Can budget-friendly earbuds deliver audiophile-grade sound? Is xMEMS the future of audio? Can a pair of earbuds truly challenge traditional speakers? Today my review for the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ will answer these questions.
The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ offers an unparalleled listening experience, thanks to its innovative xMEMS microspeakers.
These tiny but powerful drivers, utilising xMEMS technology, deliver exceptional audio clarity and detail, surpassing traditional coil-based speakers.
xMEMS, or extreme MEMS, is a technology that employs tiny silicon-based structures to create microspeakers and other devices.
These structures are significantly smaller and more efficient than traditional coil-based speakers. They offer advantages such as smaller size, faster response time, improved durability, and lower power consumption.
In the Capsule3 Pro+, the xMEMS microspeakers contribute to the earbuds’ exceptional sound quality and compact design.
Certified with Hi-Res Audio and supporting LDAC decoding, the Capsule3 Pro+ provides near-lossless sound quality.
LDAC’s higher transmission rate allows for more audio data to be transmitted, resulting in a richer and more dynamic listening experience, particularly when enjoying high-resolution audio files.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) with AI adaptive technology ensures a distraction-free listening environment.
The Capsule3 Pro+ can achieve a maximum noise reduction of 45dB, effectively blocking out unwanted background noise.
Additionally, the triple-mic call noise reduction technology guarantees clear communication during phone calls.
With a battery life of up to 6.5 hours on a single charge and 43 hours with the charging case, the Capsule3 Pro+ offers ample playtime.
While using LDAC mode may slightly reduce battery life due to the increased data transmission, the enhanced audio quality is well worth it.
Gamers will appreciate the ultra-low latency of just 70ms, ensuring synchronised audio and visuals for an immersive gaming experience.
The Capsule3 Pro+ boasts a sleek and refined design, with a comfortable in-ear fit that stays secure throughout the day. The combination of style and comfort makes these earbuds perfect for any occasion.
But are they any good? Time to test them out!
Packaging and Contents.
The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ comes packaged in a card sleeved box which features product images and specifications.
The box measures 12.5cm x 12.5cm x 6.0cm and weighs 199G.
Inside the box you’ll find the following: 1x Earbuds (in charging case), 1x Charging Case, 2x Additional Ear Tips, 1x USB-A/USB-C Cable, 1x Sheet of Stickers, 1x Multi-Lingual User Guide.
The supplied USB-A/USB-C cable measures approximately 18.5cm.
You get three pairs of Silicone ear tips, they measure approximately:
- Small: 11.2mm x 5.6mm
- Medium: 11.7mm x 5.8mm
- Large: 13.5mm x 5.8mm
To fully enjoy the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ you’ll need to download the free SoundPEATS app, available for both iOS and Android users. The app allows you to customise the equaliser settings, select ANC/Normal/Transparent mode, active Game Mode, and much more. (More on this below)
Before use you’ll need to charge your SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ earbuds, use any 5V DC power source, an indicator light let’s you know the current charging status:
- Under 20%: a red flashing light will be visible.
- Between 20% and 69%: an amber flashing light will show.
- Between 70% and 99%: a flashing green light will be visible.
- Fully Charged: a solid green light will show.
Charging takes around a couple of hours to fully charge the battery case, the case allows for 43 hours of charge for your earbuds, with each being charged for around 6.5 hours (on normal mode) before requiring recharging.
Connection is easy via the Bluetooth V5.3 stable connection. Once paired the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ will automatically connect when removed from the battery case.
SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+.
The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ battery case measures approximately 65.3mm x 50.2mm x 25.7mm and weighs (with no earbuds) 40G.
The charging case has that slightly tacky, matte finish to it, a finish I don’t particularly like, it leaves behind fingermarks and dust attracts to it very easily.
The charging case features a singular USB-C port, this is located on the underside of the charging case.
