Soundpeats Air5 Review
Intro
Hello friends, today I am reviewing the latest from the audio brand Soundpeats named the Soundpeats Air5 ($89). The Air5 are actually semi in-ear true wireless earphones and Soundpeats have pretty much perfected the technology. I reviewed Soundpeats last semi in-ear TWS set as well, the Soundpeats Air4 (Air4 Review), which was very solid across the board, and so I am more than happy to check out the latest from the brand. I guess I want to see how the tech has evolved, and how Soundpeats upgraded the Air5 from its predecessors. Particularly the Air4, which was and still is a very nice sounding and well-functioning true wireless set of earbuds.
Soundpeats
Folks, Soundpeats are one of those brands which always pushes the envelope to see what they can produce for the least amount of money for the consumer. Their track record is a mile long as they always craft and create audio devices which are characterized first by their price to performance. I’ve reviewed a multitude of Soundpeats wireless devices, and each seems like an upgrade (respectively) over the last rendition of any series within their lineup. Always an upgrade, better tech, Internals, Bluetooth Chips, better mics, or even upgraded features (depending) on the device. The point is that Soundpeats is always moving forward and always near the budget space. Soundpeats seem to always be at the cutting edge of what is possible at lower prices using tech which used to be relegated to much more expensive sets.
Let’s get it…
I am overly curious about the Air5 and how it has been an upgrade over its predecessor. I haven’t actually listened to the Air5 yet as that will come tonight. However, if it’s anything even remotely close to the Air4, then it’s a smashing success. To be 100% honest, semi in-ear earbuds are not my first choice when listening out and about. I do enjoy in-ear earbuds a bit more, but I’m telling you right now, Soundpeats has an amazing way of bringing dynamism to the sound, even with the natural air gap due to its semi in-ear fitment. I suppose I’m ready to give the Air5 a listen and I’ll see you here in a few weeks after I’ve spent enough time with them to feel comfortable telling you all about them. The Soundpeats Air5 everyone….
Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:
–Amazon (Black Friday as low as $71!! at Amazon)
Air5 Pros
-Build Quality isn’t bad at all
-Design is always nice ON Soundpeats sets
-Those who enjoy the way semi in-ear earbuds fit will enjoy this set
-Great small charging case
-Fantastic for phone calls ie: TEAMS Meetings etc.
-Working ANC!
-Easy to use Multi-point connection
-Soundpeats APP
-Takes to EQ like a champ
-Deep, palpable bass region
-Forward and clean midrange in stock settings
-Crisp treble for an earbud, good extension even without EQ
-Airy, open, wide stage
Air5 Cons
-Not everyone enjoys semi in-ear earbuds
-Can move around in the ear at times
-Bass isn’t the tightest (EQ helps)
Packaging / Accessories
Unboxing
Not much to report in this section. I’ll give it a go though. The Soundpeats Air5 arrived at my home with a smaller box with a photo of the Air5 on the front. The back has some specs, that’s about it. Open the box and you’ll straight-away see the Charging case covered in plastic and sitting cozy within a cutout. On each side of this cut-out is hollow cardboard chambers which hold the type-c charging cable. That’s the extent of the unboxing. There is some reading material as well included, but there isn’t much more to report. Nor should there be. It’s a semi in-ear set of true wireless for crying out loud.
