Hold me
Greetings mate and welcome aboard!
Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…
In this review, we’ll cover the SOUNDPEATS H3 and decide if it’s just another forgettable Bluetooth Earbud in a sea of thousands, or if it deserves heavy consideration as a worthy investment.
By the time you’re finished reading this, you will know. And if you don’t, I’ll eat my sock.
fOlLoW mE!
All specs, pricing, and box contents toward the end!
Packaging, Build & Aesthetic
It’s simple yet elegant, and includes a USB Type-B to Type-C charging cable, 4 extra sets of tips, a User Guide, and 9 small stickers arranged in a grid formation. Pretty neat.
I’m partial to the skatboarder. WBU?
The buds are encased in a nice-looking see-through shell, and upon opening, you’re greeted with a wonderful texture of what looks to be something you’d find on a high-end Prada bag or something similar.
It’s small and subtle but very tasteful.
Centered on the material is a plaque that says “Hear the difference” in gold, cursive lettering, and on the back, you’ll find “SOUNDPEATS” engraved on the case, a reset button below that (hold 10s until you see a flashing red/white light), and the USB-C port on the bottom.
Key Features include enhanced call clarity with 6-MIC AI Noise Reduction + cVc™ 8.0, conversation-enhancing Transparency Mode (adjustable via PeatsAudio app), 9-band EQ presets via PeatsAudio app, 60ms low-latency Game Mode for seamless audio-visual sync, and it’s also IPX5 Water Resistant with Nano-coating for Sweat and Splash protection.
To pair manually with your phone, hold that same button for 3s. This is typically only used if you’re having issues with an auto pair, but it’s there if you need it.
One small nitpick I have is that the case doesn’t stand up very easily without falling over. It is possible, but takes a bit of finessing. You’ll mostly be laying it on its side. I think it could have been a bit more stable. Other than that, the overall presentation is immaculate, and I’m very satisfied like a Snickers.
The gold colored buds are fairly lightweight and also see-through, with R and L indicators on the inside of each unit.
Comfort is about what you’d expect from an earbud, and decent. I’m never doing backflips over the comfort of any of them, but the fitment is good and they mostly stay in place.
Touch configuration is nice and straightforward; they pair super fast with my iPhone, and I haven’t experienced any dropouts thus far. I will update this article accordingly.
Just remove the insulating film, open the case, and remove the buds. This will automatically power them on, and “SOUNDPEATS H3” should show up in the Bluetooth section of your phone.
Press to pair, and you’ll be greeted by a woman who sounds like she’s in a concert hall. It was rather jarring but strangely satisfying to hear her exclaim, “Power On” and “Connected.” It’s kind of echoey/reverby, and I feel like I’m ready to take flight or something.
SOUNDPEATS H3 Controls
In any event, tap the right bud 1x to increase volume, and do the same for the left to decrease. 2 taps is Play/Pause and also answers/ends calls. Press and hold 1.5 seconds on the right bud to skip a track, and do the same on the left bud to skip ANC modes. This also accepts or rejects calls.
Note: There is no “previous track” function.
ANC mode contains 3 different settings: Passthrough (no noise cancellation), ANC On (full noise cancellation), and Normal mode (kind of a cross between the 2).
I’d say ANC is pretty standard for a product like this. You’ll get some noise cancellation of fans, A/C, general ambience, etc., but it’s not going to block out, say, someone causing a ruckus or being loud. So prepare your expectations accordingly.
Holding the right or left bud for 10s powers off, while holding it for 1.5s powers on.
Tap the left bud 3x for game mode, and the right bud 3x for voice commands.
As I’m getting more time with them, a small nitpick I have is that the buttons aren’t as sensitive as I’d like.
You may find yourself re-tapping certain commands to get the buds to respond, but for the most part, the system works really well and is easy to use. Still, plan to be very deliberate about it.
The most important component is how they sound, so let’s dive in, shall we?
Sound
- Playlist(s): Stay Sane, Hip-Hop 101, and My Belle are what I typically use to test products. Try “The Beach Playlist For Guys Named Brian” as well. It’s a new addition and needs some love!
- Battery Life/Playtime: Advertised as Around 7 Hrs. Purportedly below average due to the multi-driver configuration combined with ANC, but I will update this article as I get more time with them.
- Drivers: Hybrid Triple-Driver System featuring 10mm dynamic driver + dual balanced armatures.
- Type: Adaptive ANC, AI-powered noise cancellation with dual transparency modes.
Right off the bat, you’ll notice these are tuned very well and have a pretty neutral frequency response (for the most part) across the board. It’s Harman-ish, which is mostly good news for people who love bad news.
