Open-style earbuds are becoming a big hit in the world of audio tech, and it’s easy to see why. They let you enjoy your music while staying aware of your surroundings, making them a favorite for outdoor enthusiasts and fitness lovers. The Soundpeats PearlClip Pro is the latest addition to this trend, offering a fresh take on comfort, sound quality, and functionality at an affordable price.
From the trusted Soundpeats brand, known for delivering value-packed audio gear, the PearlClip Pro stands out with its lightweight clip-on design, making it one of the most comfortable options out there. At just $59.99—and often available for much less with discounts—it offers premium features you wouldn’t expect at this price point.
Design and Build Quality
Let’s start with the charging case. It’s compact and pocket-friendly. The case has a glossy finish, which gives it a sleek and modern appearance, but it’s also a bit of a fingerprint magnet. The case features a small LED indicator on the front that gives you a quick glance at the battery status, while the back houses a USB Type-C charging port for fast charging. The hinge of the lid is sturdy, and opening or closing it feels smooth and satisfying, with just the right amount of resistance. What’s great is that even though the case is lightweight, it doesn’t feel flimsy or cheaply made—though it might not survive a hard drop due to the glossy finish.
One of the standout features of the PearlClip Pro’s design is its interchangeable earbud placement. Unlike most earbuds that have fixed left and right slots in the case, these can be placed in either slot. Thanks to smart orientation technology, the earbuds automatically assign themselves as the left or right channel when taken out of the case. This might seem like a small feature, but it’s incredibly convenient when you’re in a rush or trying to put the earbuds back without overthinking their placement.
Now let’s talk about the earbuds themselves. The clip-on design is where the PearlClip Pro really shines. Instead of the traditional in-ear or over-ear styles, these earbuds use a flexible memory wire to wrap around the back of your ears. The wire is coated in soft liquid silicone, making it gentle on your skin while ensuring a secure fit. The memory wire is also highly adjustable, so it can accommodate a variety of ear shapes and sizes without feeling too tight or rigid.
The lightweight build (just 5.85g per earbud) is another big win. Once clipped onto your ears, they’re so comfortable and unobtrusive that you might forget you’re wearing them. This makes them perfect for extended use, whether you’re working at your desk, going for a jog, or binge-watching your favorite series.
The earbuds feature a combination of matte and glossy finishes, adding a touch of style and improving grip. The inner part of the clip has a ridged texture to ensure it stays securely in place, even during physical activities like running or cycling. This addition prevents the earbuds from slipping, giving you peace of mind when you’re on the move.
However, the glossy finish on the outer parts of the earbuds might divide opinions. While it looks sleek and stylish, it’s prone to collecting fingerprints and smudges. Additionally, the glossy case can be slippery, which means you’ll want to handle it carefully to avoid accidental drops. The earbuds, however, feel durable and well-built despite their lightweight design, with no creaking or loose parts to worry about.
Each earbud has a small speaker grill positioned to direct sound into your ears, ensuring the best possible audio experience for an open-ear design. Beneath the grill, you’ll find 12mm dynamic drivers, which we’ll dive into later when discussing sound quality.
On the underside of each earbud, there are two small charging pins that connect to the magnetic contacts in the case. These magnets are strong enough to hold the earbuds securely in place, so they won’t rattle around or fall out if the case is bumped or flipped upside down. One minor drawback, though, is that the earbuds can move slightly within the case when closed, which may cause a subtle rattling noise.
One thing to note is that the Soundpeats PearlClip Pro doesn’t include in-ear detection sensors. This means the earbuds won’t automatically pause your music when you take them off. While not a dealbreaker, this feature is becoming more common in earbuds at various price points, so its absence might be noticeable if you’re used to it.
The IPX5 water resistance on the PearlClip Pro is a fantastic feature that adds a lot of value to these earbuds. It makes them more durable and versatile, giving you peace of mind knowing that they can handle a bit of water and sweat. In my experience, the water resistance on these earbuds has been great. I’ve worn them in the rain, and they’ve held up just fine. I’ve also worn them during intense workouts, and they’ve never let me down. The sweat and moisture just roll off them, and they keep on working.
However, it’s important to note that IPX5 doesn’t make these earbuds completely waterproof. You shouldn’t swim with them or submerge them in water for long periods. But for everyday use, they’re definitely up to the task.
Connectivity and App Functionality
The PearlClip Pro uses Bluetooth 5.4, which ensures fast pairing, low latency, and stable connections over a reasonable range. Pairing the earbuds for the first time is as easy as opening the case and pressing the pairing button on the front. Once they appear in your device’s Bluetooth menu, a single tap gets them connected. From there, the earbuds remember your device, so future connections happen automatically when you take them out of the case.
One standout feature of the PearlClip Pro is multipoint pairing, which allows you to connect the earbuds to two devices at the same time. For example, you can be listening to music on your laptop and seamlessly switch to a phone call without having to disconnect and reconnect devices manually. The earbuds prioritize audio based on activity—if you’re playing music on one device and a call comes in on the other, the call takes precedence. Once the call ends, the earbuds automatically switch back to the first device.