Charging Case
I love a solid charging case. Coincidentally, I certainly don’t love a bad one. Who’da thunk it. Really though, the Air5’s charging case is really a great one, for a couple reasons. For one, the case is a perfect size folks. I cannot stress this enough that if it cannot fit inside of the tiny watch pocket in the front right side of my jeans, then the case is too big. We should rename that little pocket the “True Wireless Pocket”. I’m not at all lying when I tell you that I go absolutely NO WHERE without a set of tws in that pocket. The Air5’s case fits like a glove. So, that first reason is actually very subjective, but I’m sure it matters to somebody else… maybe? Next, the case is made well for a plastic case. It isn’t some chinsy material that feels like it’s going to burst to pieces if you drop it. It’s well made. Also, it looks nice. All black, small square with heavily rounded edges, flips up from the front, nice unassuming writing on it. Really a sleek case. Also, the case gives the listener a grand total of 30 hours of battery life which is pretty darn awesome for the size of the case. Lastly, the Air5 are very easy to get out and in without a hassle and the magnets are actually strong enough that they suck right into place without much manual coercion.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality
You already know that the Air5 is made out of plastic. However, the question is what type of plastic they are made out of. These brands have to use plastic or some other kind of material type which won’t block the antennas signal. Also, it’s easy to make using plastic, less costly, easier to mold etc. With that being said, the Air5 is made how every Soundpeats set is made, they’re made very well. Nothing earth shattering or life changing but they are made pretty nice. Above average for this style against the market of semi in-ear sets. You’ll notice that the Air5 are, in fact, semi in-ear (as I’ve said a couple thousand times), and so they are shaped similar to Apple Airpods in that they have the rounded plastic nozzle which rests in the outer ear. Also, the Air5 is a stem style earbud which usually renders them better for phone calls. I did say usually. There’s also three mics per earphone as well which can be easily seen. Now, the touch surface is the back side of the earbuds about where most faceplates are. Not bad at all.
Design
Now we get to the design. I’ve always enjoyed Soundpeats designs. The Air5 actually comes in four flavors (colors) in Black, White, Beige, and Purple. Obviously, mine is the black pair with gold trim which looks absolutely slick in all ways you turn them. Soundpeats puts their stylish logo in gold within the touch surface. The gold then extends all the way down the stem for a very nice contrast. In fact, all four colors are really dope looking. I actually think the white or beige are just as slick as the black colorway. Just very stylish. Nice work Soundpeats!
Internals
Now we get to the Internals which will explain why the Air5’s cost $89. For one, they used a Qualcomm QCC3091 chipset which is one of the best chips that you can put into a set of earbuds. More on that in the next section. Next, they used a 13mm huge dynamic driver made of a combination of Japanese imported paper pulp, bio-fiber, and a composite PU. No question that this is a good driver. I hear no obvious distortions, even at high volume levels. Soundpeats also advertises that they put the nickel-plated battery directly behind the speaker which enables less background noise. They say by 28% but I have zero idea how in the world you’d figure that out. There is other circuitry to speak of but it isn’t important to note here. However, with the driver and the chipset that Soundpeats used it’s no wonder why this set sounds as good as it does.
Chipset
Like I said, the Soundpeats Air5 is outfitted with one of the best Qualcomm chip sets that you can put into a set of earbuds. Of course, other brands have used this chipset in the past (those too are great sets) but it’s all in how the chipset is implemented. The QCC3091 SOC Chipset doesn’t necessarily offer more features than other chips, but they perform those features better, much better. For one, the QCC3091 enables the listener Aptx-Adaptive Lossless codec, which by the way is the best audio codec on planet earth in my opinion. In fact, LDAC has absolutely nothing on it. It’s LDAC on steroids. This chip also allows a sort of AI Adaptive ANC (more on that later), pass through (more on that later), noise cancellation for phone calls (more on that later), multi-point connection (more on that later), and game mode (more on that later). However, one of the best features for a wireless product is issued with this chipset, that is… Snapdragon Sound (more on that later). You should read up on it because it is a very nice feature. Finally, this chipset allows the newest BT5.4. This is a very solid chip folks as it is Bluetooth at its finest.
Fit / Comfort
Perhaps one of the most polarizing features about the Air5 is the fact that they are semi in-ear earbuds. It’s just the truth. You either like this style of earbud, or you don’t. Very few people don’t have a strong opinion about this style of earbud. Also, depending on your ear anatomy will drastically alter how this set fits. Believe it or not if I push the Air5 in just right I actually get a seal. Not everyone can say that. To add to that, the Air5 only weighs 3.8 grams per earbud which is ridiculously light. You don’t feel them in your ears. So, in my opinion the Air5 have an amazing fit for the style of earbud. They fit like a glove. Now, will the Air5 fit your ears? That’s a question that I cannot answer.
