Unboxed: SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro Review – Affordable Hi-Res Wireless Earbuds

Check out our SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro wireless earbuds review to decide if these affordable hi-res earbuds would work for your needs!

SoundPEATS has been on the rise in the headphone industry. We’ve reviewed quite a few of their wireless earphones, and they usually provide enormous value for the money. Their latest product, the Capsule3 Pro Hi-Res Wireless Earbuds ($69.99), seems to be a perfect option for audiophiles on a budget. Thanks to their “hi-res” (LDAC) audio support, they provide quality sound. In addition, they boast an impressive battery life of up to 8 hours, look great, and have solid build quality.

On top of all this, they’re also affordable, making them a great option for those looking for a cheap yet quality pair of wireless earbuds with CD-quality Bluetooth. In this review, we will look closer at the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro to see if they live up to their promise of high-quality sound at a great price. We will discuss their design, sound quality, battery life, and overall performance. So, let’s get started and unbox the Capsule3 Pro!

What’s In The Box

A Pair Of Wireless Earbuds
USB Type-C Charge Case
USB Type-C Charge Cable
User Manual
3 x Pairs of Eartips (S,M,L)

SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro Review: Design & Build Quality

The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro comes in a sleek and modern design. Both the earbuds and the charging case have a matte black finish with copper accents that looks quite attractive. The earbuds are quite lightweight, making them comfortable to wear, even for long periods.

The earbuds have an AirPods Pro-style in-ear design, which helps to keep them securely in place with a slight twist. That said, just like the AirPods, smaller ears may have some issues accommodating the bulbous top end of the earbuds, but the three different size silicone ear tips should help to alleviate this. The charging case is also quite small and lightweight, making it easy to carry around.

The build quality of the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro is quite impressive. The earbuds are made of high-quality plastic, which makes them quite durable. The earbuds feel pretty solid in hand and should be able to withstand some wear and tear. The charging case is also made of high-quality plastic and feels quite sturdy with its beefy door hinge. The earbuds also have IPX 4 Water Resistance, which means they should stand up to rain and sweat.

As mentioned earlier, the earbuds also come with three sets of silicone ear tips, which will help you get the best fit for your ears. The ear tips are quite soft and comfortable, making them perfect for long listening sessions. They also do a good job of passively blocking out ambient noise.

Battery Life & Charging

The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro has an impressive battery life of up to 8 hours. However, that’s with ANC off and using the low-bandwidth SBC codec. That drops to around 4.5 hours with ANC and higher-bandwidth LDAC (which is still decent for higher bitrate transmission).

The earbuds also come with a charging case, which allows you to recharge the earbuds on the go. The charging case has an additional battery capacity of 500mAh which should provide around five extra charges depending on usage.

The charging case doesn’t officially support fast charging, but you will still be able to charge the earbuds from 0 to 100% in about an hour, which is pretty quick. The charging case also has a USB-C port, which allows you to charge the case in about an hour and a half with the buds in. An LED on the front of the case denotes the charge status.

Connectivity & Controls

The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro features Bluetooth 5.3, which provides a stable and fast connection. The earbuds operate via a complete set of touch controls, which allows you to control music playback, change volume, turn on ANC modes, take calls, and access your voice assistant. The controls are quite intuitive and easy to use. I also felt they were quite responsive, but that was after doing a firmware update to address “touch responsiveness.”

I wish the Capsule3 Pro had an Auto Play/Pause feature like some other Sub $100 earphones. That would let me start/stop the music by removing or inserting the buds in my ears, but I guess you can’t have it all at this price.

However, the earbuds do come with an active noise cancellation feature, which helps to reduce background noise, and it works quite well. They aren’t entirely up to the level of my Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, which can block almost any noise (read: Plane engines), but they easily block out most household distractions like A/C units, Fans, TVs, etc.

The earbuds also have a “transparency mode,” which allows you to hear your surroundings, and it also works relatively well, making them great for outdoor activities. However, my more expensive (like 3x more expensive) Apple buds are slightly more transparent and sound more natural in their transparency mode. That said, I found the ANC and Transparency modes in the Capsule3 Pro well above average for the price point.

You can also access the Capsule3 Pro’s “game mode,” which reduces latency for gaming or video playback and audio lag.