Setting up multipoint is simple. Pair the earbuds with your primary device, then put them back in pairing mode to connect to the second device. After that, they’ll automatically handle both connections as needed.
Latency Performance
Low-latency performance is another highlight of the PearlClip Pro. The earbuds feature a dedicated Gaming Mode, which reduces audio lag to just 80 milliseconds. This ensures that in-game sounds are synced perfectly with the on-screen action, making them a great choice for casual gaming on mobile devices.
For movie lovers, the Movie Mode enhances the audio depth, creating a more immersive cinematic experience. It widens the soundstage, giving dialogues and background music a more realistic and engaging feel. Switching between modes is easy, requiring just a simple triple-tap on the touch controls or a toggle in the app.
Soundpeats Audio App
The PearlClip Pro is fully compatible with the Soundpeats Audio app, which adds another layer of customization and functionality to the earbuds. Available on both iOS and Android, the app has a clean and straightforward interface. The app shows the battery percentage for both earbuds and the charging case. You can Quickly switch between Gaming Mode, Movie Mode, and normal listening mode.
One of the most impressive features in the app is the ability to customize the earbuds’ touch controls. By default, a single tap adjusts the volume, a double-tap pauses or resumes playback, and a triple-tap toggles modes like Gaming or Movie. You can remap the controls to different functions if these don’t suit your style. For instance, you can set a double-tap to skip tracks or assign a long press to activate your voice assistant.
The app allows you to tweak the audio profile, you get access to nine preset EQ options, including Bass Boost, Treble Boost, Classical, Rock, and more. If none of these presets hit the sweet spot for you, there’s also a fully customizable 8-band EQ, where you can manually adjust different frequencies to fine-tune the sound to your liking. For even more convenience, the Dynamic EQ feature adjusts the sound profile on the fly, boosting bass and clarity depending on the track you’re listening to.
Sound Quality
The Soundpeats PearlClip Pro is equipped with 12mm dynamic drivers, which are larger than what you’d typically find in many budget earbuds. This larger driver size plays a crucial role in delivering better sound dynamics, including clearer mids and highs, as well as a more noticeable bass response compared to similar open-ear designs.
The sound produced by these drivers is clean and well-balanced. While the bass isn’t as deep as you’d get from in-ear buds or over-ear headphones, it’s impressive for an open-ear design, which naturally loses some low-end due to its lack of a tight seal. You can feel a slight thump in bass-heavy tracks, but it’s not overwhelming, making these earbuds suitable for genres like pop, jazz, acoustic, and classical music.
Volume levels on the PearlClip Pro are well-balanced, with enough headroom to suit most listening environments. Comfortable listening starts at around 40–50% volume, while 80–90% is ideal for noisier settings. At maximum volume, there is a slight risk of sound leakage, which could be noticeable to people nearby, especially in quiet places like offices or libraries.
Bass
If you’re a bass lover who prefers strong, vibrating low-end frequencies, the PearlClip Pro might not fully satisfy you. The open-ear design inherently limits the earbuds’ ability to produce a deep, immersive bass because they don’t sit snugly in your ear canal. That said, the bass is still present and relatively punchy, thanks to the driver size and tuning.
For casual listeners or those who prefer a balanced audio profile, the bass is perfectly adequate. Tracks like “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd or “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson still sound lively, but don’t expect the kind of booming bass you’d feel with something like a dedicated bass-boosting pair of in-ear earbuds.
The PearlClip Pro includes a Dynamic EQ feature that enhances the overall sound profile, making it more lively and engaging. With this feature enabled, the bass gains a bit more punch, and the highs become slightly brighter, giving the audio a more dynamic feel without causing distortion.
Mids
The mids are where the PearlClip Pro really shines. Vocals are crisp and sit nicely in the mix, making these earbuds a great choice for podcasts, audiobooks, or vocal-heavy tracks. The tuning ensures that both male and female vocals come through clearly, without sounding muffled or overly sharp.
For example, Adele’s “Hello” or Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” showcase the earbuds’ ability to handle vocals beautifully. Instruments like guitars and pianos also sound natural, with just the right amount of warmth to make acoustic performances feel engaging. The mids have a slight forward emphasis, enhancing vocal clarity but not overpower the rest of the sound profile.
Highs
The highs on the Soundpeats PearlClip Pro are well-tuned for clarity without being overly harsh. This is especially important for an open-ear design, as piercing treble frequencies can become uncomfortable when there’s no seal to soften the impact.
In tracks with prominent high frequencies—like cymbals in rock songs or violin solos in classical pieces—the earbuds maintain good detail without causing ear fatigue. For example, the strings in Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” sound vibrant and lively, while remaining smooth enough for extended listening sessions.
However, at very high volumes, the treble can become slightly sharp, so keeping the volume at a moderate level ensures a more balanced experience.
