Soundpeats Q40 HD Review

Intro 

Hello, this review and feature covers the latest from the audio brand Soundpeats named the Soundpeats Q40 HD ($49). The Q40 HD is actually a neck-band set of Bluetooth earbuds. However, this is not some simple old school pair. Soundpeats actually outfitted the Q40 HD to be the perfect pair of “sport” earbuds, and I’ll explain why later. 

Soundpeats 

I have reviewed many sets of Soundpeats earbuds and one thing I can assure you is that you will get a product which puts “price-to-performance” above all else. I have grown to truly respect this brand as they always keep pricing in mind, yet they always seem to add in the latest and greatest tech as well. Feel free to hop on mobileaudiophile.com and check out some of mine and my partners’ Soundpeats reviews. One thing you’ll quickly notice is that there isn’t a negative review in the bunch. Every single product we’ve had the pleasure of featuring is truly a solid buy at their respective price points. So, here is just a quick shout out to Soundpeats and the good people that I’ve gotten to know over the years. 

It’s nice! 

At first, I didn’t know if I wanted to review the Q40 HD. I simply haven’t had a neck-band style set of earbuds in years. Folks, it wasn’t until I actually used the Q40 HD that I realized just how nice this style of earbud can be for a multitude of purposes. Especially for any type of gym activity, running, and anything else involving sweat. It’s a style which works. Now, can the Q40 HD live up to the $49 price tag? Are there better alternatives? I suppose we shall see. Right now, I am going to spend a good two to three weeks getting to know the Soundpeats Q40 HD, and then I’ll get back to you. So, without further ado, the Soundpeats Q40 HD… 

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

–Soundpeats

–Amazon

Q40 HD Pros

-Build Quality is not bad at all for the cost

-IP67 waterproof rating

-Price

-Comfort is simply awesome

-Deep penetrating bass, very fun

-Energetic and fun sound

-Passive sound isolation is very nice without ANC

-Battery Life is amazing (20 hrs) 

-10 minute fast-charge gets 5 hours 

-LDAC

-Multi-Point Connection 

-Bluetooth 5.4

-PeatsAudio APP

Q40 Cons 

-Not everyone enjoys a neck-band style earbud

-Nothing else at this price 

Packaging / Accessories 

Unboxing

When unboxing a budget range earbud, you and I really shouldn’t expect some ultra elaborate accessory bundle. I find the Q40 HD’s unboxing to be refreshing in that it isn’t some ultra elaborate box or anything and nothing wasteful. What you will find is a medium sized small white box with a picture of the Q40 HD on the cover. Really, it’s a typical Soundpeats cover art. Always looking great. As far as the unboxing, I won’t ruin it for you, but I will tell you is that inside the box are the earbuds themselves, a carrying case, a slew of eartips and fins along with a couple really useful cable cinch’s, a nice karabiner as well as a type-c to usb-a charging cable. Honestly, it is a very nice package for $49.

Accessories 

So inside of the package Soundpeats provides a total of five pairs (XL, L, M, S, XS) of black silicone eartips. The eartips are all wide-bore and all have a very comfy feel to them. I actually used the large size tips that came in the Packaging and the seal I get is very nice. You also get three sets (L, M, S) of silicone fins which simply go over the body of the earbuds to help with fitment. In my opinion the fins are absolutely necessary just because of how long the earbuds are. You need something providing some stability. At any rate, the fins work as intended, just get the size which fits you and your good. Like I said, Soundpeats also adds in two cable cinches which are easy to install. They are completely self-explanatory and so I won’t bore you with the details. The karabiner is nice as you connect it to the carrying case. Which brings me to the carrying case. It is a very nice black faux leather zipper case which is just large enough to fit the Q40 HD as well as some extra tips and fins. A perfect size to put into a pocket. Really, I found that all accessories are of good quality and easy to use. 

