Page 2 - Physical Look - Hardware and Software
The SOUNDPEATS Space looks quite typical with some minor accents to make the whole thing look a bit more interesting. Most of the exterior is black and gray with some gold accents around the outer earcups. It is worth noting the Space also comes in white and tan variants if you prefer. Its design is rather uninspiring, although this is not necessarily a bad thing. It blends smooth curvature on the ears with defined edges and corners, blending a sleek finish with a utilitarian design. Each side of the headphones has a large "S" logo marked in a slightly warm gray color for some accenting. This also matches the color of the grille over the microphones on the Space. Overall, the look of the SOUNDPEATS Space is standard, with nothing tangible to make it stand out or fall behind the competition.
In terms of construction, the majority of the headset is made of plastic, including the outer shell and headband. The ear cups and the cushion of the headband feature a vegan leather exterior. Despite the plastic build, the SOUNDPEATS Space does not look or feel cheap. An internal reinforced steel band adds to the headset's structural integrity. None of the joints were squeaky regardless of how much I swiveled the ears or stretched the headphones open. Regarding its dimensions, the SOUNDPEATS Space measures approximately 220mm in height, 175mm in width, and 90mm in depth at its largest dimensions when fully expanded. The specified weight is light at 264g.
At the top, we can get a closer look at the headband of the SOUNDPEATS Space. When you extend the ears, the arms reveal the internal steel band that enhances the overall structural integrity. The movement is notched, so you will both hear and feel each step. It would have been nice to see visual lines to help users remember how far they have extended their ears. At the very top, we find a bit of memory foam padding with polyurethane leather where it makes contact with your head. Additionally, there is mesh fabric at the top, providing a nice contrast in feel.
Taking a closer look at the ears of the SOUNDPEATS Space, you can see the cups are covered in pleather material with memory foam underneath to increase comfort. These are over-ear headphones, so the ear cups sit around your ears rather than pressing on them. Unfortunately, you cannot remove the ear cups from the rest of the headset, so those looking for alternative options to the covers on the ears will have to look elsewhere. Personally, I did not find the vegan leather to be too warm. The cups also indicate left and right on the mesh fabric that sits over the drivers. Underneath, we have 40mm dynamic drivers with a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, matching the typical hearing range of a human. Otherwise, SOUNDPEATS has not provided much other information about the drivers. As mentioned already, the ears swivel, allowing you to wear the headphones on your neck comfortably. They also fold inwards to reduce the space needed for the Space when traveling with them.
In terms of comfort, I found the SOUNDPEATS Space quite enjoyable. At 264g, it is relatively light compared to other headphones I have used. The real standout feature, however, is the memory foam. It is incredibly plush and molds to your head with minimal pressure, resulting in a very comfortable experience. When it comes to choosing between fabric and leather or leather-alternative cups, there are trade-offs to consider. Leather and leather-alternative cups tend to be less breathable, creating a tighter seal on your head. This enhances sound isolation and reduces leakage compared to their fabric counterparts. Personally, I lean towards fabric or mesh ear cups for longer usage sessions, as the Space did become warm after several hours of use. The clamping force of the SOUNDPEATS Space is just right to keep the headphones in place even when shaking your head.
All of the controls on the SOUNDPEATS Space can be found on the bottom of the ears. On the left ear, there is a single button used to cycle between the active noise cancellation and pass-through modes. Next, we have a USB Type-C port nestled inside a slight indentation along with a mesh opening for one of the two microphones, utilized for input and noise cancellation. Finally, there is a small slit housing a small white LED on one edge, which illuminates when the headphones have either ANC or pass-through active. On the other ear, we find a rocker button followed by a multipurpose button. The rocker serves as volume control with single presses and track navigation with long presses. The multipurpose button, when single-pressed, plays or pauses the music. A double press activates the connected device's voice assistant, while a triple press toggles on and off game mode. This game mode is designed to lower sound latency to 65ms for gaming. For phone calls, a single press of the multipurpose button answers or hangs up calls, and a long press rejects incoming calls. Finally, there is a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting to the SOUNDPEATS Space using the included cable.
For the majority of users, wireless usage of the SOUNDPEATS Space is the norm. It supports Bluetooth v5.3, with codecs including SBC and AAC. SBC, or Subband Coding, is the default Bluetooth audio codec known for its reasonably good audio quality and low processing power requirements. For Apple users, the Space also supports AAC, which communicates at about 250kbps from the source. AAC is widely supported on many modern Android devices as well. Unfortunately, the Space does not support Sony's LDAC or Qualcomm's aptX codecs.
As mentioned previously, the SOUNDPEATS Space also features active noise cancellation. According to the manufacturer, this technology can remove up to 35dB of ambient noise by generating an out-of-phase signal. Additionally, the headphones offer a pass-through mode, which allows environmental sounds to be fed into the headphones, enabling you to hear people talking without removing your headphones. Both of these modes can be used, regardless of if you are connected via Bluetooth or with the cable. With ANC turned off, the rated battery life is an impressive 123 hours, while it is reduced to 61 hours with ANC active. Internally, a 1000mAh lithium polymer battery keeps everything powered. Actual battery performance will be tested in our upcoming tests on the next page. Charging the headphones to full capacity takes approximately 120 minutes via the USB Type-C port. Notably, a quick 10-minute charge is claimed to provide 12 hours of playtime according to the manufacturer.
The SOUNDPEATS application is available for download on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, allowing users to access additional features on their mobile devices. However, it is worth noting that creating an account is required to access any of the settings, which is unnecessary for a companion application.
Once installed, the app displays the battery life prominently on the main page, with additional options accessible through a hamburger menu located in the top-left corner. Here, users can access quick information by clicking on "Help" or choose to reset the headset back to its factory settings by selecting "Reset".
Under the hamburger menu, users can access additional settings. At the top, there is an option for adaptive EQ, which essentially adjusts frequencies based on a series of tests to match your listening preferences. I somewhat question the effectiveness of these tests, but it does reveal to users the frequencies they are more or less sensitive to. Next, users can choose between preset equalizers or create their own custom EQ. Personally, I found the preset equalizers to sound artificial, so I opted to stick with the "classic" mode, which maintains flat settings. Below that, users can toggle between different noise reduction modes, including ANC, transparent, and off. Finally, at the bottom of the menu, there are options to activate game mode.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Audio Analysis
4. Conclusion
