I’m always wary of “cheap” earbuds. Anything under $100 probably sounds terrible. These are usually designed solely for back-up use, as a first pair for a teen or tween who is likely to lose them, or for someone on a serious budget. But every so often, you come across a value pair of buds that seems like a “can’t miss” deal. The SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro made their way to my desk for review, and I was intrigued both because of the unique open-ear clip-on design and the $80 price tag (with an additional $20 off at the time of this writing). I fully expecting them to be nothing more than a convenience play for athletes who despise in-ear buds and don’t like bone conduction alternatives. So, I set forth to find out.
What to Know About the PearlClip Pros
These wireless earbuds have a unique, C-shaped open-ear clip design for a comfortable and pressure free fit. Fitting around your earlobe and atop your ear, they are ultra-lightweight at just 5.85 grams.
Made of 70% liquid silicon and nickel-titanium memory steel, they are equipped with a 12mm dual-magnet driver and dynamic EQ and come pre-tuned with a dynamic EQ enhancement algorithm for resonant bass. Cinema Mode purports to offer an open spatial audio immersive experience.
They can run for up to six hours per charge, 18 hours with the charging case. Plug them in for 10 minutes to quick charge for an extra two hours of play time. Interestingly, you can place either bud in either side of the charging case: after 10-seconds, the channel will auto adjust accordingly for the next time you wear them.
Download the PeatsAudio app to customize the touch controls and EQ settings. They use Bluetooth 5.4 for a stable connection to your device and come with a mic with AI noise reduction that minimizes background noise for clear phone calls. There’s also dual-device connectivity for seamlessly switching between your laptop and phone, for example.
SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro Wireless Earbuds Review
You’ll instantly notice that the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro look very different from other earbuds. Like an upper ear cartilage earring, they have a C-shaped design whereby one side goes in your ear and the other wraps around to the outside of the lobe. As the name implies, it’s more of a clip that an in-, on-, or around-the-ear design.
It takes some getting used to positioning it right and I had trouble getting them to sit perfectly. This was especially challenging in the Canadian winter while wearing them under a toque.
It’s also worth noting that since there is only one size, it will fit differently on those with smaller or larger earlobes. Since my ears are on the larger side, I found I couldn’t get the buds to sit as close to my auditory canal as I would have liked, no matter on which part of my ear I tried to wrap them. This meant cranking the volume up a little higher than I wanted and lots of outside sounds leaking in. It’s the same experience I find with other similarly styled earbuds, like the Oladance OWS Pro earbuds I reviewed last year.
I listened to music both at home and on the go and took incoming calls as well. During my morning or afternoon walks, I popped the earbuds onto my ears and listened to music from Apple Music or SiriusXM, or Time to Walk workouts on Apple Fitness+. I started with my baseline track, Radiohead’s “Creep.” The otherwise mesmerizing tune lacks depth and presence. When the instruments kick in, it’s harsh, almost unpleasant. Music is clear though not as crisp as I’d like. It has a cuppy, muffled sound to it. You aren’t going to hear every note as the artist intended, but you will hear every note. Stereo separation isn’t as good as with other buds.
You can adjust audio in the app, which annoyingly requires that you log back in every time you open it. I tried the various presets and using the custom EQ. I also set up the adaptive EQ, which runs a perception test. It plays a series of tones and asks you to tap when you hear them. It then provides a report indicating the “scientific assessment of your auditory abilities,” noting that it will provide compensation based on the data. But no matter which EQ I chose, there isn’t a huge audible difference among them.
I did notice a slight improvement once using adaptive EQ, but not enough to say that it was night and day better. There was an added softness to the vocals though the instruments continued to sound too harsh versus distinguishable and distinct.
The shining light here is that phone calls sound pleasant: I was able to hear the caller clearly and they me, even when I was out walking on a windy day.
I wanted to see how these buds sound compared to others. The closest I have in price point are the OnePlus Buds 3, which sell for about $140. Just for fun, I also listened with the Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100, which are more than four times the price at $400.
Flipping to the OnePlus Buds 3, audio was expectedly better but tunes still sound hollow and less intense than I know they are. The instruments aren’t as harsh as with the PearlClip Pros, however. Overall, sound quality from the OnePlus Buds 3 remains in line with my original assessment when I reviewed them early last year.
Popping in the Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100, I’m fully aware that it isn’t a fair comparison. But I sat back with a smile and breathed a sigh of relief. As my benchmark pair, the difference is night and day. If nothing else, this demonstrates that when you see a pair of $400 earbuds, rest assured that there’s a reason they cost so much. The sound was balanced, crisp, melodic like butter in my ears. This is the way the song should sound.
Other Details Worth Noting
There’s more you can do in the app, including adjusting touch controls, customizing or even disabling them altogether if you find that you’re often accidentally tapping the buds when you don’t intend to do so. You can also select various modes, including Game mode or Movie mode, and turn Dynamic EQ on or off.
Along with the aforementioned Adaptive EQ, which runs a test to adjust the sound based on your ears, the presets include SoundPEATS classic, Treble enhancement, Bass boost, Bass reduction, Rock & roll, Pop, Electronic, Folk, or Classical music. You can also tweak audio through the custom EQ, naming and saving your personal settings so you can easily select them later.
These earbuds don’t have noise cancelling aside from the noise reduction for phone calls. So, if you’re looking for a pair of earbuds to block out noise while you work or when commuting, these aren’t it.
Should You Buy the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro Wireless Earbuds?
I have a lot of friends who are happiest with convenience: if they’re going out for a run, they want a pair of buds that fit securely, connect easily, and play the music they want for a good price. There are plenty of moderately priced earbuds that sound decent and offer good value. If you want the best sound, however, you’ll have to pay for it. For some, they’d rather never hear anything better, living in blissful ignorance to what they’re missing. It’s a shame, but it’s a reality.
So, where do the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro fall on the spectrum? For a basic pair or earbuds for listening to tunes at home or on the go, even while working out at the gym, going for a run, or walking to work or school, they’ll do just fine…for some. The big draw is the unique design, which might suit those who don’t like or can’t wear traditional in-ears. But this is also the biggest drawback. Some may not like how these fit. I struggle to figure out how, without being adjustable, they can fit properly for the many shapes and sizes of ears we all have. They could fit you perfectly but may not fit someone else. (My partner refused to even try them when he realized they didn’t sit far enough into his ear).
If you have other buds to compare them to, you’ll instantly realize why these are $80 and the EAH-100s $400. But they serve different people and different budgets. If you don’t like in-ears, bone conduction, or behind-the-head ‘phones, this style might be the solution. But I recommend trying them on for size first, if possible. This is not a one-size-fits-all scenario and a design that not everyone will want.
For those on a tight budget who just want a back-up pair of buds to keep in your travel bag, give them a go. I went into it thinking they would sound horrible, and they don’t. I wouldn’t sit at home and listen to music with these if I’m looking to be fully immersed in a playlist. But for my weekend walks, they do the trick, and they sound a lot better than I expected for such an affordable price.
Get the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro wireless earbuds for $80 (at the time of this writing, they are $20 off).