Earbud Controls
Thankfully, the touch controls in the Air5 are awesome. Soundpeats saw to it to make all functions available through different tapping of the faceplate area of the Air5. You can tap pause/play, volume up or down, next track or previous track, game mode, ANC, and you can summon your phone’s assistant using touch controls. This is a huge thing folks. Being able to control all functions at the tap of your finger is really a nice feature. I cannot describe to you how many sets don’t have volume controls, or the ability to scroll through modes and you have no idea how many sets don’t have previous track. Oddly enough. The Air5 have them all and they are laid out in the Soundpeats App or in the packaging.
Control functionality
As far as the actual responsiveness of those touch controls goes, the Air5 touch surface is very responsive to my commands. In fact, sometimes they are too responsive with phantom touches which happen by slightly grazing the touch surface. I certainly don’t think it’s a problem, but it is a testament to the quality of the touch surface. Anyways, the Air5 is not some jenky or cheap set of wireless earbuds that takes forever for me to pause, or forever to switch tracks etc. No sir… the Air5 works right away, everytime. I realize this seems like a petty thing. Tell me that when you have a set that is horrible in this regard.
Specifications
Core Specs
Bluetooth: V5.4
Profiles: HSP/ HFP/ A2DP/ AVRCP
Chipset: QCC3091
Supported Bluetooth Codec: AAC/SBC/APTX Adaptive Lossless
Battery
Battery Capacity: 35*2 mAH(Earbuds) 400mAH (Case)
Charging Time: ＜1.5H (Earbuds）＜2H(Case)
Charging Port: Type-C
Total Playtime: 30 hours
What’s in the box
SOUNDPEATS Air5 aptX Lossless Wireless Earbuds
Type-C Charging Cable
Charging Case
User Manual
Packaging
Single Earbud Weight: 3.8g
Charging Case with Earbuds: 44.56g
Control Type: Touch
Waterproof Rating: IPX5
Features
Game Mode
It is pretty commonplace that a set of tws earbuds will have a game mode or a low-latency mode. The thing which separates some game modes from others is the actual latency in real world usage. Soundpeats doesn’t actually promote how fast the actual latency is in the Air5 but I’m assuming it’s pretty darn quick. I say that because I have yet to watch a YouTube video or Netflix with a single voice syncing problem when without game mode and so with it the latency has had zero lag. However, most sets can do that. It’s when I was playing COD on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 that I really started to see how well the Air5 performs. Obviously, like any good tws they won’t be perfect, but they will be darn close. All gunfire seemed spot on, background noises, and even some explosions were zero lag. Again, not perfect but very close. Enough to not be a problem. Casual games the Air5 is perfect with. Like I said, it isn’t mind boggling to see a tws perform well with lag, but it is a good quality to report.
Multi-Point Connection
Now this is another feature that is very nice to have if and when you need it. I’m talking about “multi-point connection”. Multi-point gives the Air5 the ability to be connected to two different devices at once. Basically, I can watch a video on my iPad and then get a phone call on my cell phone. I can simply answer the call without the connection completely breaking on the iPad. Multi-point is great when you need it although it’s a feature that I rarely use. Maybe if I’m awaiting a special call that I don’t want to miss, it’s important to me but mostly I don’t even think about it. Having said that, there was a time when multi-point was very important to me and having that ability is fantastic. The Air5 performs this task very well and I have yet to have an issue with it.