Each earbud measured approximately 34.5mm x 16.5mm x 22.5mm and weigh a mere 4.8G.
Each earbud features a touch sensitive area, this area is located towards the bulky end of each earbud, more on this below.
Touch Control.
You get multiple touch sensitive controls on each earbud, you can control the following:
- Volume Decrease: Tap the left earbud once.
- Volume Increase: Tap the right earbud once.
- Skip Track: Tap and hold the right earbud.
- Previous Track: Tap and hold the left earbud.
- Answer/End Call: Double tap either earbud, double tap again to end call.
- Reject Incoming Call: Tap and hold either earbud when a call is incoming.
- Game Mode: Triple tap the left earbud.
- Activate Assistant: Triple tap the right earbud.
The touch sensitive area works brilliantly, especially when skipping tracks, your audio dips slightly in volume and a confirmation tone let’s you aware your command has been successful.
Not only are the earbuds superb for touch sensitivity, they’re also incredibly comfortable in your inner ear, partly due to the lightweight materials and xMEMS technology, but also they’re perfectly ergonomically shaped to fit your ear canal, without fatigue or heat generation, especially during prolonged periods of use.
Special Features.
The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ are packed full of features and tech. They’re so packed you’d be forgiven to think they’re a product retailing for hundreds £££, but SoundPEATS have been producing audio gear since 2010, and have been giving audio enthusiasts affordable audio products, all without cutting back on features.
Here are some of the features of the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+.
xMEMS Technology.
The Capsule3 Pro+ features advanced spatial audio imaging, thanks to its xMEMS speaker. This technology offers a soundstage that’s seven times more precise than traditional dynamic speakers, providing clearer separation and localisation of sounds.
With a response time that’s 150 times faster than dynamic drivers, the xMEMS speaker delivers exceptional audio precision. Every detail is accurately reproduced, ensuring a truly immersive listening experience.
The Cowell Top-Firing MEMS microspeaker is incredibly compact, weighing just 56 milligrams and measuring only 1mm thin.
This lightweight design contributes to the earbuds’ comfortable fit and portability.
Hi-Res Audio.
High-resolution audio captures the original analog audio source with exceptional fidelity, preserving intricate details that are often lost in lower-quality formats like CDs.
Unlike CDs, which discard some audio information during recording, high-resolution audio retains significantly more data.
This results in a richer, more immersive listening experience, allowing you to hear nuances and atmospheres that were previously inaudible.
With high-resolution audio, you’re experiencing music closer to its original recording, capturing the depth, texture, and subtle intricacies that artists intended.
It’s like stepping into the recording studio and hearing the music as it was meant to be heard.
LDAC.
LDAC, a cutting-edge audio codec, offers significantly higher audio quality than the standard SBC codec.
With its support for up to 24-bit/96 kHz sound and a maximum bitrate of 990 kbps, LDAC delivers exceptional audio fidelity by minimising data loss during transmission.
SBC, on the other hand, prioritises compatibility over quality. It has a lower bitrate that typically peaks around 328 kbps, resulting in more audio data loss and a less impressive sound quality compared to LDAC.
In essence, LDAC is designed to preserve the integrity of your audio source, while SBC sacrifices some audio quality to ensure wider compatibility. If you prioritise high-fidelity audio, LDAC is the clear choice.
Some devices may default to lower-quality audio codecs like SBC instead of LDAC. To ensure the best possible audio experience, manually select LDAC as your preferred codec in your device’s Bluetooth settings.
By choosing LDAC, you’ll unlock the full potential of the Capsule3 Pro+ and enjoy the superior sound quality it has to offer.
Frequency Response.
The Capsule3 Pro+ offers a wider frequency response than many traditional headphones, extending to 20Hz-40kHz.
This broader range allows for a richer, more detailed audio experience, capturing the subtlest nuances and nuances of high-resolution audio files.
