Page 3 - Subjective Audio Analysis
Reviewing audio devices require extensively trained ears, lots of experience, and sufficient technical knowledge. Even for the experienced auditioner, it may prove challenging at times to obtain an accurate evaluation of a product without a thoroughly familiar product to use as a simultaneous reference. Furthermore, many self-proclaimed audiophiles are susceptible to biased write-ups due to placebo effects from false advertising. While I am not going to even try to claim that I am the only trustworthy or best evaluator for sound, it is fact that most computer review sites have editors who are insufficiently trained in reviewing audio equipment. Give them anything and all you will read about goes along with the line of "good bass, nice midrange, impressive treble, really clear sound, 10/10". While there are many knowledgeable audio reviewers at various respected online media outlets, they are by far the minority.
As I have mentioned in my past audio reviews, there are no true objective measurements for sound quality. As the evaluator, however, I will put it through a series of subjective tests to try to produce the most objective rating possible. Yes, it sounds like a paradox. For all tests, I used an Apple iPhone 15 Pro over Bluetooth 5.3. After over 60 hours of break-in time -- well above typical required time -- I put the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 to the test. All test tracks are high-quality CD-equivalent files. I left all the settings in default, which means DynamicEQ was active.
Starting at the low-end, it should be no surprise that most of the bass was absent. Given its open construction and lack of any seal, the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 did not have much presence at the bottom. Bass drum kicks felt hollow and bottomed out easily with zero sub-bass. Again, this was expected with this sort of design. In the middle bass, there was a bit more punch and groove, which was heard in instruments like the electric bass guitar. Even so, it still lacked the foundation needed to make the bass comfortable. The DynamicEQ does a decent job in compensating for this design, but it still could not cover everything.
Moving to the midrange, the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 was not too recessed in this middle region. Vocals were present, clear, and distinct. The increased middle bass did not bleed into the midrange. On the other hand, vocals tended to be on the dryer side, but they were still natural sounding overall. Instruments in this region like pianos and acoustic guitars sounded a bit dryer too, lacking the natural resonance of an acoustic instrument. It was not missing any regions, but it still did not sound the most detailed or thick in sound.
As for the treble, I found the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 was passable in this region. There was no shrillness in the quality here, as things were bright without being uncomfortable. The treble rolled off before it was too shrill. However, it also felt a bit clashy and messy at times. This was most audible in the cymbal crashes. This translated into a lack of energy or crispness in the sound. Sibilance was not an issue here, although this is not too surprising given the lack of sparkle.
When balancing the three ranges, the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 felt like an upside-down W, with peaks in the mid-bass, a slight valley in the midrange, another peak in the low to mid trebles, and falling off at the high end. I did try turning off DynamicEQ, and I found the sound to be even worse with a thin feel across all regions. I could forgive the missing foundation with lacking bass, but the other regions had areas to clean up.
As for soundstaging and imaging, the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 took advantage of its open nature, delivering sound that did not feel stuck inside my head. This is no surprise given the wearer's ears are open to hear the rest of your environment with the music. Audio sounded nice, especially for live recordings, as there was an openness in both width and depth. The lacking bass did negatively affect the immersive feel and image, but everything still felt realistic from an imaging perspective.
When it comes to layering and frequency separation, the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 felt a bit lacking in this area. While voices and frequency regions were distinguishable, as more voices were added, the detail began to suffer. More peripheral sounds felt thinner and almost difficult to identify their source. Layers did not blend, but the Clip1 struggled with more complicated music. Everything still felt cohesive as if it were coming from one set of earbuds. The sound was not always clean, especially with the loss of definition at times.
In day-to-day usage, the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 are physically amazingly comfortable. The non-intrusive design means it can stay clipped to my ears for the full testing period without any issue. The clips hold well and do not come loose unless I purposely pull them off. In terms of sound isolation or leakage, the Clip1 does not do well in either category. Given its design, you would be foolish to expect them to do so, as they are clearly intended to allow sound through. At normal listening volumes, others will not hear your music, but I still would not use the Clip1 in places where you do not want to disturb others.
For microphone testing, I recorded myself twice, first indoors and second outdoors. This would give a better idea of how the microphone performs in both ideal and less ideal environments. Inside, the microphone was sufficient for calls, as it was able to pick up my voice easily. However, near the end of the recording, there is a bit of distortion which came from me slightly breathing out and causing a slightly plosive sound. Outside, there were a few external sounds in my environment, but the Clip1 did not pick them up. I was walking about while shoveling my driveway, which is why you can hear the crunch of fresh snow. However, my voice was still distinguishable, and the Clip1 is usable for calls.
In terms of its wireless capabilities, the SOUNDPEATS Clip1 performed about where I expected. In testing, I was able to get just under 7 hours at 50% volume before needing to recharge. This is an hour shorter than the quoted 8 hours per charge. The case did provide about four more charges, which means I was able to get closer to 35 hours of total use instead of the rated 40 hours. Charging the entire unit took around 90 minutes, which was as expected. Wireless range was good, as I was able to maintain a consistent connection up to 40m away with direct line of sight until I started hearing the music drop. In terms of delay, it was not as noticeable when watching videos, but those gaming may feel it. The gaming mode helps to reduce noticeable latency.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Audio Analysis
4. Conclusion