ANC
One of the cooler features of this set of semi in-ear earbuds is that they actually have noise cancellation. Well, “cancelation” is sort of a misnomer when in all actuality you aren’t completely canceling outside noises. What you are doing is attenuation outside noises. The Soundpeats Air5 have what Soundpeats dubbs “All Round Intelligent Noise Cancellation” which works with the help of AI. Centrally, this means that the ANC works in many different fronts. Three to be exact. One way the ANC works is through attenuation outside noises to a degree when listening to music, videos, or whenever. This is called “AI Adaptive Environmental Noise Cancellation”. Another way is by canceling out wind noise which is an awesome ability of this set. Soundpeats refers to this function as “AI Intelligent Wind Noise Reduction”. Lastly, the ANC works perfectly for attenuation background noises for phone calls which is called “AI Call Noise Reduction”.
How good is the ANC
Okay, like I said, the words “Noise Canceling” is a bit of an overstatement. No tws on earth cancels outside noise altogether. That’s not available anywhere. What happens with the Air5 is that it uses feedforward and feed backword microphones for its canceling ability. There are a few different ways that brands perform canceling out background noises and the FF and FB mics do a very good job. However, it seems as though most sets will only ever attenuate one part of the spectrum well. The Air5 does a decent job at attenuation noises like my fan humming in the background, or a car engine, AC unit, stuff like that. Constant droning sounds. What it and every other earbud with ANC cannot cancel out is sudden noises and very few have the ability to cancel out higher pitched noise or someone talking for instance. Friends, understand that THE Air5 are a “Semi In-Ear” set of earbuds. The name itself implies that sound gets through from the background. So, just by the fact that the style of earbud is semi in-ear it is pretty fabulous that Soundpeats was able to create a set that attenuate any noise at all. In fact, most folks purchase a set like this so that they CAN hear outside noises. Honestly, it isn’t the best ANC just because of this but it is monumentally better than almost all semi in-ear sets which proclaim to have ANC. Does that make sense? Really a good job by Soundpeats.
Snapdragon Sound
I spoke a little about Snapdragon Sound, but it bears repeating because this function of the QCC3091 chip is pretty much cutting-edge tech as far as Bluetooth is concerned. Having Snapdragon Sound basically means better Bluetooth across the board. One great quality is the enhanced connection via wifi. The Air5 can get you up to 24bit /192khz Lossless music streaming without any loss of connection. It features an ability to adapt to the environment and scale down bitrate depending on the congestion of certain areas. Snapdragon Sound improves listening over streaming or making phone calls by increasing the bandwidth to stay connected in a crystal-clear capacity. All streaming is performed over wifi which greatly enhances Lossless audio. What it means is that music will be as good as it can get with as little quality lost. There’re many more features to Snapdragon Sound and you can find them HERE.
Battery Life
Soundpeats promotional material states that you can get up to a total of 30 hours of battery life with the charging case. Also, the earbuds themselves will give you 6 hours in total before needing a recharge. That is not the highest total in the world of wireless audio, but it also isn’t bad at all either. About average I’d say and pretty good for a set with ANC.
Audio Codecs
One of the great features of the chipset is that it allows Aptx-Adaptive Lossless audio codec. In my opinion, this is the best codec out there. For its ability to transmit Lossless audio, for its connection strength, for its ability to adapt to the environment around you. It’s truly the best I’ve used. Definitely better than LDAC. Of course, you have to have a phone or device which allows it too. Anyways, Aptx-Adaptive Lossless can get you up to 1.2mbps bit rate which is out of this world. You basically aren’t missing anything in your music. The good thing is that if you don’t have a phone or device which allows Aptx-Adaptive Lossless then Soundpeats made sure to provide a couple staple audio codecs to use. Those are AAC and SBC. So, SBC is the original standard Bluetooth code and comes in all wireless devices. Not the best, but I’ve heard quite a few sets which shine using SBC. Lastly, the Air5 also has the AAC codec which is used primarily with Apple IOS devices yet works perfectly fine with Android devices as well.