Unlike typical headphones with a 20Hz-20kHz frequency response, which cover most audio frequencies within the human auditory range, the Capsule3 Pro+ goes beyond the standard, capturing frequencies that are often imperceptible to the human ear.
This extended range allows for a more immersive listening experience, as you can hear the full spectrum of sound, from the deepest bass to the highest highs.
With the Capsule3 Pro+, you’ll experience a richer, more detailed soundstage, with greater separation between instruments and vocals.
This is particularly noticeable when listening to complex musical pieces with multiple layers of sound.
Environmental Noise Cancellation.
The Capsule3 Pro+ features advanced AI adaptive noise cancellation, which goes beyond traditional passive noise cancellation methods.
By analysing your ear canal structure, wearing style, and the ambient noise, the earbuds adjust noise cancellation in real-time to match your unique listening environment.
This adaptive approach ensures optimal performance for different users and listening situations.
Unlike passive noise cancellation, which relies solely on physical isolation, AI adaptive noise cancellation actively counters unwanted noise, providing a more effective and personalised listening experience.
Note: There may be a brief delay of 2 seconds while the adaptive algorithm analyses your ear canal structure and wearing style when you first put on the earbuds and activate noise cancellation.
Once the algorithm has adjusted, you’ll experience the full benefits of the Capsule3 Pro+’s noise cancellation technology.
Superior Noise Cancellation.
The Capsule3 Pro+ offers advanced noise cancellation (ANC) that surpasses traditional earbuds.
While standard noise-canceling earbuds typically achieve 20-30dB of noise reduction within a limited bandwidth, the Capsule3 Pro+ delivers up to 45dB of noise reduction with a wider bandwidth of 1.8kHz.
This superior performance effectively blocks out a wider range of environmental noises, including airplane engines and office chatter, allowing you to focus on your music or other audio content.
Additionally, the broader bandwidth helps to reduce bass and mid-range frequencies, resulting in clearer and more natural audio playback.
By choosing the Capsule3 Pro+, you’re investing in a pair of earbuds that offer exceptional noise-canceling capabilities, providing a more immersive and distraction-free listening experience.
Crystal Clear Calls.
The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ features a sophisticated microphone setup designed to deliver exceptional call quality.
With six strategically placed microphones, these earbuds can effectively isolate your voice from background noise, ensuring that your calls are clear and understandable.
The advanced microphone technology in the Capsule3 Pro+ utilises beamforming and noise reduction algorithms to capture your voice with precision, while simultaneously minimising the effects of ambient noise.
This results in a more natural and immersive calling experience, making it easier for the person on the other end to hear you clearly.
Whether you’re taking calls in a noisy office, on a crowded train, or outdoors, the Capsule3 Pro+ can help you communicate effectively and maintain clear conversations.
The advanced microphone setup ensures that your voice is heard loud and clear, even in challenging environments.
SoundPEATS App.
Like all previous SoundPEATS models, you can utilise the free app. I previously wrote about the SoundPEATS app, although basic, it was quite glitchy and had a few bugs.
But, SoundPEATS have released a new app now named PeatsAudio, you’ll need to download this new app from your usual app store for your device, you’ll also need to register a new account and pair your SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ to the app.
The new app is more clean and user friendly, I really like the layout.
See below screenshot of the main home screen after pairing with the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+.
The gold background adds some much needed aesthetic design over the SoundPEATS app predecessor, the new menus are clean and more condensed with user ease at the forefront of the overhaul.
Equaliser Menu.
I’m really liking the predefined equaliser menus.
You can also customise your own equaliser settings too and save them to your app. This is where the old app went a bit messed up, it used to crash and settings wouldn’t save, but no such issues with the PeatsAudio app.
Definitely, 100% recommend you downloading the PeatsAudio app, although the SoundPEATS app will also work with the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+, but start afresh with a new app for an improved listening experience.
Using the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+.
This is where I tell you I love everything and nothing is wrong, right? Well…yes and no! Let me explain.