Build / Design / Internals / Fit 

Build Quality 

So the actual build quality of the Q40 HD is better than I would’ve guessed. I mean, we all know it’ll be made of plastic and rubber and sure enough it is. However, the plastic is not some chinsy and weak plastic, it’s dense, it feels substantial. Like I said, the Q40 HDs are slightly longer on the backside of the earbuds, and they stick out a little ways. One of the super cool things that I accidentally found out was that those long earbuds actually hide some magnets inside of them which helps to keep the earbuds attached to each other for storing. It’s a nice feature. The nozzles are longer which I feel they have to be to offset the longer backside, but the fit is flat-out awesome. Part of the reason is that the nozzles enter your ears at the perfect angle for the human ear. Which sort-of helps with the weight of this set. The way the Q40 HD handles weight distribution is great. The Q40 HD is always comfortable for my ears and never was a problem. At any rate, the earbuds themselves are made how you’d think a $49 wireless device would be made, but again, it just feels more sturdy, durable and substantial than other neck-band style earbuds. 

Wire / Controller

Attached to those earbuds is of course a slim wire covered in black rubber coating. It’s fairly long overall which is why the cable cinch comes in handy. On the right side of the wire is a small black plastic controller which houses the type-c charging port as well as a microphone and three buttons. So, there is a lot going on there. The three buttons are your previous track, rewind, and volume down button. The middle button is the power in/off, play/pause, answer calls, hang-up calls button. And lastly you have your forward track, fast forward, and volume up button. The controls have very nice haptic recognition for button pushes and they work right away. 

Design

As far as the actual look & aesthetic is concerned, well, not everyone is trying to use neck-band style earbuds. However, if you are reading this then chances are that is exactly what you want. Good thing for you, the Q40 HD is not a bad looking set of earbuds. Now, they do stick out of your ears a good ways and so if that’s a problem for you then you might want to take note. All in all, I feel the Q40 HD is a nice-looking set of wireless earbuds. Soundpeats always have good style, and they rarely make anything which isn’t fresh looking. Granted, these are neck-band style and so I think we all know what to expect. 

Internals

One thing that Soundpeats always does is use quality drivers in every set that they make. It’s pretty easy to see that they don’t skimp on this area of the build at all. To be exact, Soundpeats went with a 11mm PU+LCP dynamic driver which is driven by Neodymium magnets. It’s a solid driver folks, no distortions, takes EQ like a champ as well. Soundpeats also opted for a large battery inside of the controller panel which affords up to 20 hours of battery life. However, each earbud also uses 55mAH batteries on each side. Now, the Bluetooth Chip is one that we’ve seen a number of times in the past, that is the WQ7034MX SOC chip which allows BT 5.4 as well as LDAC (more later) and every other mode on this set. Another awesome feature of this chip is that it allows AI powered phone call ANC (more later). Soundpeats has actually used this chip in a number of sets and obviously have plenty of knowledge in using it. 

Fitment / Isolation 

Like I said, the fit for me is great. Weight distribution is perfect. I really truly never had a problem, at all. Now, I have zero idea how well this set will fit your ears, but they fit mine like a glove. Okay, maybe not like a glove, but you get the point. The one very nice quality that the Q40 HD has is in its passive noise isolation. Oddly enough, the Q40 HD’s isolation passively, is just as good as some sets’ ANC. Of course you’ll hear some sounds coming in, but the Q40 HD does better than most. 

Specifications 

CORE SPECS:

-Name: Soundpeats Q40 HD 

-Bluetooth Chip: WQ7034MX 

-Waterproof Rating:  IP67

-Bluetooth:  5.4

-Audio Codecs:  SBC, AAC, LDAC 

-Bluetooth Profiles:  HSP / HFP / A1DP / AVRCP

BATTERY

-Battery Capacity:  110mAH (Double 55 mAH) 

-Charging Time:  1.5 Hours

-Standby Time:  100 Hours

-Play Time:  20 Hours

What’s Included in the Packaging 

-Soundpeats Q40 HD 

-Eartips:  Five Pairs (XS, S, M L, XL) 

-Ear Wings:  Three Pairs (S, M, L) 

-Adjustable Cinch:  x2

-Charging Cable (Type-C) 

-User Manual 

Features

Multi-point Connection

One feature that the Q40 HD comes equipped with is a very nice feature in Multi-Point Connection. This feature enables you to be paired with multiple devices at once. Ask anyone who uses this feature on a regular basis, and you’ll know how important it can be. Now, the multi-point of the Q40 HD works like a charm folks. I’ve only used it one time, but it worked very well. I honestly don’t ever need multi-point, but I know plenty who do use it and it is a great feature to have. I should add that many devices do carry multi-point nowadays. 

