Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ Review
Intro
Hello, today I have with me the Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ ($129) or C3P+ (for review purposes) from the longtime personal audio brand, Soundpeats. I want to thank Soundpeats for sending me the C3P+ in exchange for a feature at the website. Now, the C3P+ happens to be the latest true wireless earphone for the brand Soundpeats in a very long and distinguished line of tws iems. Folks, this is a brand that has been going at this Bluetooth true wireless game for as long as any brand out there. Truly pioneers in many regards. I cannot begin to tell you how many of their sets I’ve personally purchased over the years, but it’s been many. Beyond that, I’ve actually reviewed a large number of their sets thus far and for the most part every one of them competes very well in each relative price point. I actually reviewed the previous generation Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro not too long ago and was absolutely sold on how well that set performed both functionally as well as sonically. One thing Soundpeats has really dialed in is the tuning of their tws sets. I feel ever since the Soundpeats H1 they have been quite literally putting on a clinic in sound quality. Below are some of the latest reviews covered at Mobileaudiophile.com.
–Opera 05 (Mahir’s review)
They know what they’re doing
So, as you could see, if you perused any of those reviews is that in relation to the market at any given time Soundpeats usually ups the ante and adds in some feature, tech, or tuning to break through and make it onto the vast majority reviewer best-of lists. It isn’t often a brand is this hungry to make a dent in the ocean wide market of true wireless whilst also succeeding. Please take a minute and try to think of a brand who has been as successful as Soundpeats within the true wireless market, for as long as Soundpeats has been successful. I’ll help you out… nobody. Okay, maybe the tech giants Sony. However, there is also no other brand who serves the budget scene quite like Soundpeats either. I’m telling you it’s remarkable. Not everyone has a million dollars burning a hole in their pockets and most of the time people need the best they can get for the little they have. Folks, I’m not trying to oversell here, I really am not. I do feel that brands who consider price to performance as their personal measuring stick should be praised and put on a pedestal. Think about the world in general. It’s not rich friends! There’s too much poverty. So in that vein I salute one of the good guys… well done Soundpeats.
Capsule3 Pro+
Back to the C3P+, I have spent over a month with this set. It has been inside my front right tiny pocket (watch pocket) for the entirety of that time. I’ve used it in every condition; my office, Teams meetings, chill sessions, working out, in the car, doing chores, etc. In those moments the C3P+ has yet to fail me, drop a call, drop a connection, bug-out, or not function as advertised. That’s a first for me folks. I’ve reviewed too many tws to list here but always there is some downside which needs talked about and usually those downsides are deal breakers. At any rate, I plan to cover this set from every angle I can think of, and I do hope it helps you to make an Informed decision. So, without further ado, the Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ everyone….
Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:
–Amazon (30% off coupon now at checkout)
Disclaimer:
I received the Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ from Soundpeats as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. Soundpeats has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to Soundpeats and thanks for reading.
C3P+ Pros
-Build Quality is great (durable plastic)
-Design is as good as any Soundpeats set
-Fantastic case, elegantly designed and fits perfectly in small pocket in jeans
-Full functionality on the earbuds themselves
-LDAC audio codec
-xMEMS speaker and 12 mm Dynamic Driver
-Adaptive Noise Canceling actually works very well for the price
-Transparency mode is natural sounding
-43 hours battery life in total
-Soundpeats app
-EQ saves to the buds themselves (nothing new but still a benefit)
-Very good for phone calls, meetings
-Low latency mode down to 70ms latency
-Very speedy drivers
-Deep and tight bass
-Clean & musical midrange
-Nicely extended treble region
-Imaging is quite good
-Detail Retrieval is fantastic
C3P+ Cons
-Not everyone likes stem style earbuds
-No Aptx
-App can be a little hit or miss with this set
-Only 6 hrs battery life per charge
Gear used for testing
-Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
-Shanling M6 Ultra
-iBasso DX240
Packaging / Accessories
Unboxing
Not much to report here, as with any true wireless earphone. There simply isn’t a whole lot to put inside of the box as far as accessories are concerned. However, the C3P+ arrived at my home in a fairly large white box. Much larger than Soundpeats usually provides. The cover of the box is actually a sleeve and bares a picture of the C3P+ on the front as well as some highlights on the back. Now, once you take off the sleeve, you’ll see a very classy looking hard cardboard box that is a top open design. Almost hard enough to feel like actual wood. Anyways, once you open the box, you’ll immediately see the charging case of the C3P+ looking all dapper and wrapped in plastic. On the top of the box there is a smaller white box which contains the eartips, some panda stickers as well as the type-c charging cable and the manual. So, there you have it, not much to speak on, but also, I wasn’t expecting much. Still a nice packaging.
