SoundPEATS Air4 Wireless Earbuds
$79.99
What We Dig
- Good sound quality for the price
- Comfortable fit
- Great Build Quality
What To Think About
- Bass is not the deepest
- ANC isn't the strongest
SoundPEATS Air4 Review: These earbuds offer good sound quality, a comfortable fit, and a number of useful features, all for under $100.
The SoundPEATS Air4 Wireless Earbuds ($79.99, currently $59.99 with a $20 coupon) are a new premium pair of earbuds offering great features and performance.
They feature Snapdragon Sound™ technology for lossless audio, adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) for up to 45dB noise reduction, an 88ms low latency gaming mode, and a long battery life of up to 26 hours. I believe these are the only open earbuds that currently support Snapdragon Sound. They are also water-resistant and sweatproof, making them suitable for use in the gym.
In this review, we will look closer at the SoundPEATS Air4 Wireless Earbuds, see how they perform, and let you know if they’re worth your hard-earned cash.
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SoundPEATS Air4 Review: Build and Features
The SoundPEATS Air4 Wireless Earbuds are built with high-quality materials and are sleek and stylish. The earbuds are made of lightweight ABS plastic (each earbud weighs 4g) and have a combination matte/glossy finish. They are also IPX4 water-resistant so they will stand up to sweat and light rain. Due to the lightness of the earpieces and open-ear design, these earphones are ridiculously comfortable, so I forgot I had them on at times.
The SoundPEATS Air4 Wireless Earbuds feature a significant 13mm dynamic driver for rich sound, and they also support Snapdragon Sound™ technology (aptX Adaptive) for wireless “lossless” audio. Backing Snapdragon Sound is Bluetooth version 5.3 for low latency and more robust connections. In addition, you get the AAC and SBC audio codecs to cover products that don’t support aptX (think iPhone). Multipoint pairing for connection to more than one device at a time is also on tap.
As I’ve said before, I love the way aptX Adaptive sounds, but it aggravates me that so few source devices support it right now. For instance, neither of the top two smartphone manufacturers (Samsung and Apple) utilize it.
That said, since so many earbuds are starting to use Snapdragon Sound, I hope we begin to see more compatible devices. Currently, I prefer companies use the more widely adopted LDAC codec. Ok, rant over.
The Air4 earbuds have adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) for (claimed) noise reduction of up to 45 dB. In reality, since these have an open design as opposed to IEM-style earphones that push in and seal inside the ear, the noise cancellation effect is very slight, so don’t expect total silence. In my experience, the Air4’s ANC worked to remove a little background environmental hum, but that’s about it.
On each earpiece is a small area for touch control, which allows you to control playback, volume, and ANC using a series of taps. I wish the touch-sensitive area were a bit larger since it was a little hard to hit with my sausage fingers, but overall, the touch controls were responsive.
However, the control protocol isn’t the most intuitive (and it isn’t customizable), so there’s a bit of a learning curve there. On the other hand, you can control almost everything from the earpiece, including Volume, ANC, and Game Mode selection.
Additionally, the charging case is almost perfect for its size and ergonomics, easily fitting in the pocket of your jeans. The top is easy to flip open and close, and it seems to be quite durable. It puts me in the mind of the Apple AirPods case.
The case provides up to 26 hours of playback time over four charge cycles, with a single charge lasting 6.5 hours. As expected, the case has a Type-C interface, so you can use just about any current phone charger to give it some juice when it runs out.
Here are some highlights regarding the build and features of the SoundPEATS Air4 Wireless Earbuds:
- The earbuds are lightweight and comfortable to wear, even for long periods of time.
- The charging case is small and portable, making it easy to take with you on the go.
- The earbuds support touch controls, so a simple tap can easily control playback, volume, and ANC.
- The SoundPEATS Air4 Wireless Earbuds come with various ear tips to ensure a comfortable and secure fit.
- It comes with a low latency mode of 88ms for less lag during gaming and video calls.
SoundPEATS Air4 Review: Sound Performance
The SoundPEATS Air4 earbuds have a solid sound performance for the price. They offer a well-balanced sound with clear highs, mids, and punchy lows. The bass is present but not overpowering, and the vocals and the instrumentation are clear and distinct without any hardness. The Air4 earbuds also have a good soundstage, meaning the music sounds like it’s coming from outside your head.
However, there is one thing to note about the Air4 earbuds’ sound performance. That’s the fact that the Air4 earbuds don’t have the deepest bass. This is expected from a pair of earbuds with an open design since they lack the in-ear seal of IEMs. With this type of earphone, you will always have a tradeoff between comfort and bass depth.
The Air4 earphones still present a decent amount of punch and bass detail, so you will only notice a lack of depth on songs with really heavy bass parts (think hip-hop or dance music). That said, if you’re looking for earbuds with a subwoofer-type bass, the Air4 earbuds may not be the best choice for you. In that case, I recommend the in-ear SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro, which sells at a similar price.
On the other hand, if you can’t stand the feeling of having earbuds pushed up in your ear, the SoundPEATS Air4 earbuds have a good sound performance for the price. They offer a nice, full, open sound with decent detail and imaging.
Listening to “It’s A Man’s World” from the “IROKO” album by Abraham Rodriguez Jr. and Avishai Cohen, I was impressed by the immersive quality of the playback. The sound seemed to radiate well beyond my ears, and the instruments were separated well. If I had a complaint, it would be a slight dullness in the upper mids, which affected the vocal clarity just a bit, but this is a nitpick because this tuning keeps things sounding natural, which I like.
Here are some additional thoughts on the SoundPEATS Air4 earbuds’ sound performance:
- The earbuds support the aptX Adaptive codec, allowing high-quality wireless streaming.
- The earbuds have a Game Mode that reduces latency, making them ideal for gaming and watching videos without lag.
- The earbuds have a built-in EQ (accessible from the SoundPEATS app) that allows you to customize the sound.
The Wrap Up
The SoundPEATS Air4 wireless earbuds are a good value for the money. They offer good sound quality, a comfortable fit, and a number of useful features, all for under $100. If you’re looking for an Airpods alternative that offers good performance and features without breaking the bank, the SoundPEATS Air4 is a great option. They’re especially well-suited for budget-minded audiophiles and people who don’t like the feeling of earbuds that plug into the ear.
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I’m an audio writer who started as a young audio salesman/consumer electronics professional back in the late 90s. That’s where I discovered the magic of 2-Channel sound. My hunger for great sound has led me on a delightful music quest that continues today.
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