Waterproofing (IPX Rating) 

Another fantastic quality of this set is the fact that it carries one the best waterproofing available to small devices in IP67. This is huge folks. Basically, the Q40 HD can withstand all types of rain, water hose, sweat, splashes of any kind and it can even be submerged in water for a brief time. It’s pretty awesome. What this means is that the Q40 HD is perfect for those outdoor types who run in all conditions or workout and sweat, a lot. Honestly, it’s just a great feature folks and it’s one less worry for the buyer. Let’s say you somehow drop your Q40 HD into the toilet, well, it’s all good. Actually, that’s terrible, don’t do that. Still, the point is that the Q40 HD will still work. 

Game Mode / Low Latency Mode

Another nice feature that I actually use daily is the “Game Mode”. Game Mode is basically a low-latency mode for use when playing games or watching videos. I found that the game mode works wonderfully for any video watching and for most games. The only game type that I have played that doesn’t sync up perfectly was many of the first-person shooter games. Really everything else worked great. In truth, the Q40 HD never really has bad latency in normal listening, but the Game Mode really does crank things up a notch. 

PeatsAudio APP

One of the absolute best features about the Soundpeats Q40 HD is not anything you can control from the earbuds but is instead the companion app which Soundpeats uses. That app is called PeatsAudio. Now, the PeatsAudio app can be found in both Android as well as IOS playstores. It’s a very user friendly and easy app to use. Also, it’s one of the best audio companion apps in the business. I have used them all and PeatsAudio is one of the more robust. One of the easier to understand, simplest, and more functional apps out there, as far as wireless devices goes anyways. It isn’t the most diverse and intricate app out there, but it gets the job done.

PeatsAudio cont… 

First, you can obviously make firmware upgrades through the app. You can also play around with the EQ presets, of which Soundpeats provides nine different preset EQ profiles, and each one does exactly what it proclaims that it does. Furthermore, you can also make your own personalized EQ changes through the Custom EQ and the beauty of that is your personal EQ settings save to your earbuds for good until you change them again. You also can use the Adaptive EQ function or go with Dynamic EQ. In the app you can toggle Game Mode, ANC Settings, toggle Dual-Device Connection, increase the volume (most of this you can do from the earbuds themselves) and you can reset the earbuds from the app too. The app lets you check battery level, change languages, and it’ll perform a fit test. I find the PeatsAudio app to be perfectly fluid and easy to use and it’s a great asset that really does separate Soundpeats from some other audio brands. 

EQ

One thing you can never say about Soundpeats is that they don’t give you every way possible at dialing in the sound to your own preferences. First off, Soundpeats offers nine different preset EQ settings. Those being: Soundpeats Classic, Treble Boost, Bass Boost, Bass Reduce, Electronic, Pop, Classical, Rock, & Folk. Very easy to use, literally just check into the app and press the button of each preset. You can also use Soundpeats 9-Band graphic equalizer and use your own custom settings. It works awesome and I use it all the time. I should add that every custom EQ setting can be saved to the Q40 HD for use with every device, and every app as it actually saves to the earbuds themselves. Which is great. Soundpeats also offers Adaptive EQ which dials in the sound according to your own personal ability to hear. This involves listening to certain “beeps” and “tones” which helps the Q40 establish what you can and cannot hear well and then develops an EQ setting perfect for you. I actually don’t really need this, but it’s very helpful to others with hearing issues. Lastly, Soundpeats offers an awesome setting called “Dynamic EQ” and it basically just ramps everything up with the tuning. It becomes more energetic, more robust, more fun. 