Waterproofing
Another nice thing to see is a decent waterproof rating on the Air5. Soundpeats states that the Air5 is capable of a waterproof rating of IPX5 as well as being sweatproof. IPX5 means that the Air5 can get hit with water from any direction. Basically, that means stuff like rain drops etc. However, it also means that you cannot submerge the Air5 in water or liquid of any kind. To be honest IPX5 is a solid rating to have for a device like this. Also, being sweatproof is a nice thing to see for those who work out with their earbuds, go running, and work outside around the house too.
Soundpeats APP
Another feature worth mentioning is the Soundpeats APP which works only if you own a Soundpeats product. The actual name of the app is called “PeatsAudio” within the Google Playstore as well as the IOS Appstore. You have to pair the APP with your Soundpeats device and then you can perform a whole host of different operations. Really, it’s like any earbud and it’s correlating APP. As for the Air5, using the app you can get any firmware upgrades or reset your buds. The app gives you the ability to check the battery status of your earbuds or the charging case. You have the ability to customize the touch surface commands. Also, you can switch to game mode and all ANC settings. However, the best part about the Soundpeats APP is the fact that you can change the EQ settings on the Air5 within the app. Really, it’s an easy-to-use app with a great UI which makes performing any of those tasks very easy.
EQ
Probably my favorite feature of the Air5 is the equalizer within the Soundpeats APP. Soundpeats has a 10-band equalizer which ranges from 31hz to 16khz. What I love about this equalizer is that you can set up different saved profiles for yourself and each time you change those settings or switch to a different saved profile then those settings are saved to the earbuds themselves. That means those EQ settings stay on your buds no matter what music app, social media, video service you are listening to or any device (smartphone) you listen with. Soundpeats also offers preset equalizer settings as well. This helps tremendously for those who simply don’t understand a graphic equalizer. At any rate, the preset settings include the Soundpeats Classic settings, Treble Boost, Bass Boost, Bass Reduce, Electronic, Pop, Classical, Rock, and Folk. Each different preset is pretty distinct and offers its own flavor to the sound. I would say that none of that matters at all if the Air5 wasn’t able to react well to EQ. Thankfully, the Air5 really does take to EQ of any kind very well. Truthfully, I was pretty surprised.
Phone Calls
The last feature that I feel is a huge strength of the Air5 is its ability to make clean phone calls that reflect my voice naturally and without an overtly tinny sounding inflection to my voice like 90% of tws do. The fact that Soundpeats added in CVC8.0 noise canceling during phone calls helps a lot to have a quieter background. I use the Air5 often for TEAMS meeting at work, or for simple phone calls to my wife etc. and one thing that is a constant is a voice which comes across clean, clear, and fairly organic. Obviously the Air5 is not going to overtake a $300 pair of headphones which are literally made for online meetings. Yet for the cost of $89 the Air5 does very well.
Sound Impressions
Note: I want to quickly make mention that I do not use EQ when reviewing tws iems. I may occasionally clue the reader in to how well a set reacts to EQ but I want this to be an almost right out of the box review. I have a hard time not including what this set can sound like with some addition or subtraction of db’s at specific spots in the frequency. For the Soundpeats Air5 I used the “out-the-box” sound with zero EQ. Also, I listen using either UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) or Poweramp using flac files stored on my devices.
I should specify that I am judging the Air5 on the basis of a semi in-ear earbud and not against in-ear style earbuds. That would make no sense. Most people who enjoy semi in-ear earphones, “only” enjoy semi in-ear earbuds. So, I have about 10 semi in-ear true wireless earbuds on hand in my collection to judge the Air5 against and I’ll just get this out of the way now; friends, the Soundpeats Air5 is without question the best I’ve heard in this style. Yes, it’s better than the Airpods, better than the Soundpeats Air4 etc.