For audio you’ll be hard pressed to find a better TWS pair of earbuds, the audio is simply fantastic, backed up with intelligent AI etc make the listening experience one of the best audio experiences that I’ve had. You can’t fault the sound quality, and if you’re not happy, simply adjust via the PeatsAudio app until you are. That’s the beauty of full customisation.
But there is one issue, the game mode. More precisely the game mode whilst watching live streaming.
You need game mode to be activated to watch video, otherwise noticeable lip sync issues will occur, but when you activate game mode and watch video, initially the lip sync with audio is as good as pair of wired IEM’s, but that’s short-lived, around 60 seconds into this mode buffering starts to occur, then huge lag with lip sync starts to happen.
In my case I was watching a live F1 stream and the 60 second issue mentioned above occured, followed by a complete pause of the live stream, basically the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ stopped my live stream viewing, and it was definitely them causing this issue as a quick switch to a pair of wired IEM’s without this issue, followed again with the same issues with the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+.
I suspect the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ require a firmware update, on the PeatsAudio app I have the latest firmware update, but SoundPEATS need to investigate and follow up with a fix.
It’s OK as I know they will most certainly do that. SoundPEATS always listen to improvement ideas and act fast to accommodate for issues when they arise, which is rare to be honest, but occasionally like anything, issues will pop up, but a decent brand like SoundPEATS will always aim to please.
Other Features.
A shame about the game mode for video viewing, but that’s the only issue I found with using the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+, they sound absolutely amazing and the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is superb, no sound leakage to your environment too, so you truly get a fully immersive listening experience.
Phone calls are also clear and precise too, the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ are simply amazing for phone calls.
The V5.3 Bluetooth signal is also amazing, no loss of signal at 10M or beyond, even though SoundPEATS advertise a maximum range of 10M, you can get more, and on different house levels too!
Technical Specifications.
- Brand: SoundPEATS
- Model: Capsule3 Pro+
- Manufacturer Code: N/A
- Manufacturer Reference: N/A
- EAN: N/A
- ASIN: B0D62Q8NYY
- Bluetooth Version: V5.3
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHz
- Battery Capacity: 35mAh (earbuds) 500mAh (charging case)
- Charging Interface: Type-C
- Compliance: CE, UKCA, FCC
Conclusion.
The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ is a premium pair of wireless earbuds that offer a compelling blend of exceptional audio quality, advanced features, and a comfortable design.
Equipped with innovative xMEMS microspeakers, these earbuds deliver a soundstage that rivals traditional wired headphones.
The LDAC codec ensures high-fidelity sound transmission, preserving the intricate details of your music.
Active noise cancellation with AI adaptive technology effectively blocks out unwanted noise, allowing you to immerse yourself in your music without distractions.
The earbuds also feature a sophisticated microphone setup that delivers crystal-clear calls, even in noisy environments.
The Capsule3 Pro+ offers a comfortable fit, long battery life, and a sleek design.
However, it’s important to note that the earbuds may experience buffering and lip-sync issues when using the game mode while watching videos.
Despite this minor drawback, the Capsule3 Pro+ remains a compelling choice for those seeking a pair of earbuds that prioritise sound quality, comfort, and advanced features.
If you’re willing to overlook the potential video playback issues (until SoundPEATS correct this issue), the Capsule3 Pro+ offers a truly immersive and enjoyable listening experience.
In conclusion, the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+ are a premium pair of wireless earbuds that deliver exceptional audio quality, advanced features, and a comfortable design.
While the minor video playback issue may be a consideration for some users, the overall performance and value offered by the Capsule3 Pro+ make it a strong contender in the competitive market of wireless earbuds.
If you’d like to purchase this item, please check out the purchasing options below. The RRP for this product is £85.99.
SoundPEATS Website | Amazon Best Option | eBay |
Product sample provided by SoundPEATS in exchange for a detailed, unbiased review.
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