SoundPEATS Review

Q12 and Q30 Plus Bluetooth Earbud Review

My SoundPEATS Review starts 2.5 yrs ago with my first experience with SoundPEATS earbuds. I discovered the original Soundpeats Q12 (similar to current Q30) version in my stocking on Christmas 2017.  My wife knew my beloved wired headphones (Moshi Vortex) had fallen victim to the washing machine. This rendered them useless for phone calls.

In the wake of the tragic drowning of my Moshi’s I attempted to replace them with a pair of $80 Sennheiser Momentum wired earbuds. This purchase left me with serious buyers remorse. For the amount of money I spent I didn’t expect to receive a product with such discomfort and mediocre sound quality with no lows or mids. In hindsight, I should have forked out the extra $40 needed for replacement of what I knew I liked. After hearing my complaints and reading about improved Bluetooth technology, my wife decided it was time to bring me into the modern world of semi-wireless earbuds. I was reluctant to give up the old wired ones for two reasons.  First, wired headphones don’t die and don’t need charged. Second, the sound quality of my first good wired set was phenomenal. I felt that wireless couldn’t begin to match it. 

Learning Curve:

At first I began using the SoundPEATS Q12 sparingly. I used them so infrequently that I became frustrated. The batteries were frequently dead when I did remember to get them out of the nightstand. In those first 4-6 months this SoundPEATS Review would have looked a lot different!

It wasn’t until I began using them more frequently that I realized the battery wasn’t dying on its own.  The dead batteries were due to user error, I wrongfully assumed they were disconnecting and powering down on their own. However, this assumption was inaccurate. The Q12 earbuds were connecting to or constantly looking for my phone because I was failing to turn them off.

Everyday Use:

Fast forward a year and a half and I’m using my SoundPEATS Q12 earbuds daily. I’m confident I got my money’s worth. So I decided to share my version of a SoundPEATS Review from the perspective of a normal person, not an audiophile.

  I give my headphones a short charge when I get to work while I can stream The Bobby Bones Show through the computer speakers.  Then, when co-workers begin to arrive I switch over to my headphones and listen to music or The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast in one ear for the remainder of my day spent in the office.  This isn’t to say they undergo 8-10 hours of constant playtime though. I frequently pause or turn them off when team collaboration is needed or when I am working on something in the portion of the facility where phones and headphones are prohibited.  

Solid Connection Strength:

I can leave my phone on my desk and maintain connection all the way to the coffee machine. Connection disruption only begins after crossing the hallway to get ice, an estimated distance of around 75 – 80’ with 3 walls between devices.  After moving completely out of range the SoundPEATS usually reconnect as soon as my phone is within range again. In the event they don’t I can just hit the play button (middle) on the inline controller and it triggers a connection attempt. 

Clear Sound at all Volume Levels:

For one ear listening I keep the volume at a low level and have experienced good sound quality and battery life.  Static is kept to a minimum but can be heard when I unlock my phone while the SoundPEATS are connected but no audio is playing. I actually don’t mind it thought because this gives me peace of mind that my phone won’t blare out Joe Rogan and his cursing for the world to hear when I click the play button.

Comfort and Storage:

I like them for fitness because I can put both earbuds in for use on a treadmill or in the weight room.  But if I’m running outdoors or on a bike trail I can put one earbud in. I let the other one dangle around my neck so that I can stay aware of my surroundings.  It’s nice to have a single item to keep track of and not have to worry about where to store a loose earbud if I decide I don’t need one for a while. Similarly, if I want to turn them off for a while to use later in my workout the magnetic backs come in handy to clip them together around my neck so that they don’t fall off.  They aren’t a fashion statement (unless you ask our 3 year old) but it’s a nice functional touch. 

These are one of the first earbuds that I have worn that don’t hurt my ears. The only complaint I have is that the somewhat heavy inline controller can get situated in a way that it pulls on the ear buds or gets bound up in my shirt. But a quick adjustment and I’m on my way again so its not a deal breaker for me. Multiple sized tip options allowed me to find a good fit and the C-shaped hooks help them stay put in my ears without pain. In case you were wondering the hook goes up and the wire connection goes down for the best comfort and secure fit. 

True Wireless and Q30 Plus:

My second experience the brand was with SoundPeats TrueWireless variety with charging box.  My wife kept telling me she wanted Apple AirPods. But after research I just couldn’t justify the cost for what you get with them.  After consulting the customer SoundPEATS Review section on Amazon I decided to gamble on the SoundPeats TrueWireless Earbuds as a stocking stuffer. We initially got them charged and she enjoyed them for audio purposes. Then, when she attempted to use them for conference calls for work no one could hear her.  We tested them a couple times but never could improve the microphone quality. In the end she decided she would like a pair with the inline microphone instead. We returned the SoundPEATS TrueWireless 6 weeks after purchase without any issue.  

While I was taking picture of both sets I decided to do a little audio comparison. My wife’s SoundPEATS Q30 Plus seem to be a little louder and the bass seems to hit a tiny bit harder at increased volume. Though the Q30 Plus seemed to fit better, the original Q12 seemed to do a better job of reducing sound heard by others around you. In the end the differences are negligible and both are adequate for a low priced wireless earbud solution.

Details from the Manufacturer: 

• Compatible with most smartphones both iPhone and Android
• Rated Usage time:  Q12 Plus- 9 hr Q30 Plus- 8 hr
• Rated Standby Time: 100hr 
• Required charge time: 1-2 hrs
• IPX 6 rated to withstand sweat for fitness use
• Inline microphone and volume control
• 12 month hassle free warranty (we returned the True Wireless version due to poor microphone volume for phone calls)

All of ours have come from Amazon. But while looking up details and specs for my SoundPEATS review I discovered they are available directly from the SoundPEATS website.  (At the time of publication Amazon is several dollars cheaper)