SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro Review: Unique, But I’m Impressed

When I tried the SOUNDPEATS Air 4 Lite and Air 4 Pro, I was impressed with their overall performance.

When I got the chance to use the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro, I was excited. To be honest, although I’ve used many open-ear earbuds, I had never tried ones with a clip-on design.

With curiosity, I used these earbuds for several days, and here’s my SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro review, where I cover everything you need to know about these earbuds.

Key Features of the SoundPeats PearlClip Pro

Box Content

• SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro with charging case
• USB-C charging cable
• User guide
• Panda stickers

Build Quality

Most of the time, you can gauge the build quality just by holding the case for a few seconds. When I took the case out of the box for the first time, it immediately told me that the earbuds would have a solid build quality—and I wasn’t wrong.

The charging case felt solid in my hand and had a noticeable heft to it. Because of its glossy finish, the case exudes a premium feel.

When I used the SOUNDPEATS Air 4 Pro, I noticed a slight creaking sound from the lid, but there was nothing like that on the PearlClip Pro.

When I took the earbuds out, I immediately noticed the silicon material. The outer layer of the driver and battery compartment is made of metal, while the rest of the body features a silicon material.

Do note that while the clip-on design is stretchable, it’s only to some extent and cannot be stretched completely.

Overall, I honestly have no complaints about the build quality, especially considering the price.

Build Quality: 4.1★

Design and Comfort

Not everyone likes regular earbuds with silicone tips that sit inside the ear canal and create a seal. While that design provides the best sound quality, if the fit isn’t comfortable, it won’t be suitable for long audio sessions.

The PearlClip Pro, with its open-ear clip-on design, is different. Its speaker rests on the incisura part of the ears, so you don’t need to insert it into your ear canal. This means your ears won’t feel any pain or fatigue.

Once, I used these earbuds for five hours straight, and I have to say I didn’t experience any ear pain or fatigue, even once.

I even gave these earbuds to my colleague, who has smaller ears, and the PearlClip Pro fits perfectly on her. Most earbuds don’t fit her because of her small ears, but she found these to be the most comfortable.

So, even though the design is unique, it’s highly functional. I have to say these earbuds are among the best in terms of comfort.

And don’t worry—they’re lightweight, so you won’t feel any extra weight on your ears.

Design & Comfort: 4.1★

Sound Quality

Other than the design, I was very curious about the sound quality because earbuds with an open-ear design often compromise a lot in this area due to the lack of silicone tips to create a seal.

Frankly speaking, the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro exceeded my expectations.

Having already used SOUNDPEATS earbuds, I expected these to have heavy bass. But, the question was how well the bass would perform with this unique design.

When I started listening to music, I noticed a solid bass response, making it clear that the PearlClip Pro is a bass-centric pair of earbuds.

Because of the open-ear design, it’s understandable that the bass isn’t as deep or punchy as it would be on regular earbuds, but even so, the bass quality was quite impressive.

I found the vocals to be good as well, though nothing exceptional. The same holds true for the treble, although the treble was slightly better than the vocals.

The earbuds have a certain spark in their sound, but that extra crispness was noticeably missing. This was expected, given the earbuds use a V-shaped or U-shaped sound signature.

If that crispness had been added, the sound quality would have been even more impressive.

One thing I’d like to clarify is that, due to the open-ear design, I often had to keep the volume above 75% in a silent environment, above 85% in moderately noisy environments, and around 95–100% in very noisy surroundings.

As a result, there was significant sound leakage, especially if you were sitting in a silent environment and had the volume set to around 80%.

Do note that these earbuds are definitely not for audiophiles, but if you want to stay aware of your surroundings, enjoy excellent comfort, and have a solid audio experience, the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro won’t disappoint you.

I’ve been using them as my daily driver and will continue to do so—even purely from a sound-quality perspective.

Sound Quality: 4.0★

Microphone and Call Quality

First, I made a call outdoors in a silent environment, meaning there was no traffic, and the call quality was solid. The person on the other end had no issues hearing my voice.

Next, I moved to my office, which is in the city and surrounded by traffic. Even then, the indoor calling experience was good. Yes, the other person could hear some honking sounds, but the overall call quality remained decent.

Lastly, I tested the earbuds in a completely noisy environment, where I had to speak louder for the other person to hear me. Additionally, the other person noticed a lot of background noise.

One thing I also noticed was that when I was in traffic and the other person was speaking, I couldn’t hear them properly because the open-ear design lets in external noise.

So what I can conclude is that the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro are great for indoor or moderately noisy environments, but they are certainly not ideal for very noisy conditions.

Microphone & Call Quality: 3.9★

You might also like the OneOdio Focus A5 review.