Let’s start with the Bass,
which has rumble and thump, if perhaps a little bloated here, exemplified in Flying Lotus’ “Crust” which sounds more restrained and less front and center on KBEAR’s KB03.
Still, the H3’s bass in no way ruins the sound signature (as with headphones like the 99 Neo), but I feel as though it still doesn’t need to be this pronounced.
It has this needly, artificial character about it, sounding a bit overly “punchy” rather than wet and dense on the majority of tracks. This usually means the mud regions around 200-300Hz are too boosted/need to come down a bit, and I think that’s the case here. I also think they went a bit overboard in boosting the subbass and mid-bass around 60-90Hz. 60-90 can and should be elevated, but to this extent is a bit of overkill.
You do have the option of swapping tips for a smaller set (which I tried), but the issue is still there regardless, and different tips won’t magically fix any inherent sonic flaws.
For instance, tracks like J. Cole’s “Zendaya,” and one of my favorite beats for evaluating the low end, Nicolay’s “Fantastic,” sound very good overall, but they’re both too punchy.
Kicks hit decently well, but they sound somewhat out of control like a screaming toddler rather than lush and clean. They have this kind of bloaty quality to them, though it’s way more subtle in the H3 than it is with other bad consumer products.
That said, pay attention to the track and how it was engineered.
Some beats are mixed better than others, which can sometimes create the illusion that the earbuds or headphones can do no wrong. In the case of the H3, that’s simply not true, though they still sound good overall.
Mid-Range
Because of this “pretty good” bass quality that doesn’t incinerate the rest of the sound, you’ll never feel like the mid-range is drowned out.
Vocals and instruments stand out nicely, and what may be a detriment to hip-hop tracks in particular (i.e., the less-than -perfect bass) kind of does help fill out and meatify older rock recordings that sometimes have a tendency of sounding a bit anemic.
Such is the case with the wonderful “Hold Me” from Fleetwood Mac. I’m not saying this track necessarily sounds anemic per se, but the H3 renders the bass lines in this song wonderfully, with vocals and guitars sounding nearly perfect.
In other words, the great resolution of these buds saves them in a sense, providing excellent micro detail, nice decay and release of voices, and an intimate quality that makes you want to dissect and observe everything going on.
Separation is also fairly exemplary, allowing you to hear more of each vocal passage in its entirety rather than feeling like it’s fragmented and lost.
“Hold Me” is a perfect example of elements in vocals that can sound missing with inferior products or even just standard issue headphones. The vocals aren’t just present and accounted for, but the timbre of them feels more realistic; they trail off incredibly well, and all of the words are heard clearly.
IEMs truly do allow you to hear more of what’s going on like Marvin Gaye, and it’s a real treat.
One part of the song contains a sort of yell during Buckingham’s solo around 2:10. Listen to the “Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhh then it morphs into “oooooohhhhh.”
The “Ah” part has always been somewhat lost, sounding muffled and under, say, a blanket or something similar. It’s sounded this way for many years of listening with headphones and speakers, and you can barely hear it’s there with your run-of-the-mill product.
Is the H3 perfect? Nope, but it’s also not your run-of-the-mill earbud either.
With the H3, the resolution is near incredible, as you can clearly hear both inflections in tandem with each other. No muffle, no fuss, no muss.
It’s simply delightful, and just another example of why I’m starting to really prefer IEMs over headphones. Being a headphone WHORE for my entire life, I never thought I’d say that, but here we are.
So, in my mind, the H3’s resolution and separation are 2 of the main things that make it a worthwhile purchase, but overall tuning is also very good, if a bit flawed in the bass.
Treble
Rounding things out is the treble, which does its job and never really gets out of line. You won’t have issues with sibilance here, and I think the highs stand out nicely without drawing attention to themselves.
My general philosophy on treble is that you should never really “notice” it, if that makes sense. There needs to be air, sparkle, and zip, but you never want to feel like it’s grating or draws attention away from the other elements and frequencies in the song.
Thankfully, the H3 doesn’t hiss, but also doesn’t fall off a cliff like an Audeze-type presentation.
Instead, cymbals, hats, and other various crashes, like those found on Boston’s “More Than A Feeling,” do what they’re supposed to while remaining part of the whole rather than standing out unnecessarily.
One perk of getting endlessly distracted like I do and randomly watching Super Mario Bros. 2 playthroughs on YouTube while I’m supposed to be writing reviews is that I can really get a sense of how raw and visceral the H3 portrays sound. *deep breath*
In other words, playing Super Mario 2 on my SNES doesn’t allow me to experience the full breadth of the music and how intricate it is.
Soundstage
The H3 does, allowing you to experience its above-average Soundstage and separation in tracks from the ’80s that were never really given proper justice like Victoria.