Eartips
Soundoeats provides three pairs of eartips within the packaging (S, M, L) and each are of better quality than one might expect. The eartips are a gray silicone with an orange inner stem, a firm flange and the bore is actually oval rather than circular like most sets. Now, the eartips provided are of high quality. Trust me I’ve seen a lifetime worth of eartips. However, the tips included don’t really fit my ears very well unfortunately. I’m sure they will fit most people’s ears just fine but for whatever reason I had a hard time sealing with these. So, I did what I always do and went through my cavernous chasm of tips seeking out a set that sealed as well as fit in the charging case. Well, I’m beyond happy to report that once again Soundpeats provided a charging case which allows room for better 3rd party tips. I cannot begin to tell you how many tws come with little to no room for 3rd party tips. This is once again wonderful, just like every other set from Soundpeats. They provide room for tips! Trust me this is a bigger deal than I’m letting on. Anyways, I actually decided upon a pair of shallow fit wide bore tips that I must’ve gotten from some set of iems along the way. I found the wide bore really opened the C3P+ up sonically, increased the stage, and somehow made the bass a hair crisper as well. So, I suggest you seek out shallow fit wide bores whenever you can. That said, the tips which come with the C3P+ are well made and hopefully you have zero issue getting a seal.
Charging Case
One thing I will always praise is the Soundpeats charging case shape and build. First off, the case is fairly small, oval shaped but flatter in its side. It is a very nicely built black plastic case with golden accents. It’s not at all flimsy or cheap to the touch. You’ll notice the hinge has the Soundpeats logo written out inside of a very elegant and nice golden rectangle. On the front side of the case in tiny cursive writing it reads “Hear Your Imagination” which is a very nice touch. This case is not one which scratches easily either. On the underside is the type-c charging port and on the front is the battery indicator light. Really a nice case just from a functional and design/aesthetic standpoint. However, the best thing about this case, for me, is that it fits remarkably well inside the tiny watch pocket in the front right side of my jeans. This is so very important to me because I go absolutely nowhere without a pair of tws in that little pocket. I mean nowhere! So, I once again praise Soundpeats for doing the thinking and once again designing a solid charging case. I should also add that the case does provide a total of 43 hours of battery life which is very good.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit / Chipset
Build Quality / Design
Once again Soundpeats crafted another well-built unit and in all actuality the C3P+ is the exact build of its predecessor, the Capsule3 Pro. Pretty much identical as Soundpeats knew they didn’t have to change much here. The surprising thing is how in the world they were able to fit the extra tech inside without making the housing larger. Oh well, I guess I’ll never know. Anyways, the C3P+ is once again made of all plastic. The premium feeling hard type of plastic, not the cheap stuff. You’ll notice there are three microphones on the sides and on the top for phone calls and the ANC. Now, the nozzle is rather short which may make finding the perfect tips necessary so do keep that in mind. As far as the look and aesthetic goes, the C3P+ is every bit as gorgeous and slick looking as the Capsule3 Pro. I love the golden plastic strip which runs along the stem as it creates the perfect black/gold contrast. Another slight touch which looks great is the gold-colored metal grill on the top mic, as well as the nozzle. Just a very sharp looking set which looks dope in the ear.
Internals
This is where we begin to get into the thick of it. I say that because Soundpeats went and added a huge 12 mm bio-diaphragm dynamic driver, which is awesome, it’s a very nice driver, yet that isn’t the cool thing. That “cool” thing I’m referring to is the Cowell xMEMS speaker which Soundpeats decided to add to the mix so as to dial up the sound quality to the max. We all know how great these xMEMS silicone piezoelectric drivers are inside of our gear and to see that Soundpeats went the extra mile to properly implement a true xMEMS driver is quite awesome. If you didn’t know, xMEMS drivers can image the sound field up to 7 times better than a normal DD. Now I have zero idea how you measure that, but that is what the promotional states. Another quality that you can sort-of measure is that xMEMS drivers are 150 times faster than dynamic drivers. These drivers are only 1 mm in width and only add 56mg in weight. Truly an awesome inclusion. Beyond the drivers, Soundpeats also has inside a highly skilled SOC chipset, the WQ7034AX, which they have used in the past with solid success. I will dive into the benefits of this chip later.
Fit / Comfort
This section is highly subjective and will fully depend on who is doing the wearing. I can only speak for myself, but I find the C3P+ to be extremely comfortable. Of course, much had to do with finding tips which seal and sit in my ears well. Plus, this is a very lightweight design which doesn’t grow heavy in the ear. Not all tws have this luxury. Now, I have absolutely zero clue how well the C3P+ is going to fit you, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they will fit most folks like a glove. It’s just a time-tested design which has worked for years.
Chipset
Okay like I had mentioned earlier the Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ comes equipped with a high-quality internal SOC Chipset WQ7034AX which they’ve used in the past and had great success with it. This chipset allows the C3P+ many different features that help make this set as prized as it is. First off, this chip gives Bluetooth version 5.3, a very low latency, up to LDAC audio codec among others, Hybrid Adaptive ANC, Multi-point Connection, as well as fantastic connection stability and more. It is a solid chip which compares very well to the ultra-expensive Qualcomm chip sets. Qualcomm isn’t the only game in town ladies and gents.