Battery 

Like I said earlier, each earbud has a huge 55 mAH battery inside and I’m sure there is also a much larger battery inside of the controller panel. This is one of the greater features that come with the Q40 HD. In fact, the Q40 HD gets you a total of 20 hours of use with one charge. That is absolutely spectacular. 20 hours is no joke folks. Another great thing is that a quick 10-minute fast charge will provide 5 hours of listening, which is basically unheard of. Also, I can testify to this folks. I actually drained the battery completely and tried this out. Now, I didn’t perform an exact test, but I definitely got right around 5 hours after a 10-minute fast charge. Not having to worry about battery life is a wonderful thing for a wireless device. 

Call Quality

So, one of the use cases for the Soundpeats Q40 HD is one which some may not think of right away. That is; it’s perfect for office usage. I know this because I actually use the Q40 HD in my office. One of the reasons why it’s nice is because of its ability to make clear and clean phone calls without any outside noise creeping in at an annoying level. Soundpeats actually added in AI Noise Isolation which learns from the outside environment and varies the mics according to that environment. Now, as far as phone calls go, the Q40 HD isn’t bad at all. I hear a slight unnaturalness, but that goes for any set of earbuds. For the most part the sound is very clean, and very clear. Call quality isn’t bad at all. 

Audio Codecs

Now, this is an area which wholly surprised me folks. That is; the audio codecs available on the Q40 HD. Now, of course they provide AAC code for any ios devices and even some Android devices too. Also, they added in Aptx too. Which is the furthest extent that I thought Soundpeats would go for a $49 set of neck band earbuds. However, the surprise came when I saw “LDAC” in the Specifications. That completely blew me away that Soundpeats was going this far to make sure that good quality sound hit the consumer’s ears. Again, the last thing I expected to see. Sure enough, Soundpeats goes the extra mile to make sure that their device is better equipped than other comparable neck-band models. At any rate, LDAC is one of the best audio codecs in the market and has been for years. It’ll provide a bit rate of up to 990 kbs along with a very high 32bit 96khz audio transmission. In essence, that’s about three times the data input as the lowest level SBC codec and about twice as much as Aptx-HD or Aptx-Adaptive. It really does render true high-resolution audio. Now, good wireless audio isn’t all about codecs though. I don’t want to give you the wrong idea because even using AAC with my iPad was a very hi-res experience with the Q40 HD. LDAC is simply a nice feature to have. 

Sound Impressions 

*Note: Before I dive into the Sound portion of this review, I first want to specify that I did use the included tips for all critical listening. I listen entirely with the LDAC audio codec and multiple source devices, but mainly my Samsung Galaxy Z fold 5. I listen mainly to flac or better files which are stored on my devices. The Android music player of my choice is usually UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) or Poweramp for any Bluetooth listening. 

What’s it sound like? 

I gotta hand it to Soundpeats. They really did craft and create an excellent sounding neck-band style earbud. The Q40 HD has what I’d call a nicely balanced V-shaped signature with a very smooth demeanor. It has a much cleaner sound than I was expecting. I guess I don’t know what I expected. Perhaps I expected the same type of sound as older neck-band style sets that I have with LDAC like the 1More Triple Driver which was praised up and down and cost a whole lot more. Well, Soundpeats easily tuned the Q40 HD in a more organic and resolute manner. One thing which has stood out during my time with this set is that each area of the mix (bass, mids, treble) all are represented very well. Soundpeats left nothing out. You have some nice rumbly, atmospheric, but also deep bass. Bass to make your feet move. It has those rich and smooth mids, and an airy enough treble which also has that organic smoothness. Believe me, I was expecting something darker, more bass heavy, more shouty in the treble. However, Soundpeats truly impressed me with a very mature tuning which is also very fun too. Just a great balance. 

It’ll get your feet moving… 

In my opinion, the Soundpeats Q40 HD is definitely a musicality-first earbud. Meaning, it definitely carries an emotionally charged and musically harmonious sound. I don’t hear anything overly analytical, dry, or clinical sounding, thankfully. The Q40 HD has some really nice dynamics and a more expressive macro-dynamic presentation, with very solid tonal contrast for a $49 wireless set of earbuds. Which really did impress me. Honestly, there’s depth to the sound. I mean, front to back depth. Believe me, I was not prepared to hear that. It isn’t a flat, dull, or boring sound here. There’s some excitement, some sprightliness, some vibrance too, yet it does so in a slightly warmer and slightly richer environment. Again, it’s the type of sound which will get your feet moving, yet without sacrificing cleanliness. Really a nicely done tuning folks. 