Soundstage and Clarity
One of the biggest advantages of the PearlClip Pro’s open-ear design is the spacious soundstage it provides. Unlike in-ear models that create a closed-off listening environment, these earbuds allow sound to feel more natural and airy. This is great for genres like classical, jazz, or live recordings, where instrument separation and spatial audio can significantly enhance the listening experience.
For example, listening to a live recording like “Hotel California” by Eagles feels immersive, as the open soundstage lets you pick up on the subtle details of the audience and the spatial arrangement of the instruments.
That said, the open design does mean you’ll hear some external noise, and sound leakage is an unavoidable trade-off. If you’re listening in a quiet environment and someone is sitting close to you, they may hear faint traces of your music, especially at higher volumes.
Microphone & Call Quality
Microphone performance is a critical aspect of earbuds, especially as they’re often used for calls, virtual meetings. The Soundpeats PearlClip Pro packs some interesting features in the mic, including Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) and AI algorithms designed to filter out ambient noise for clearer conversations.
Each earbud comes with a single AI-powered microphone, making for a total of two mics. While this setup is less advanced compared to some premium earbuds with multiple microphones per side, the PearlClip Pro’s mics hold their own surprisingly well in most scenarios.
In quiet environments, the PearlClip Pro performs exceptionally well. Voices sound natural and clear on both ends of the call, and there’s no noticeable distortion or muffling. These earbuds deliver solid performance for everyday tasks like calls from home or a quiet office. Callers on the other end reported that my voice came through clearly, with minimal effort to speak loudly or enunciate excessively.
The AI algorithm does a good job of dampening consistent background noises, like air conditioners, light chatter, or passing cars. However, in very loud environments—like busy city streets or noisy subway stations—the ENC struggles to completely isolate your voice. In these cases, while your voice remains audible, the background noise may still creep in, potentially distracting the person on the other end of the call.
For example, during a test in a simulated coffee shop environment with background chatter playing, the microphone reduced the noise but didn’t eliminate it entirely. Callers reported that they could still hear some of the chatter, though my voice was still clear enough to understand without issue.
Battery Life
The Soundpeats PearlClip Pro offers a solid battery life that’s well-suited. While it doesn’t set any records, it delivers enough juice to keep you going through the day. On a single charge, the earbuds provide up to 6 hours of continuous playback. This figure assumes moderate volume levels and minimal use of additional features. If you’re someone who likes to crank up the volume or frequently uses gaming mode or the dynamic EQ, the battery life drops slightly, averaging around 4.5 to 5 hours. Pair these earbuds with their compact charging case, and you’re looking at a total of 24 hours of use, thanks to the case’s ability to add 18 extra hours of battery life.
In real-world scenarios, the performance is dependable. For example, at around 50–60% volume with features like dynamic EQ turned off, the earbuds consistently hit the promised 6-hour mark. If you’re mixing tasks like listening to music, taking calls, or even gaming, the earbuds still manage to last around 5 hours before they need a recharge.
One feature that stands out is the fast charging capability. A quick 10-minute charge provides around 2 hours of playback time. This is incredibly handy when you’re short on time.
The charging case houses a 350mAh battery, which is enough to recharge the earbuds three times. On average, the case takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to fully recharge, which is reasonable for a device in this price range. However, it’s worth noting that the case does not support wireless charging.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Exceptional comfort and lightweight design.
- Comfortable and lightweight design.
- Good sound quality for open-style earbuds.
- Multipoint connectivity and low latency gaming mode.
- IPX5 water resistance.
- Affordable price point.
Cons:
- Glossy finish prone to fingerprints.
- Lack of wireless charging.
- Sound leakage at higher volumes.
- Touch controls can be finicky.
Final verdict
The Soundpeats PearlClip Pro is priced with an MSRP of $59.99, but it’s not uncommon to find it at discounted rates, often dipping as low as $35 with promo codes or limited-time offers. For the price, these earbuds deliver an impressive array of features, including a comfortable clip-on design, solid sound quality, app-based customization, and reliable battery life.
However, the PearlClip Pro isn’t without its shortcomings. The glossy finish on the case can attract fingerprints, and sound leakage at higher volumes may be noticeable in quiet environments. Additionally, bass enthusiasts may find the low-end performance a bit lacking due to the open-ear design. The lack of wireless charging is another small drawback.
Despite these minor issues, the PearlClip Pro offers outstanding value for its price. In the competitive $40–$60 price range, the PearlClip Pro stands out for its focus on comfort and situational awareness. Unlike traditional in-ear buds that might feel intrusive or uncomfortable after long sessions.
When compared to competitors, the PearlClip Pro offers excellent value. Products like the Soundcore C40 and Huawei Free Clips, which fall within a similar price bracket, either lack some features (like the Soundpeats app or dynamic EQ) or come at a higher price for comparable sound quality. Even premium earbuds like Apple AirPods, which cost significantly more, don’t necessarily outperform the PearlClip Pro in terms of situational awareness or user comfort.