Earbud controls
On the earbuds themselves you can control everything except obviously adding EQ. One cool and totally new thing is Soundpeats added a new app (more on that later) and within the app you can change any of the controls to whatever er you want… which is radically awesome. A couple other brands employ this strategy but I’m glad to see Soundpeats added it. At any rate, yes, you can change touch controls in the app. More on that later. However, in the box Soundpeats does provide a pamphlet which diagrams all of the controls and how to enact them. You have answer and hang up for calls, play/pause, forward/backward tracks, ANC settings (also in the app), pass-through, as well as communicating with your phone’s assistant, and finally you get the highly prized and desperately needed volume controls. I cannot begin to tell you how many brands leave out volume controls. It is ridiculously annoying. Or better yet, there are so many brands that leave out track backwards. Why?! Anyways, Soundpeats lets you do it all with specific taps and touch sequences. Beyond that, the touch surface is just sensitive enough to always react to my touches but not so sensitive that ghost touches are happening. Basically, random touches usually won’t hang up the phone while talking, or volume up on you killing your ears. The touch surface is right at the top faceplate area of the C3P+ as well.
Specifications
Core Specs
-Bluetooth: V5.3
–Profiles: A2DP/AVRCP/HFP/HSP
–Chipset: WQ7034AX
–Supported Bluetooth Codec: SBC / AAC / LDAC
Battery Information
-Battery Capacity: 35*2 mAH(Earbuds) 500mAH (Case)
–Charging Time: ＜1.5H (Earbuds）＜1.5H (Case)
–Charging Port: Type-C
–Total Playtime: 43 hours
In the box
–SOUNDPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ Wireless Earbuds
-Type-C Charging Cable
-Charging Case
-User Manual
-Eartips x6
Specs Cont…
–Driver: 12 mm Bio-diaphragm dynamic driver / xMEMS Cowell
-ANC: Hybrid Adaptive ANC with up to 45 dB attenuation
-Mics: #6 in total (Aptx Voice & ENC)
-Multi-point Connection: Yes
-In Ear Detection available: No
-Gaming / Low-Latency mode: Yes, 70 ms
-Soundpeats App: Yes
-Touch Controls: Yes
–Frequency Response: 20hz to 40khz
–Sensitivity: 102 dbs
–Earbud battery life per charge: 6.5 hrs
–Weight: 111 grams
–Water Resistance: IP4
Features
Low-latency mode (Game Mode)
One pretty great feature the Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ has is not really all too uncommon in “game mode” or “low-latency mode” as some other earbuds call it. The C3P+ has an especially good low-latency as it reaches as low as 70 milliseconds which if you ever watched 70 ms go by you’ll understand how unbelievably fast that is. Basically, there is absolutely no lag whatsoever. This is extremely low. Many tws brands will brag about 90 ms latency. Folks, it’s “70ms”. That’s silly. I can surely say that watching any videos of any sort, whether it be YouTube, Netflix, Facebook videos, Instagram, you name it… The lip syncing is perfectly timed. Now, they do call this “Game Mode” and they do so for a reason. I have yet to see a set of tws perfectly play along a first-person shooter for example without gunfire being a hair late or blown-up cars, screams, footsteps and so on being a titch late. It’s just where we are in wireless audio at the moment. However, for the price the C3P+ is by far the best I’ve used. Now, it isn’t perfect, and the battery does drain faster as well so be aware, but the latency is very good. Most of the time in FPS games the C3P+ will do well for quite some time and then begin to slightly miss the timing. It’s okay though because any other game without as much action is darn near perfect. They did a good job here.
Hybrid Active Noise Canceling (ANC)
The C3P+ is above average in its price point for actual noise cancellation. It isn’t the cream of the crop, but it’s good. Of course, the selling point if this set isn’t necessarily anc. I think it has more to do with the sound. Also, friends, we will never get to the point that all noises are canceled. At least not with the tech we have now. That said, it’s come a very long way. There was one point not too long ago that even thinking about noise cancellation on a set of tws was laughable. Now most sets past $45 have it. Believe me, I’ve tested so many tws with anc and very few times am I blown away. For the most part a set will either cancel higher pitched noises or low droning noises. It’s usually one or the other and sometimes a special set will give you a little of both.
How does the ANC work?