Technically Solid

Now, nobody is purchasing the Q40 HD for its detail retrieval. Folks who want this set are likely purchasing it for its ability to help move their bodies to the music. Having said that, the Q40 HD may just deliver details that some folks didn’t even know is hidden in that music. You see, the Soundpeats Q40 HD has a very black background, and the tuning is really well done. Again, there’s a dynamic balance, very clean notes, tighter transients, no heavy masking, and enough treble presence to illuminate, or draw out some of the minutiae in my music. The tuning alone provides a canvas for details to emerge. Even just using Aptx codec the sound was very clean. However, LDAC really does sound great with this set. Another aspect of the sound which really surprises me is the larger soundstage. The sound does have a nicely chasmic sound field with better depth of field than I was prepared for. Again, I don’t know what I was expecting folks, but the Q40 HD surpassed whatever that was. Basically, you know a good tuning when you hear it and Soundpeats are seasoned vets when it comes to well tuned wireless devices. In fact, I don’t know many brands who have been doing portable wireless devices longer than Soundpeats. Let’s quickly check out each 3rd of the mix, shall we… 

Bass Region 

One thing that a good neck-band style earbud cannot be without is some solid bass. Now, “most” cheap neck-band style earbuds will cheaply boost the low-end in hopes of making it a fun sound. What usually happens is the bass drowns out everything else. The bass comes across muddy, bloomy, and everything else. However, what Soundpeats does is they put their skilled audio engineers to the test, and they craft what I would call “quality bass” considering the cost, considering the driver configuration (single DD), and considering that it is a wireless device. Actually, the bass is quite agile on the Q40 HD. Now, it won’t best wired iems of the same cost, but for a Bluetooth set of earbuds there is quite a lot of controlled dynamism. Now, this isn’t a weak bass folks. It can bring it and hit quite hard and fairly deep in pitch. I’d also go so far as to say it has some decent texture in its mid-bass, and some vibratory haptic feedback from the sublevels. It isn’t the fastest bass on earth, but the Q40 HD’s low-end meanders through basslines very well without ever oversaturating the rest of the mix. Which is saying something. In truth, the bass on the Q40 HD is certainly a fun bass which shares a balanced emphasis with the treble, contrasting the highs very well. Not only is it fun, but it is also well defined. There’s nothing pillowy, nothing weak, and nothing dry about the low-end. One more thing, the bass does bleed into the mids just enough to add some nice note weight and warmth. Not bad for $49!

Midrange 

Looking at the midrange, I hear an ever-so-slight recession in the low-mids and a slightly more forward and shimmery upper-mids. The midrange is certainly a smooth character with a semi-rich note weight and what I’d call natural transients throughout the midrange. Instruments and vocalists come across organic, natural, slightly warmed, with adequate weight to both their fundamental tones as well as inflections. Male vocalists come through with decent weight, though they aren’t as energized as I might like. Of course, this is a $49 neck-band set of earbuds, and it has drastically over-shot my expectations, so I can live with a slight recession and lack of energy. However, that’s a small part of the spectrum because the rest of the mids are very clean, more vibrant, there’s some sparkle, and I hear better note definition then I would’ve thought. I also hear nice layering of the sound field in this region for a set like this. Beyond layering, you’ll also hear better details than one might expect too. Detail retrieval comes through nicely for a wireless set. Now, this isn’t the most airy and open sounding set, but the cleanliness helps tremendously to create those fine distinctions from note to note, instrument to instrument, and it does so with a nice and smooth rendition of my music library. I’m not saying it’s perfect folks. What I am saying is that Soundpeats actually tuned this set very well. It’s clean, nice timbre, tight transients and an altogether nice sounding midrange. 