Small Caveat
There is a small caveat, yet also a ridiculously obvious caveat. That is, make sure to get the best seal possible. I say that about all of my semi in-ear earbuds. You can never get a perfect seal, but you can get close if you move them around. I almost like the sound of the Air5 to Soundpeats other “Air-Conduction” sets which are completely over the ear yet sound as though they are in-ears. It’s a very cool tech. You see that tech in the Soundpeats GoFree2 (GoFree2 Review). I’m not saying the Air5 is using that tech but they sure sound like it. Anyways, Soundpeats did a fabulous job on this set. Let’s check out how they sound.
How does it sound?
The overarching take-away I get from this set is that it’s nicely balanced and more dynamic than I would’ve ever given them credit for. Being that it’s a semi in-ear. Usually, this type of style of tws will not carry the same dynamics as in-ear sets. However, the Air5 may surprise you. What I hear is a very organic sounding set with an open and airy quality which stretches the stage and really brings along good technicalities to my listening. The Air5 is smoother than it is crisp yet doesn’t miss out on details, or solid instrument separation. I’d say they are warm/neutral in tonal coloration with what I would consider a V-shaped sound signature. Certainly, the bass is emphasized as well as the treble region. Overall, the Air5 present a very clean and resolute sound with great clarity and being that they offer such a fantastic audio codec you can be assured you are getting the best bit rate that wireless can get. I was only able to get Snapdragon Sound with Aptx-Adaptive Lossless on one smartphone in my arsenal with the Motorola Edge+ whereas my Samsung Galaxy Z-Fold 5 does not offer it. However, I can say with full assurance that the other codecs sound just as good if not a hair less resolute. Yet it is very hard to tell a difference. Let’s check out each 3rd of the mix shall we…
Bass Region
The low-end of the Soundpeats Air5 comes across much deeper than I would’ve ever thought they could. They actually have some physicality to the bass which really surprised me. Granted, they will not rumble with that haptic and vibratory depth like an in-ear, but we shouldn’t expect that either. Honestly, the sub-bass reaches fairly deep using the out-of-the-box tuning (Soundpeats Classic), though when I EQ the Air5 you can really dial up the weight in this region. Basically, if you want a very bass oriented and bass heavy sound, EQ can afford you that. Still, the stock tuning has a very well defined and clean bass region that can take on quick passages of bass rather easily. The 13mm dynamic drivers that Soundpeats uses are obviously of very good quality as I don’t hear any distortions, even at high volumes. So, the sub-bass is better than I would have thought but the mid-bass actually adds some fullness to the sound. Bass guitar comes across plumper and more robust than other semi in-ear earbuds and the Air5 has a surprisingly authentic and authoritative slam. Transients move along quickly with a tight, but also full body to each bass note (depending on the track). To be 100% honest, the bass is actually very good. Remember you can always EQ till your heart’s content and make sure to fiddle with your fitment to get the closest thing to an actual seal.
Midrange
The mids are actually a bit more forward than most traditional V-shaped sets. I still hesitate to call the Air5 U-shaped, however. Maybe a “slight V-shaped” sound. At any rate, the midrange is actually decently smooth across the range with the low-mids gaining some subtle warmth from the bass bleeding in. Just a touch. Enough to add a hair of weight or fullness. I would still characterize the midrange as leaner sounding, and I don’t think there’s any way to get around that due to the type of set that the Air5 is. Still very nice. The upper mids are more shimmery, more vibrant, and also more technically astute. I can hear details coming through with relative ease. Percussion has a nice snap on attack, some edge to them. Piano generally sounds tuneful, even resounding on certain tracks. In fact, most instruments come across fairly natural to my ears if not a hint leaner than natural. Still great timbre considering this is a semi in-ear set. I’d definitely refer to the midrange as organic, or organic-lean. What surprised me was how nice female vocals come across. There’s a layer of softness to their inflections, coupled with a layer of moist note body. A sort of density which is great to hear. Males are a bit less energized, and slightly more recessed yet not to the point that it’s a detriment. In fact, males have a slight bit more body to their notes. Details are great, instrument separation is distinct, there’s even some layering happening. The sound is airy, open feeling and not without musicality even though the Air5 comes across more analytical to the ear.