As far as under $130 tws goes the C3P+ is just above average of those with ANC that I’ve personally heard. It effectively attenuates most low droning noises very well. I’m in my office right now and my windows unit (which is very loud) can barely be heard. Having said that, I do hear voices rather easily. My friend is playing a video five feet from me, and I can hear that decently. You can tell the sounds are lessened a hair but not canceled. Now, the C3P+ comes with Hybrid Adaptive Noise Canceling which is done by way of “A.I.” and basically “learns” to adapt to your environment and reduce noise based on what it learns of the environment around you. We’ve also seen this in the past and it seems to do its job. Is it good? Well, yes, it is good. I enjoy not hearing my fan as I lay in my bed writing or watching videos. The C3P+ definitely reduces noises to a comfortable level. However, they aren’t canceled to the extent of those sets which live and die by how well they cancel sound. Does that make sense? Not a knock at the C3P+ at all. Above average is actually quite good in my mind.
Pass-through mode
Another feature that the C3P+ has is what’s referred to as “pass through” or “transparency” mode. Many tws iems and wireless devices have pass-through. The main benefit is being able to hear your surrounding environment rather than attenuating the world around you like anc. No doubt this is a much safer way to go about your day with Earbuds in your ears. Especially when you are out and about jogging, going to the market, etc. It’s obviously beneficial to be able to hear the danger around you. Now, not all pass-through modes are created equal. More often than not they sound overly tinny, artificial and basically, they sound off. I found the C3P+’s pass-through to be somewhat natural actually. There is a faint levity to the tone, but I think they did a nice job. Let’s put it this way, the pass-through isn’t so loud that you are hearing audible fuzz while voices and sounds come across thin and tinny. This set does a good job.
Soundpeats APP
This is a huge new addition, and it becomes so very valuable for any Soundpeats set that you may have. That is, Soundpeats decided to finally reconstruct their app. So, if you have the old Soundpeats app just uninstall it and then go to the Playstore and download the “PeatsAudio” app. In it you have more functionality like changing touch controls, firmware upgrades, choosing your preset sound filters or using your own EQ settings (which saves to the earbuds). Or they also give you the opportunity to conduct their Adaptive EQ setting which basically is the same as Hear ID. You can also toggle different ANC settings, select if you’d like multi-point connection or not. It really is one of the more polished looking apps with a clean interface and a very intuitive design. So please don’t forget to download PeatsAudio the second you get this pair so that you can update the firmware and start using your C3P+ tws earphones exactly to your preferences.
Audio codecs
Soundpeats has been around for quite some time, and they know how big of a deal it is to have LDAC audio code on hand. Also, any true fan of audio in general knows that LDAC is considered one of the best codecs that planet earth has to offer its wireless listening earthlings. Thankfully, Soundpeats made sure to add in LDAC in the list of codecs available (if your device has LDAC capability). The only codec that I wish more for would be Aptx-Adaptive which I do feel is the most agile codec. However, if pure sound is your bag, and it just so happens to be mine, then LDAC is what you should be seeking in your wireless audio.
Bit rates
Now, LDAC can get you up to a 990 kbs bitrate at a very high 32bit/96hz. It’s by far the best codec for straight bit rate. To compare, the next best codec the C3P+ has is AAC which is mostly used in IOS devices like iPhones & iPads etc. AAC can get you up to 250 kbs with a bit depth of 24bits and a sampling rate of 96 kHz. The only other codec offered is market wide for wireless devices and the bare minimum codec called SBC codec. SBC gets you up to 328 kbs and a sampling rate of 16bit/48khz. Each of these codecs comes with its own latency numbers as well as different Bluetooth profiles. Some are better than others. Anyways, I would like to see Aptx, Aptx Adaptive, or even Aptx Lossless as each of those are fantastic codecs for both music listening, connection stability and latency. However, I find it awesome that the C3P+ has LDAC on board and the sound does make a difference if you are paying attention. 990 bps and 32bit/96khz is no joke folks. Granted, we’ve seen many sets come equipped with the LDAC codec of late, and so it isn’t some anomaly in the market. Still, when you tie everything together the addition of LDAC only makes the C3P+ that much better.
Phone Calls / Online Meetings
I work half in my office and half in the field for my job and my time spent in that office may just include TEAMS meetings in which I will usually use whatever set I’m reviewing at the moment for those TEAMS meetings. This is one area that I was very impressed with the C3P+. Voices are very natural on this set. Even in crowded environments the C3P+ is able to effectively attenuate most noises, even people talking, wind noise when I’m out and about. Certainly, the C3P+ is one of the better tws iems under $130 for phone calls. If you simply need a pair of earbuds for use with meetings then I’d say the C3P+ is a great alternative to more expensive dedicated headsets.
Waterproofing
Soundpeats did give the C3P+ an IPX4 waterproof Rating which actually means they aren’t waterproof at all but instead they are more akin to being splash proof. They can take splashes and possibly rain in a jog, but do not submerge them. This is still a nice feature, and I actually prefer this to full Waterproofing as I’ve noticed that at times a higher Rating means a slightly more veiled sound due to the film covering all of the open ports, mics, vents etc.
