Soundpeats Air4 Review - Feature packed!
General Info/Build/Comfort/Packaging
Soundpeats is a reputable company which produces high performance as well as cost effective TWS earbuds. I have reviewed several Soundpeats products over the past few months and I have positive experience towards the products in general. I have the Air4 today which is a successor of Air3 Deluxe HS i believe.
Build quality is very solid, the TWS itself is very light and I don't feel any weight on my ears when I'm using the Air4. Air4 is not an in ear TWS, it is half in ear design which is similar to the widely popular Apple’s Airpod, hence do not expect good isolation, but but but, what’s different from the Air3 and Air4 is the addition of adaptive ANC.
Packaging itself is rather straightforward, a charging cable, the charging case and the TWS itself. Minimal and straightforward.
As for comfort, Air4 fits well on my ears, I have no issues with the fitting and the weight itself is very light, they literally disappear on your ear when you are wearing them.
Specifications
Battery Life
The battery life of Air4 while playing music with aptx codec is approximately 6 hours+- with the volume level at 50%, via my Google Pixel 5
The battery life is quite fair and recharging is fast via the charging case, hence not really an issue in terms of the battery life
Connectivity/Codecs
aptX Lossless/aptx adaptive/aptx/AAC/SBC are supported and i’m mainly using aptx with Pixel 5 due to it only supports aptx and not the aptx adaptive and AAC with my iPhone 12 Mini
Pixel 5 uses Bluetooth version 5.0 while Air4 supports up to 5.3 , despite connected to a Bluetooth 5.0 device, the connection remained solid without any dropouts
However, i do notice a slight interference or stuttering when i’m out in the public, not sure if this is something to do with my device itself or it is due to the RF interference, but after disconnecting and reconnecting it, the issue seems to go away
App Functionality
Air4 is compatible with Soundpeats app
The app offers the functionality to change the EQ, either preset EQs or your own customisation
It also supports adaptive EQ, which the app will play some tones at various frequencies and you will determine if you’re able to hear them or not, then the app will generate a curve which will serve as the compensation to your hearing via the EQ
You are also able to cycle through ANC on or Off (Normal mode)
Firmware upgrade of the Air4 is also possible via the app itself
The app also offers the overview of battery life on both the L and R earbuds as well as to toggle game mode on or off
Sound Impression (Based on default EQ preset Soundpeats Classic)
Air4 sound tuning is tilting towards V-Shaped to my ears. Bass and the treble is boosted whereas the mids are a little recessed. In terms of timbre, they are not too bad being a dynamic driver, but it's not the most accurate timbre either, nonetheless, this TWS is not meant for critical listening anyway, so the expectation has to be right
Bass
Bass is certainly being emphasised here, sub bass rumbles whenever the track calls for it
Mid bass has good punch to it, it is very pleasant and fun to listen to overall
Bass has good texture and in terms of speed, it is doing quite well as it handled Slipknot’s People = Shit! effortlessly without sounding muddy
Mids
Mids are not as forward as the bass, it does sound a little recessed but not to the point where it is bad
Male vocal sounded slightly recessed whereas female vocal sounds a little forward
Male vocal has good texture whereas female vocal does sound a little thin sometimes
Treble
Treble on the Air4 is smooth with a little energy, but not overly bright or offensive
It has good amount of air so it doesn’t really sound very congested
Soundstage/Imaging
Soundstage is not overly wide nor tall, average in my opinion
Imaging is average in my opinion, it does well on normal track but during complex track where many instruments are playing at the same time
with all that aside, considering the price point, it is actually pretty good
Noise Cancellation Performance
ANC performance is hit or miss as it largely depending on the seal, being a half in ear, getting a good seal is crucial in order for the ANC to work properly
With a good seal, some low frequency noise is being cancelled, however, when i’m typing with my mechanical keyboard, the sound is still very much noticeable
It does cancel out some minor noise such as engine noise when i’m out and about
Consider the ANC a bonus and one should not have high expectation for it
Final Thoughts
Air4 is a very solid TWS overall. If I were to score it from an audiophile’s perspective, it would be a 3.5 out of 5. If I were to rate it based on the general consumer’s perspective, it will be an easy 4.5 out of 5. The reason why is because the sound of Air4 is tilting towards the preference of general consumer, an as a general consumer, the sound coming from Air4 is very easily likeable, whereas for audiophile, the demand and preference is slightly different in terms of sound preference, critical listening capability and technical performance (in terms of audio’s technical performance). Nonetheless, I find myself enjoying Air4 when I'm out and about. Even when I'm riding my mountain bike on the trail, the semi open design allows me to hear my surroundings and not be completely sealed off. Let's be real, who listens critically when they’re out and about?
*Big thanks to Ellen from Soundpeats for sending the Air4 over for the purpose of this review, All thoughts are of my own.
Air4 will be launching in Amazon on the 22nd Aug with an early bird offer of 43.20$ instead of the SRP which is 80$. The promotion will run from 22nd Aug 2023 - 30th Aug 2023. Grab yours now at Soundpeats’s Amazon store via the link below (Unaffiliated)
For the readers of this review, you are welcome to use the code provided by Soundpeats for extra discount, don’t miss this opportunity!
$20 off coupon +21% code: SPAIR4PR
Soundpeats Air4 - Non affiliated
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