Treble Region 

The treble region is one which comes across non-offensive out-of-the-box. Soundpeats made sure not to have those screaming and piercing highs. Of course, if you want screaming highs, you could always EQ till your heart’s content. I will say, you can EQ some more db’s in the presence region and the Q40 HD will reward your listening with some pretty talented highs for the cost. However, as-is, the treble tuning is one of smoothness over crispness. It’s a treble which carries just enough emphasis to add some sparkle to the upper-mids and some levity across the mix. This is not the type of treble which carries loads of treble bite, and it isn’t the airiest treble I’ve ever heard. Yet it also isn’t a dull or boring treble either. I hear just enough of a sparkle to make my music sound interesting and fun. I like the balance though, and the overall timbre of this region. Instruments generally have some decent weight to them and the treble comes across relatively contoured and clean. 

Technicalities 

One area where wireless products rarely make a name for themselves is in their soundstage. Having said that, the Q40 HD comes across pretty nicely. Like I said earlier there is nice front to back depth and plenty of space left to right as well. All things considered, I’d say the soundstage is about average. The treble isn’t the most airy and open, or extended which does create a slightly less wide sound field. That said, it really isn’t bad at all, and I can assure you the sound doesn’t come across congested sounding. As for sound separation, the Q40 HD does a pretty nice job of keeping concise notes, somewhat tight (natural) transients, and an overall clean sound which does help to distinctly separate  instruments. Imaging is better than average. I never had a problem placing instruments within the sound field. Left to right is great and there’s even some depth for layering. Pretty surprising actually. Now, detail retrieval is certainly better than I would’ve guessed. I find that hearing the subtle stuff within my music is pretty easy to discern. However, in more complicated tracks I do find that some blending is going on making the sound slightly more congested, but for the most part detail retrieval is good. Especially for a budget oriented, musicality-first, wireless single DD. 

Is it worth the asking price? 

This is an easy question to answer. For $49 this neck-band style set of earbuds is easily worth that cost. Especially for what you are getting. Now, I don’t check out neck-band style earbuds every day and I’m not really up on the other sets in the field. However, I know what I hear in the Q40 HD, and I am impressed at the sonic skill this set has for the cost. Never would I have guessed that I’d be saying that. Plus, it’s simply a solid package folks. It looks nice enough, it functions very well, it’s built nice enough, and it sounds great. To have Game Mode, ANC for phone calls, Multi-Point Connection, as well as one of the best Companion APPs for music on the appstore clearly helps me come to that conclusion. Again, for $49! However, it’s the sound which truly brings this set to the next level. The bass hits hard, deep, it rumbles, but it’s also well defined. The midrange is clean, nice note weight, good presence, and technically is very nice. Also, the treble is completely non-offensive & just emphasized enough to strike a nice balance dynamically with the bass region. To add to that, the treble has some spiciness and energy, just without the harshness. Technically the Q40 HD superseded my expectations. It sounds more like a wired earphone than a wireless product. Really a great tuning by the good folks at Soundpeats. So, I can say with absolute assurance that the Soundpeats Q40 HD is worth every penny of that $49 and it’s an easy rec from me for anyone who is searching for an under $50 neck-band set of earbuds. 

Conclusion 

To conclude my full review of the Soundpeats Q40 HD, I first have to thank the people of Soundpeats. Folks, these awesome people have been nothing but amazing to deal with. Always Soundpeats simply asks for my truth when conducting a review and they never ask anything of me which would hurt my integrity. So, thank you so very much Soundpeats! I also need to thank you, the reader, for dropping by this review and spending time here. It means the world to us here at Mobileaudiophile.com as every last click is a good thing. I truly hope that this review has helped you too. 

Other Perspectives 

Now that you’ve read my full review, I do hope you’ll check out some others. Take some time to read, watch, or listen to other perspectives as we all are very much different. We are different in our likes and dislikes, with our music libraries, with our cult ability to hear even. We are just different folks. Reviewers are just the same. So, please take some time to check out some other thoughts. Well, with all that said, I think I’m done friends. So, please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!!