EQ
The last feature I want to speak on really isn’t a feature per se. That “feature” is “EQ”. One thing I feel is necessary with true wireless earphones… is EQ. I use it on every tws set I have, and it makes a huge difference in my enjoyment. Granted, for reviews I always use the “out-of-the-box” sound settings, but the second I’m finished critically listening I jump straight to my favored EQ settings. Now, one special thing that the PeakAudio app has is a bunch of equalization settings. Soundpeats actually has nine preset EQ profiles for you to try out. Those being Soundpeats Classic, Treble Boost, Bass Boost, Bass Reduce, Electronic, Pop, Classical, Rock and Folk. Each of the presets really changes up the sound nicely. Use those if you simply don’t enjoy messing with EQ. However, Soundpeats also offers your own EQ settings which save directly to the earbuds so that you can keep that EQ no matter the app or device. It’s saved to em. So, this is called “My EQ” in the PeatsAudio app. Soundpeats lets you save different EQ profiles, and you can name them. The actual EQ is a 10-band graphic equalizer which ranges from 31hz to 16khz. All you have to do is run your finger up or down on each frequency and you can hear in real time the changes. I usually have a song playing while I change the settings. It’s a fantastic feature that not every set has.
Adaptive EQ
Another way you can EQ with the C3P+ is by using Soundpeats “Adaptive EQ”. The Adaptive EQ helps you create an EQ based on your ability to hear different frequencies. What it does is play different frequency ranges by way of tones and as you hear the tone you simply press the button. If you don’t hear a specific tone, then the app knows that they have to increase that specific tone. This feature is available on different products, but they don’t go by the same name. I can tell you it does work. I don’t use it, but it works.
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 Capsule3 Pro+ I used the “Soundpeats Classic” preset which is what is used out-the-box. Also, I listen using either UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) or Poweramp using flac files stored on my devices.
Summary
Resolution, resolution, resolution! That would be the word which first comes to mind for me. Especially for a true wireless iem, you usually won’t hear straight up resolution like this under $130. There are some sets which do well in this regard but the C3P+ is especially clean and clear. Actually, when listening to the C3P+ two things jumped out at me right away, and that was the overall macro-dynamics, the energy of this set, and the ability of the C3P+ to resolve details for a tws. I feel a lot has to do with the actual DSP tuning of the C3P+ but I also think the use of the xMEMS driver along with the large 12mm DD has a lot to do with that as well. Straight out the gate I can tell that the C3P+ is a very precise set while still being a fun set. Again, for a true wireless it is very nice.
Tonality
Closer to neutral in sound coloration and coming through as slightly V-shaped, very clean throughout anr a tight transient attack through decay. This set has those nicely snappy notes and is able to resolve even very faint details rather easily, especially in the mids through the treble. I’ll. Keep saying this but “for a tws”… I am impressed. I’m impressed by the note density (for a tws) as well as the overall speed of the drivers. This is where I can see the benefit of xMEMS drivers. I haven’t had a ton of experience with them, but it doesn’t take a genius to notice just how well the C3P+ can handle the spectrum. The C3P+ moves in and out of transients really speedily for an “un-wired” set of earphones, with clean lines and good energy. Also, that “energy” never seems to come across as uncontrolled. This set has precision, it’s crisp, it has knife edged note outlines without the harsh abrasiveness or harshness. The biggest question I have for myself at the moment is whether the Capsule3 Pro+ is the best sounding tws earphones that Soundpeats has ever crafted? It’s transparent, it’s clean, the bass is fun, just big enough and it’s deep. The overall sound is a very nice mixture of analytically precise with a side of musicality and tunefulness. Obviously, nothing is perfect, but we want the best we can get for the money that we spend, and I’d say that the C3P+ is a high value purchase. Especially at the sale price of $89.
Some caveats
Now that I’ve said all of these nice things there are some caveats to those words. First off, the sound signature does need to align with your preferences to fully appreciate how nice this set is for an “under $130” tws. Out of the box the C3P+ is closer to an analytical tuning which isn’t everyone’s favorite. Notes aren’t as thick and lush, and they do come across a hint thin from the midrange through the treble. This is not a bad thing at all, but it is a preference thing. It takes nothing away from the skill and capabilities of this set. It simply has to align with you. There’s a large portion of hobbyists who rather enjoy a warmer sound, beefier bass, more musically inclined, more emotionally charged. Not everyone wants a highly resolved tws iem.