Mids cont…
Remember, you can always EQ to add even more warmth or less shimmer if you’d like. Or you can drop back some of the bass bleed for an even more transparent and clean midrange. Again, I really like how well the Air5 responds to equalization, which isn’t something that I usually say with true wireless sets. However all things considered, I find the mids to be great for a semi in-ear set.
Treble Region
This brings us to the treble region. I almost want to call the highs in the Air5 as the focal point of this set. Which stands to reason as this isn’t an actual in-ear set of tws. However, I definitely hear an open and spacious sound in the treble with enough lift and emphasis to bring levity to the whole of the mix. Certainly, the treble has the most say in how the Air5 sound as a whole. Beyond tonal coloration, the Air5 has good detail retrieval up top for a tws set of earbuds. I hear some bite to some notes up top and a certain crispness to notes as well. This is a speedier treble as well with some good resolve compared to other sets within its range. There is a hint of splash in the upper treble when listening to the secondary harmonics of a cymbal strike for example. But nothing that is bothersome. What I enjoy is that the treble doesn’t come across as artificial or unnaturally boosted, no forced resolution, no real shrillness. Perhaps a hair of sibilance but nothing which annoys me. Actually, I find the treble to be quite nice with just enough brilliance to bring some energy and vibrance to the sound. It’s the treble which adds that snap to percussion, the slight abrasive edge to strings like violin, the shimmer for female vocals and it’s the treble which helps most to create a wider and more open sound field. Without question you can ever-so-slightly EQ this range and easily dial in the sound. What’s nice is that the stock tuning is already very good which makes EQ’ing that much easier.
Technicalities
Technically, the Air5 is actually quite good. I mean, you have tighter transients across the board, good resolution and transparency, crisper inflections, an open and airy sound, good separation too. When you add all those attributes together what you get is a detailed and clean sound. A nice canvas for a more analytical and clinically adept sound which ultimately translates to… nicely detailed. I can hear the finger slides on strings, harmonics are discernable of all kinds, breath in mics, stuff like that. Again, instrument separation is very well done as well. Perhaps on really complicated tracks the Air5 will get tripped up, but that’s to be expected. You don’t really have a ton of low-end amplitude mucking up the sound field or masking certain frequencies. As far as the soundstage goes, the Air5 has a nicely wide stage, a very tall stage and believe it or not there is some slight depth to the sound too. Elements within the imaginary psycho-acoustically rendered stage are all placed rather nice. Of course, don’t expect the accuracy of a good in-ear, but the Air5 does well. Honestly, I feel that the Air5 is a very technical set of tws as this is definitely an area where they excel. Again, don’t expect miracles and keep you expectations in check but for a semi in-ear set I’m happy with the results here.
Is it worth the asking price?
Now we get to the $89 question. Is the Soundpeats Air5 worth the $89 that Soundpeats is asking for? I feel that this is an easy answer… Yes. Yes, the Air5 is most certainly worth the asking price. Look at all that you are getting. You have all the bells and whistles, and the actual sound is very solid. The features alone put this set in “good-buy” territory.
That said, the Air5 is obviously not going to be worth $20 for someone who doesn’t enjoy semi in-ear true wireless earbuds. That should go without saying but I’m going to say it anyway. Of course, if you don’t enjoy the fitment of this “type” of tws then you’ve already made up your mind. With that thought in mind I should add that I’m answering this question for folks who only want semi in-ear true wireless.