Audio Codecs

Regarding Bluetooth Audio Codecs, the Capsule3 Pro has SBC, AAC, and LDAC on board. LDAC is the marquee feature, allowing transmission rates of up to 990kbps for compressed wireless hi-res audio (24/96). That means, in theory, that users can experience better sound quality overall. Of course, LDAC requires using a compatible source like Android smartphones or specific computers. AAC provides near-CD quality transmission for iPhone users.

Compatible With The SoundPEATS app

In addition, the earbuds are compatible with the Free SoundPEATS app (Android/iOS), which allows you to customize the earbuds’ sound with EQ and access additional features like firmware updates and battery life indicators.

The app also lets you access some of the above mentioned features like ANC and Game Mode. The app is pretty basic and doesn’t provide many customization options, but it’s worth installing just for the EQ and Firmware, plus it’s quite easy to use. I wasn’t fond of the fact you had to register with an email to use the app, but that’s what junk email accounts are for.

As far as phone calls are concerned, the Capsule3 Pro earbuds are perfect. During a phone call, I could clearly hear the person on the other end, and they could hear me clearly as well.

SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro Review: Sound Quality

The sound quality of the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro is quite good for the price. The earbuds support hi-res audio, which means you can get the most out of your music if you have a compatible source.

With LDAC on the highest bitrate setting, the earbuds have a pretty lively v-shaped sound, with a punchy, strong, articulate bass on most music. Along with that, you also get clean mids and highs that provide decent detail without being harsh. With the lower bitrate codecs (AAC and SBC), you lose a bit of transparency overall, but the earbuds still sound pretty crisp.

My only issue with the Capsule3 Pro’s tonal balance is a low end that tends to get out of control on songs with very heavy Bass. When the Bass is pushed, the mid-bass gets a little boomy, even while the sub-bass presents a lot of articulation. In addition, the mid-bass can bleed into the midrange, sometimes causing a slight coloration.

Inside the earbuds is a set of 12mm dynamic drivers, which do a great job of reproducing the dynamics of the music. They also give you a cohesive, natural sound. The soundstage isn’t all that wide, but you still get a pretty open and immersive listening experience due to the boost in the “air” region of the treble.

Listening Tests

Listening to Patricia Barber’s “Clique” album, I found the presentation quite clear, with nice top-end detail on the instruments and a nice clean presentation of the vocals. The Bass was also excellent and deep, giving the lower instruments some nice weight and punctuating the rhythm. That said, I found the Bass on the stock tuning to be a touch heavy for the material, but if you’re a bass lover, you’ll probably like the added emphasis. In addition, I could EQ some of the Bass out using the “Folk” EQ on the SoundPEATS app, making the earbuds sound a little more balanced.

For a change of pace, I put on Beyonce’s “Cuff It” dance song, and again the highs were clear, presenting lots of detail. That said, the Bass became a little boomy in the midbass, which somewhat softened the dynamics and rhythm. It also colored Beyonce’s vocals just a little bit. That said, the articulation in the sub-bass gave the low end some depth I haven’t heard in other sub-$100 earphones, providing a subwoofer rumble that added some richness and nuance to the music.

Ultimately, if you like earphones with a lively yet clean sound and some bass rumble, you should enjoy the Capsule3 Pro. I like them best with acoustic music like Folk, Classic rock, and Blues. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more balanced sound with a little less bass thump, you can check out the EarFun Air S Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds, which sell for around the same price. Just keep in mind they don’t have LDAC on board.

SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro Review: Conclusion

The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro is a great pair of affordable wireless earbuds, especially if you like a slight emphasis on the low end. The earbuds provide a quality sound, thanks to their hi-res audio support and quality 12mm dynamic drivers. The earbuds also have an impressive battery life of up to 8 hours and come with an IPX4 water-resistance rating, so you can take them wherever you want. These earbuds also come with solid build quality, and their lightweight and comfortable design makes them perfect for long listening sessions.

The Capsule3 Pro also comes with a set of touch controls, which are pretty intuitive and easy to use. They’re also compatible with the SoundPEATS app, which allows you to customize the earbuds’ sound and access additional features. If you’re looking for a quality pair of affordable wireless earbuds, then the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro is worth considering.

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