Give it some EQ! (caveats cont…)
This brings me to my next point; the C3P+ takes very well to EQ. I was quite surprised at how well I can totally change the overall sound using the PeatsAudio equalizer. So yes, out of the box it’s more analytical, clinical, clean. But just play around with the EQ and I’m sure you can get this set to align with your preferences. The last caveat is that the sound volume is about average. I would’ve liked a few decibels more of actual volume. I always say, “Hey tws brands! We want HEADROOM”! To be fair, the C3P+ is plenty loud enough but I do have to take it up very high. This is a problem with almost all true wireless. Brands want to keep the volume at safe levels, and I get that, but c’mon. We want headroom. I want to turn my music down. At any rate, there’s only a handful of tws iems which have given me that good headroom. The C3P+ is about average in this regard. Still pretty special though. So, the sound sig may not fit you. No problem, it takes well to EQ, so add and take away till your hearts’ content. Lastly, there’s just enough volume but a little more would be awesome. That’s not bad for my list of caveats.
Impressive
All of that said, using the Soundpeats Classic preset is pretty darn impressive folks. I honestly don’t “need” to EQ because the sound out of the box using LDAC is quite good. I can tell you that the C3P+ is better than the Engine4, H1, Capsule3 Pro, and any other Soundpeats model. In fact, it is easily the best Soundpeats set for pure musical enjoyment. It’s not even close actually. The C3P+ has this clean crispness and bite that doesn’t come across as abrasive, somehow. It simply has great control over every area of the mix and the sound is very cohesive too. Having said that, timbre isn’t perfectly natural all the time as there is a brighter hue to the upper ends of the mix. At times there is some edginess and coarseness. However, I hear nothing that is shouty, glaring, sibilant, or shrill, and the overall dynamic presence within each region is great. There’s this controlled energy with a concise and pointed attack along with a snappy decay with a seemingly great ability for this tws to illuminate all the micro-dynamics within my music. Let’s quickly check out each 3rd of the mix. Very clean, highly resolute with a fun and deep bass and detailed and crisp highs.
Bass Region
The low end is the type that has enough actual emphasis to satisfy, but it isn’t overly emphasized in my opinion. EQ can add some more oomph if you like a bassy experience, but I really feel there is a nice balance here and enough raw grunt. It is not so overly cooked that the bass takes over other areas of the mix and not enough to add that frequency-wide warmth. The bass is on the slightly peppy side, it’s punchy too, with a certain vibrance to it. Also, low-end extension is better than you’d think as it gets pretty deep when a track calls for it. Also, the low-end doesn’t encroach into the midrange very much and is the furthest thing away from anything even remotely muddy or veiled. It’s fairly tight, snappy, and it has just enough emphasis for most any genre. Just enough to sound fun.
Bass cont…
The sub-bass has a clean and dense haptic vibration that shows up very well in a track like “Heavy is the Ocean” by Bush. It rumbles with a tighter resonance while the leading edge of attack has some snap to it. The mid-bass also has some slam as well, though it is mostly held in check. You won’t hear anything bloated, fuzzy, wooly and you won’t hear anything pillowy. To add to that, I hear nothing one-noted in this low-end. Beyond that, there’s some rigidity to the sound in the mid-bass. Kick-drums do have that hollow boom and bass guitars have just enough fullness to them. “California” by CMAT shows off the bass guitar quite well with a solid low droning bassline which serves as the foundation of this track. It’s well done and remember; you can add or take away with the EQ. Still, I really do like this well-defined and nicely separated bass region that can slam quite well.
Midrange
Listening to the C3P+’s midrange I can tell there is the slightest recession, however I also hear a good and clean presence to all notes. Not too far back in the sound field. That said, the cleanliness of this midrange helps to highlight notes nicely. I hear a more clinical approach with glass lined notes, precision throughout along with a slightly thinner note weight. Transient attack through decay is short lived creating good separation of instruments and vocalists. The drivers simply have a great ability to attack and recover each note with zero distortion. Now, because there isn’t quite as much warmth you do have a slightly less robust note weight. However, this really doesn’t seem to be an issue as the sound has a high level of transparency which seems to etch out midrange notes, seemingly putting vocalists on a pedestal while instruments also come through crystal clear. Just a very resolving sound. Very good for an under $130 tws (even better at sale price $89). Another thing I enjoy about this treble emphasis is the airiness that the midrange has. There’s an open feel to my music, nothing congested, no extra fat on the notes.
Mids cont…
The lower midrange boasts nice sounding male vocalists. Perhaps a hint thin but very melodic with a certain crispness which never goes abrasive. I feel the low-mids are a hint further back then the upper-mids but there is good energy in this region. Males have just enough authority to their voices while females sound more elated, more vivacious, and generally more forward. So yes, the upper midrange has much more vibrance and shimmer, but also it has the density of notes which help females to sound very nice. Again, this is a midrange that illuminates all the little subtleties in my music. Very detailed, every breath in the mic, all harmonics, every string pull and finger slide, all of it is very clean lined and easy to hear. Beyond that, the midrange has nice timbre for a tuning such as this. I wouldn’t call it perfectly natural, but it is a nice middle ground between analytical and musical with a neutral tone while never getting to the point of shout or sibilance. The C3P+ simply has good control and to put it bluntly… it’s just very well done for a true wireless.