The Why…
Because the build and design are actually gorgeous for a set of earbuds at this price. Soundpeats always craft solid looking devices with nice materials which lean towards durability, and they always pay attention to subtle details in the appearance of their earbuds. The Air5 is no different. It’s a slick looking set and’ll look great in the ear of anyone who wears them. You have all the features too and each of those features works very well. Heck, the Air5 has ANC for crying out loud, and it actually works to a degree. The Air5 is fantastic for meetings and phone calls with a very natural sound as well as a very clean sound. You have multi-point connectivity, game mode, that amazing equalizer within the Soundpeats APP (Peats) among other features.
It’s always about the sound
Yet the true worth of any music listening device should come down to the actual sound quality. Thankfully, the Air5 shines in this regard in respect to what type of tws it is. I find that the Air5 is probably the best semi in-ear that i’ve heard under $100 and I don’t think it’s even a hard fight for it. The bass has depth, some rumble, some slam (to the extent that it’s able), as well as a very quick bass. Then the midrange is very resolute, very clean, nice note density, highly detailed with some nice energy and shine as well. The treble is just brilliant enough with a treble region which uplifts the sound as a whole adding some treble bite to notes without coming across overly sharp, sibilant or shrill. Technically the Air5 stands out too. Once more, details are easily discerned, instrument separation is clean and distinct, imaging is better than it should be and the Air5 has a very open and airy stage which renders itself vaster than it isn’t. Just a very nice sounding unit. So, with regard to the type of earbud that the Air5 is, I cannot think of a world in which it wouldn’t be easily worth the $89 that Soundpeats is asking for.
Final thoughts on the Soundpeats Air5 before I conclude
I was going to rate the Air5, but I feel that there really aren’t enough semi in-ear earbuds to really give the Air5 some good competition. It would rate above “9.0” across the board. It’s a landslide favorite from my perspective. Folks, if you dig this type of set then I cannot recommend the Air5 enough. I think it’s a no brainer. Ya know, Soundpeats truly steps up their game with every new set and this has become abundantly apparent with every review that I conduct from the massive wireless brand. Nobody has figured out the budget space better. Granted, there’s some nice brands like Soundcore, Earfun, Edifier etc. But none of those brands hits the mark every time quite like Soundpeats in my opinion. Yes, they make some real bangers from time to time but who is more consistent with their products? I will answer that… Nobody. The Air5 is a true testament to the experience that Soundpeats has garnered over the years. Really a well-done set that even made this “in-ear” lover a fan of a “semi in-ear” set. I really like the open and dynamic sound, and all the features just takes the Air5 over the top for me. So, I’ll say it again, I absolutely rec the Soundpeats Air5. An easy no brainer.
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review of the Soundpeats Air5 I want to extend a big thank you and shout out to the good people of Soundpeats who provided the Air5. Folks, Soundpeats is another brand who isn’t worried about good reviews or bad reviews, they let their products speak for themselves and never have gotten in the way, asked anything out of me, or anything. Really a joy to work with. There are plenty of brands that have asked me to pre-read my review, they’ve asked for certain kind words about their products. However, Soundpeats has always been on the up-and-up with me. Coincidentally, I don’t deal with any brand that asks these things of me. They are cut-off. I don’t deal in dirty stuff. Thankfully Soundpeats has always been a high integrity outfit and it’s a pleasure to review their products. So, thank you Soundpeats Audio. I also want to thank you for reading this review. It means a lot to me and the good people at Mobileaudiophile.com. It’s your clicks which helps us as a website and so providing you with all good content means everything to us. Thank you!
Other perspectives
Please, do yourself a favor and watch, listen to, or read other thoughts concerning this awesome dac/amp. The Soundpeats Air5 is a solid device for me, but the next guy may not see things this way. It’s just human nature folks and it’s something that shows up in our awesome hobby more than any other hobby on earth. Other than… maybe wine tasting, maybe. But that’s about it. Please find out as much as you can by reading other reviews or watching other reviews. We are all so different and one reviewer may inform you differently than the next. $89 is a lot of money for 95% of the people in this world and so we want to make sure that you get this purchase right. So please, check out other perspectives. Now with that, I think I am done friends. Take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!