Battery Life

The battery life is not mind-blowing, but it’s good enough. As I mentioned earlier, I had to keep the volume on the higher side, so it’s obvious that it would consume more battery.

Still, I got good battery life:

• At 85% volume, I got 5 hours of music playback, which included some calls as well.
• At the same volume, I achieved around 19 hours of total battery life with similar usage.

The good thing is that these earbuds support fast charging, where just 10 minutes of charge provides 2 hours of music playback at 60% volume.

I didn’t feel the battery life was lacking, though a 45mAh battery on the earbuds would have been excellent instead of the current 35mAh.

However, I’d like to point out that the USB-C charging port is located on the back of the case, which feels inconvenient given its pebble-like shape. It would’ve been better if the port were on the bottom, but that’s just my opinion.

Battery Life: 4.0★

Connectivity and Features

I used the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro with two smartphones and two Windows laptops, and I didn’t encounter any major connectivity issues.

However, one day, I was using just one earbud connected to my smartphone, and it kept saying ‘connecting’ and ‘disconnected’ every 10 seconds. It was quite frustrating at the time.

That said, when I used both earbuds together, I didn’t face any issues.

As for features, these earbuds don’t offer much. For example:

• Providing ANC on open-ear earbuds doesn’t make much sense, so these earbuds skip ANC entirely.
• The earbuds come with an IPX5 rating, which is good but not the best.
• The PearlClip Pro supports SBC and AAC codecs but lacks high-quality LDAC codec support.

Connectivity & Features: 3.9★

You might also like the Soundcore P40i review.

App Support

I usually like SOUNDPEATS earbuds, but their app always leaves me wanting more.

It gets the job done, as you can use pre-set EQ settings or customize them to adjust the sound to your taste. You can also customize or disable touch controls and switch between gaming or movie mode.

However, the app feels quite basic and, at times, fails to detect the earbuds—at least in my case. The font and interface don’t look modern, nor do they give the impression of using a polished or secure app.

Additionally, while the app is free to use, you are required to create an account to access it.

Overall, I appreciate that these earbuds come with app support, but I rarely use it because it doesn’t feel reassuring or well-designed. The available options also aren’t particularly compelling.

App Support: 3.8★

Also Read: Tagry X08 earbuds review with pros and cons.

Pricing and Value for Money

In my opinion, after comfort and sound quality, the standout feature of the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro is their pricing.

Typically, these earbuds have an MSRP of $70 but are often available for $60, which is already a fantastic deal for what they offer.

However, as of writing, they are available on Amazon US with a 30% coupon, bringing the price down to just $42. At that price, they become an unbeatable option in their category.

Even at $60, these earbuds deliver excellent value for money.

Pricing and Value for Money: 4.2★

My Real-life Experience

I’ve been using the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro for several days now, and I’m genuinely happy with the experience.

I really appreciate the sound quality, comfort, battery life, and even the indoor call quality. Since I’m familiar with this type of design, the absence of ANC doesn’t bother me at all.

That said, a few things do irritate me at times. For example, the ‘Connected’/’Disconnected’ voice issue I mentioned earlier and the sound leakage. I don’t want the person next to me hearing what I’m listening to.

Do I use the PearlClip Pro every day?

Yes, it’s my daily driver. Since I often keep earbuds on all day, even when I’m not listening to music, I need them to be extremely comfortable and keep me aware of my surroundings. These earbuds deliver on both fronts.

Will I continue using them?

Absolutely. Unlike most earbuds or headphones I stop using after testing, this pair is one I’ll continue to use, mainly because of the comfort.

Overall, my experience with the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro has been very positive. While I wouldn’t call it mind-blowing, it certainly meets my needs effectively.

Also Read: Soundcore V20i review with pros and cons.

Final Verdict and Pros & Cons

Should you buy the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro?

While I genuinely like the SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro, it doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for everyone.

If you’re looking for an open-ear clip-on design, the PearlClip Pro is undoubtedly an excellent option and worth considering. I would personally choose these earbuds if I needed this specific design.

However, if you prefer deep bass and a traditional design with silicone tips, you may want to explore other options. For those who wish to stick with SOUNDPEATS, the Air4 Pro could be a great alternative.

Pros and Cons

Extremely comfortable design
Solid bass performance for open-ear design
Good sound quality
Good battery life
Fast charging support
IPX5 water resistance
Free app support
Affordable pricing

Sound leakage, especially at higher volumes
Average call quality in noisy environments
Basic app design

Overall Rating: 4.0★

FAQs

That concludes my SOUNDPEATS PearlClip Pro review. If you still have any doubts, feel free to ask in the comment section.

Also, share your thoughts on whether you agree or disagree with this review.