Treble Region
The treble is one of the regions that I grew to appreciate very much. I say that because the treble has very nice control over treble notes for the tech. This area is emphasized quite a bit which will usually either be a tolerable thing or a flat-out bad thing. For me anyways. I don’t usually enjoy a brighter treble unless there is no shrillness. Thankfully, the C3P+ has a very well laid out and well-structured treble. This is a crispy treble with seemingly carved out notes, good note contours and some good treble bite. Yes, it is emphasized, but I don’t think it feels forced, or too much. Actually, I find there is a nice balance here with the rest of the mix. The xMEMS drivers do a fantastic job here. The sound is open and airy, there’s room for the spectrum to breathe. This opens the sound up to be more composed and technical. For instance, details come through with ease. Separation of instruments and harmonics is spot on, delineated and partitioned off from each other. Finally, extension into the upper treble is great for the out of box tuning. As far as that emphasis is concerned, of course you can simply EQ it down if needed. Of course, I don’t think it’s necessary but that is an option.
That Bite
One real good quality of the treble is that good ole’ treble bite. I love treble notes that have that tactility to them. Beyond that, it has the treble punch and crispness without sounding overtly knife-edged at the crest of a note, rough-hewed, or with coarse-grained note outlines. It’s clean folks. Perhaps a bit too edgy for those who enjoy a much smoother treble experience, but I know many wired sets that don’t have the control this set has. Like I said, great for a true wireless earphone.
Treble cont…
Any track I put on, whether complicated or not, is easily handled on this set. Be it Billy Strings “Secrets” or Jean Michel Jarre‘s “Magnetic Fields Pt. 1” it’ll come through with good separation and sparkly enough. Folks, I’m saying all of this but remember this is a true wireless set of earphones. In case you forgot. We aren’t supposed to hear details like this on true wireless sets. However, the treble on the C3P+ coupled with LDAC coupled with my flac or better files, coupled with the xMEMS driver all adds up to a good experience. That’s if you enjoy this type of sound.
Technicalities
I think we all know where I’m going with this. I feel with the Soundpeats Classic preset (out of the box tuning) the C3P+ leans heavier to the analytical side of the aisle and is much more clinical in its note structure along with a drier sound. To my ears the C3P+ excels in detail retrieval, note separation and isn’t bad in imaging. I’d say there are some moments where the details, separation etc. don’t shine through as easily though. That would be in very bass heavy tracks where the low-end encompasses most of the sound field. Obviously, in those tracks you’ll have a much harder time hearing subtleties in your music with the C3P+. The low-end is emphasized and so masking will occur. Beyond that, there are also some highly congested tracks like heavy metal with blaring electric guitars which you won’t get much in the way of detail retrieval. Beyond those the C3P+ does very well, especially for a true wireless earphone. Now, the stage is about average I’d say. I wouldn’t call it large. About average. However, I do like the airiness of the sound and the good separation which does help to create a nice image in my mind of the stage. It isn’t all mashed together and so that is a huge plus. Not all tws can say that. So, in a very general sense, the C3P+ is a highly technical set in my opinion. Now, of course you can EQ the C3P+ to add a bit more warmth and weight to the sound which ultimately can help this set sound a bit more musically inclined. Just something to think about.
Is it worth the asking price?
This answer will always depend on the user. I try to answer this question in each of my reviews but really, I can only ever answer this for me. It’s not an easy thing to answer for others. I don’t know what you enjoy, do you need anc, do you want the bells and whistles, what sound signature do you enjoy, how much are you comfortable spending? All questions which need answered before I can even think of designing an answer for you. What I can tell you is this; in regard to the rest of the price point, (which is basically any tws iem under $150) the Capsule3 Pro+ is without question worth the cost to own it. Against the competition I’d say it is one of the best sounding and most articulate sets that money can buy. Another thing, this set is actually on sale right now! Usually, the C3P+ will run you about $129, but right now you can get this all-in-one pocketknife of a tws for $89! Um, yeah, I’d say it’s worth it. However, if all you want is a set with good sound quality then there are cheaper options in the market which sound very good. Still, as a package I do believe the C3P+ is one of the best sets you can get, even at the full MSRP.
The Why…
Because it’s built and designed with the Intention for comfort and usability and Soundpeats succeeded in that intention, in my opinion. Every function works every time. You have decent ANC, a game mode, pass-through, decent battery life, a wonderful app, darn near all functions can be changed on the buds, as well. Also, this set has some of the best new driver tech available in the Cowell xMEMS driver which really does perform very well. Closer to a good planar is how I see them. This one is very fast, misses almost no details and is even very dynamic sounding. There really are quite a lot of benefits to owning this set. However, without question the sound quality is where the Capsule3 Pro+ excels and really outperforms most tws around its price point. Furthermore, this is easily the best Soundpeats tws that my ears have heard. Fast, snappy bass that has some punch, some oomph to it, along with good extension. The midrange is as clean and clear as a tws can get, very detailed, good dynamics and solid energy while feeling open, airy, and separated reasonably well. Next you have a treble that is exciting, energetic, transparent and well controlled. Technically the C3P+ is certainly one of the better sets in its price point and when you sit back and look at this set from a market wide view it is pretty easy to see just how nice the Capsule3 Pro+ really is. For me, this ulquestiin is an absolute no brainer. Of course, the C3P+ is worth the asking price.
