynamicEQ Pro Algorithm, Customizable EQ, Bluetooth V5.4, IPX5, Touch controls, AutoSense, Multipoint connection, Microphones, Aerovoice and Dolby Audio Support. These features allow for high definition sound for these budget-friendly earbuds that have a unique design and great comfort.
The SOUNDPEATS Clip1 is currently only available in black, which comes along with clean silver accents that really make the earbuds pop. Each earbud is around 5g, making them lightweight, which I prefer more than the PearlClip Pro.
The charging case itself is a glossy grey plastic case with a gold S in the middle, giving off a premium look. The build materials are solid for the price, but the case does have a budget-friendly feeling, which is expected. Something SoundPeats excels at is ensuring that the earphones are comfortable, durable, and overall well-built.
These earbuds feel much more comfortable than the PearlClip Pro, as they are nicer and more comfortable to wear for long periods of time without feeling irritated. This is especially more comfortable because the earbuds have a flat peak rather than a ‘ball bearing’, which grips onto your ear for a more secure fit. The dual connectivity of these earphones are perfect for work situations, having it connected to your phone but also your laptop helps switching from calls to music and still being at ease without having to worry about pairing the earbuds every time between devices. Another feature I love about these earbuds is that I do not have to worry about which one goes into my left or my right ear, and they seem to work effectively for either side. This is due to the AutoSense Auto L/R Detection, where the earbuds will automatically correct audio channels depending on which ear you wear them on. I will say that as someone who wears glasses, these earbuds fit much more easily in the ear and do not cause any annoyance or discomfort. What makes these earbuds even more incredible is that they offer a spatial awareness feature that silences out a lot of the audio. They work similarly to the SOUNDPEATS Air 5 Pro earbuds, but with some noise loss due to their slightly open earbud design.
The touch controls are placed on the back of the earphones, which can be used and changed through the PeatsAudio App, allowing for around 4 controls that can be directed to either earbud. I did think that at times the touch sensor was a bit sensitive, even with light touches, for adjusting the earbud would lead to me accidentally pausing the audio or adjusting the volume. Another feature that was very handy was the auto audio detection, where when you take off the earbuds, your audio would automatically pause. This feature was not in the PearlClip Pro earbuds, so it is very nice to see this addition, as it can be a lot more convenient than one thinks.
The battery life for the Clip1 was much better than expected. The earbuds provide for a total of 8 hours of use in a single charge, along with 40 hours of playback time with the charging case. What is even more convenient is the fact that a 10-minute charge will give you two hours of playback time. Charging fully depleted earbuds and the case takes roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Clip1 is an open ear design, which has prioritised spatial awareness and conformity over enclosed sound. These earbuds have a massive upgrade to the PearlClip Pro in terms of sound quality and sound leakage. I noticed that the sound would leak less at the same volume set for both versions of SOUNDPEATS open earbuds. This is a great tweak that they made for the Clip1 earbuds, as the sound leak is much less in comparison and will not cause disturbance to others or discomfort to yourself.
The sound quality for these earbuds are extremely immersive. For audiophiles or casual listeners, these earbuds provide such clear and tone-centred noise that is evident due to the high-definition LDAC codec support. If you are to compare the sound quality of these earbuds with the SOUNDPEATS Air 5 Pro, there is similarity in the clarity and definition of the sound; however, because of the open ear design for these earbuds, the sound cannot exceed over a certain volume level, which limits the definition of the quality. I will say that this is such a good upgrade from the PearlClip Pro. The high-definition sound quality gives these earbuds a premium feel, and with additional features, I would say they are 100% worth buying. One of the most noticeable things in the sound quality compared to the PearlClip Pro was that the heavy instrumental and the bass was much clearer and refined, rather than the slight muffleness as heard previously.
Another brilliant feature that the Clip1 supports is AeroVoice, which reduces wind noise and is clear for outdoor calls. The mic and call quality of Clip 1 are adequate for everyday use. However, in terms of professional use, I would not highly recommend them, but for attending work calls, they work sufficiently.
The compatibility with the PeatsAudio App is pretty decent. There are still a few lagging and delay issues on the app itself, but that has nothing to do with the earbuds. I really like the amount of options and customisation you have for these Clip1 buds. Within the app, you can switch between different listening modes that will allow for better adaptation to your listening. The app includes DynamicEQ Pro, which dynamically adjusts the frequency balance in real time based on volume and content. The equaliser in the app allows for customisation for better listening depending on your preferred levels in tones. Dolby Audio is perfect for the high definition sound quality that adds spatial “cinematic” depth to music, games, or video. Everything is easily accessible through the app. For these earbuds, you cannot have the LDAC and Dolby Audio on at the same time, and for better sound quality, I found myself using the LDAC option more than Dolby Audio.
Now, the Clip1 earbuds are not from the direct line of the PearlClip Pros; however, in comparison, the open-ear designs are so much better for the Clip1. Clip 1 is lighter and has a whole other level of sound quality that makes the user listen in a much more immersive setting. The bass in music and videos is heavier but hits quite nicely. The mic is almost the same, but it seems that the response in the voice-pick due to the external noise isolation (AeroVoice) makes it much more usable on a day-to-day basis. Clip1 also offer more features and accessibility that will make the sound better to your preference. In terms of pricing between the two earbuds, you pay roughly 20 euros more to buy the Clip1, and that additional price is much better. These newly released open-ear buds are definitely the way to go.
The SOUNDPEATS Clip 1 sets itself apart from other open-ear, clip-style earbuds. It combines all-day comfort, high-resolution sound with LDAC support, DynamicEQ Pro, and Dolby Audio for a listening experience that is quite rare to find with these styles of buds. The Clip1 has smart features such as AutoSense L/R detection, dual-device connectivity, wear detection, and AeroVoice wind noise reduction, which makes it highly practical for commuters, remote workers and even casual listeners. The touch controls are intuitive, the battery life is impressive, and the ultra-lightweight design ensures comfort even when wearing accessories. The PearlClip Pro is solid for casual use; however, Clip1 leads in terms of features, comfort and performance. These newly released Clip1 earbuds by SOUNDPEATS are the perfect gift for others and yourself, an ideal release just in time for the holidays!
Overall: 9/10
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