More often than not, you’ll get this weird sense that random miscellaneous sounds may feel like they’re happening around you rather than from the arrangement. It can be rather unnerving but also very intimate and engaging.
I’ve been experiencing this quite frequently, so I’d say you can expect it to happen more often regardless of the song.
Additionally, the sounds have a remarkable sense of decay and release, sounding full, complete, and incredibly resolving.
Genre Pairing w/ the SOUNDPEATS H3
I’d say because of all these things, earbuds like the H3 work very well for nearly anything, including the anemic nature of poorly mastered Metal.
I’ve talked at length with some folks who have a hard time finding good IEMs or headphones to match with this genre specifically, and the H3 is a good option because of what we discussed earlier: the bass helps to fill it in and make it sound less thin and hollowed out.
Moreover, the H3 will work very well with anything bass-oriented: Hip-Hop, Indie Pop, EDM, etc. all sound great, and it also works for stuff like Jazz and Classical because of how well the buds were tuned overall + the excellent resolution and separation therein.
EQ Customization Feature
I’ve also been playing around with the app and really enjoying it. Just head over to your phone’s app store, type in “PeatsAudio” and register.
They will send a code to your email to confirm.
It took me all of 2 minutes to get it fired up, and despite the low rating, it’s worked flawlessly for me. I’m pretty sure they’ve ironed out whatever kinks contributed to the overall star rating, but don’t quote me on it.
The EQ function is very intuitive, providing a layer of customization that’s straightforward and engaging to use. There are 12 presets to try, including Default, Bass Boost, Bass Reduction, Treble Enhancement, Electronic, Pop, Classical, Rock, Folk, Book Whisper, HIFI, and ACG.
Try out my EQ preset (pictured above). It’s helped clear some of the issues in the bass and removed the subtle but noticeable fog, adding an additional level of clarity to an already great product. Play around with this general curve to get your ideal sound.
Again, the original tuning of the H3’s bass as is (subbass and mid-bass) provides the right curve generally speaking, but just needs to be brought down by about 5-7dB, finishing with a harder mud cut around 200-300. Remember, we’re not trying to blow our ears out.
As for the treble, that’s up to your discretion/taste. My mood varies by the day, but I generally prefer some sparkle and air over a darker/more subdued sound.
One thing I would like to see is the ability to open other presets and tweak them, or even just have a look at them out of curiosity.
Final Verdict
SOUNDPEATS’ H3 is a mostly well-tuned Bluetooth Earbud with great resolution, exemplary separation, above-average Soundstage, natural/realistic timbre, and fantastic decay and release of vocals and instruments.
If you can accept that the bass needs a bit of EQ, then I think it’s a worthwhile investment and certainly will rank high on my Bluetooth Headphones & IEMS Ranked Worst To First guide.
SOUND DECISION? YES
TIER: SOLID B+
SOUNDPEATS H3
Price: Check Amazon!
In The Box
SOUNDPEATS H3 Earbuds
4 Sets of Tips + 1 set already installed
User Guide
App Instruction Card
USB-C Charging Cable
9 Stickers
Specifications
- Colors: Transparent Black-Gold
- Chip: QCC3091
- Dimensions: Earbuds: 25.64×22.16×25.97mm, Charging Case: 70.88×48.18x31mm
- Net Weight: Single Earbud: 6g, Earbuds + Charging Case: 53g
- Bluetooth Version: 5.4
- Supported Bluetooth Profiles: HSP/HFP/A2DP/AVRCP
- Supported Bluetooth Codec: SBC/AAC/LDAC/aptX/aptX Adaptive/aptX Lossless. Note: LDAC are disabled by default. Enable via the PeatsAudio app.
- Battery Capacity: Earbuds: 35mAh*2, Charging Case: 400mAh
- Charging Port: Type-C
- Noise Cancellation: AI Adaptive ANC (-55dB), 6-MIC AI Call Noise Cancellation with cVc™ 8.0
- Control Method: Touch
- Charge Time: Earbuds: 1H, Charging Case: 2H
- Fast Charging: Supported (10 minutes > 2 hours of playback)
- Charging Case Charging Time: 4.3
- Total Standby Time: 37H
- Water Resistance: IPX5
- Charging Input: 5V/1A
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Impedance: 28Ω
- Driver: 12mm Dynamic Driver (PU + Wool composite) x1
- Multiple Connection: Yes
- One earbud (at a time) use: Yes
- Game Mode: Yes (60ms)
- Maximum Working Distance: 10m
- Play Time: About 7 Hours at 60% volume (Up to 37 Hours with Charging Case)
- Battery Capacity: 35mAh (Earbuds) / 400mAh (Charging Case)
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this SOUNDPEATS H3 Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please leave them down below or Contact me!!
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Does the H3 sound like a worthwhile investment? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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