Ratings (0-10)
*All Ratings are given per the price point as well as the style of earbud. In this case I am rating the Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ against the field of ANC tws earbuds under $100 US. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make a set of tws what it is. A “5-6” is roughly about average. Please take into consideration the “lot” of tws iems these ratings are garnered against. Under $1p0 US ANC true wirless earbuds are a fairly large scope of tws earbuds. So, seeing something like a 9 for instance should mean something special. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings it will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.
Aesthetic
Build– 9.8 Very nice build for the price.
Design– 9.5 Slick look
Comfort– 8.9 Ergonomic, comfortable enough
Features– 9.0 All the bells & whistles
Feature function– 9.9 Everything works great
–Overall Rating- 9.4 🔥🔥🔥
Sound Rating
Timbre– 8.8 Nice timbre for analytical tuning
Bass– 9.3 Tight, deep, defined
Midrange– 9.0 Detailed, fast transients, clean
Treble– 9.8 Great treble
Technicalities– 9.8 Technically gifted
P2P– 9.7 Price to performance is fantastic on this set.
–Overall Rating- 9.4 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Ratings Summary
To summarize my rating for the Capsule3 Pro+ I basically rated this set against any ANC style earbuds under $100. I went with “under $100” because the sale price is $89 at the moment and I’m sure the price won’t hang around MSRP for very long. If you don’t know, that is a very healthy amount of tws sets. There is literally a mountain of them. However, the “9.4” rating should give you a decent idea how well I feel the C3P+ performs in comparison to those sets. I should chime in here and point out that I have most certainly not heard every set under $100. I have heard many, and usually I am able to at least check out some of the better sets or highly regarded sets. On top of that I have quite a few in my tws drawer that I’m fairly confident in these scores. Of course, it’s all subjective and my experience is only my experience. Please, if you know what is good for you, you will look at these ratings and take them for a very small… grain of salt. Any of you that know me should know by now that I do ratings because I’m asked to. Not because I want to or because I think they are very helpful. Ratings are good for the person doing the rating, and that’s it. I don’t mind comparing them, I just don’t think they are good indicators of how well a set will fit you, the reader. So, while I enjoy busting out all of these sets and going through each rating, I also am not so full of myself to think that any of you are benefitting from these. Furthermore, I personally don’t give weight to any reviewer ratings… anywhere. Okay, my shirt rant which makes it into every review is over… moving on.
Explain Yourself!!
As many of you know, I simply try to explain some of these ratings which may not hold water with other listeners. We are all so different and each of us has our own personaly subjective likes and dislikes. In our hobby these perspectives and ideals differ radically sometimes. There are a few of these ratings which could easily be argued. In fact, they all could be argued. Usually in every review I list a couple ratings which someone else could call BS to from a different perspective. Honestly, I would do the same but tws is hard to pin down. First off, so many folks use EQ. In fact, outside of reviews I use EQ all the time. So, a set with less bass quantity could simply be EQ’d. Also, some sets are much better than others using EQ. There are too many variables. Iems are much different and easier to have a solid foundation under me when I’m rating. So, forgive me but I’m skipping out of this section on this set. Basically, I think the C3P+ is a damn fine set and the “9.4” is your proof.
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review of the Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro+ I first want to thank the awesome folks over at Soundpeats. Listen folks, this brand has been awesome since the first moment I began speaking with them. Never have I dealt with sweeter people than Soundpeats. They never cross any lines, they are truthfull, they listen and communicate well. Just fantastic people across the board. So, I truly thank you Soundpeats and the awesome ladies with whom I’ve dealt with, thank you. Also, I thank you, the reader, for clicking the link and spending time at our website. It means more than you know friends. You are the reason I do what I do, and you are the reason that mobileaudiophile.com is gaining so much traction in the community. So, thank you very much!
Other perspectives
Please, if you know what is good for your pocketbook and your joy levels, please go and check out other reviews of this set. We are all so very different as no two people think exactly alike. The guy to my left might totally disagree with every word I’ve written. That’s the nature of the hobby, it’s subjective in all ways. We have different music libraries, different likes and dislikes, even different hearing abilities. So, I do think it would do you well to listen to, read, or watch other reviews and other opinions about the C3P+. With that I think im done folks. I hope you all are well and good. Stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!