SoundPEATS H3
Specifications
| Driver | 1×12mm Dual-Layer DD, 2×BA |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm QCC3091 |
| Codecs | LDAC, LC3, AptX-Lossless, AptX-Adaptive, AAC, SBC |
| ANC | Yes, up to 55dB |
| App Support | Yes (PEATS Audio) |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Water Resistance | IPX5 |
| Battery Life | ~4h with ANC (7h without) |
| Total Battery | Up to 37 hours |
| Quick Charge | 10min = 2 hours |
| Wireless Charging | No |
| Wear Detection | No |
| Spatial Audio | No |
Pros
- Ambitious but pretty coherent driver combo
- BA timbre is just about evident after EQ but not overpowering
- Strong macrodynamic performance for the price/type
- Almost holographic presentation by TWS standards
- Supports third party tips with standardised nozzle size
- Various high res codec options
Cons
- Out of the box tuning is a bit honky and uninspiring
- Microdetail and resolution could be stronger
- Bulky case feels a bit cheap
- Limited features compared to competition
- Not as bulky as the Opera05 but still a bit unorthodox
- Power hungry
Verdict
Sounds great after EQ, but at the cost of a little practicality
Review Reference: RC183
Price at Review: £139.99 (currently £97.99 at Amazon UK)
Introduction
The H3 is an ambitious, triple-driver TWS that fuses two SoundPEATS product sets, hoping that the sum is greater than the parts. The H series has seen two previous iterations, the H1 and H2 - both multi-driver sets, both fun-sounding, the former with a big old subbass and wider-than-average soundstage. The Opera series encapsulated two balanced armatures and 1×DD, albeit at the cost of real-estate (they were massive). The H3 takes the driver arrangement concept from the Opera05 and puts it in a shell similar to the H1, thankfully much more practical.
The goal for SoundPEATS with this release is clear: add some extra detail to that fun SoundPEATS house sound and deliver a technical performance that punches above its price point. This isn’t going to be an all-rounder set like the Air5 Pro, for example. But as we’ve learned from countless audio products over the years, simply cramming more drivers into a shell doesn’t automatically translate to better sound. Driver quality, coherency between those drivers, and tuning execution all play crucial roles in the final result.
At its price point, the H3 would have to go some way to justify the extra expense over strong competition from innovative alternatives like the QCY N70 with its MEMS driver implementation and Moondrop’s planar-equipped Golden Ages 2, not to mention the sets vying for your purchase at the same price point or just above, or even the sets they are really aiming to challenge from high-end audio brands like Noble and perhaps even Geekfly. And as usual, the answer isn’t clear cut, but the H3 will definitely appeal to some, maybe even many, with a solid delivery from SoundPEATS that is worthy of consideration without quite knocking it out of the park.
Design, Fit and Comfort
The H3 is thankfully more ‘H1’ than ‘Opera’ in its fit and appearance, giving a nod and a wink to a custom IEM, reminding us that this release is all about the sound.
The H3 features a plastic, semi-transparent shell with a fetching gold faceplate displaying the SoundPEATS logo across the edge. The internals are visible in the side that faces your skin, and whilst it isn’t quite premium in its approach, it’s functional and attractive.
This design results in a deeper insertion profile than typical stem-based TWS, which brings both advantages and compromises: with the right eartips (such as the Dunu S&S tips pictured above, which do also fit in the case) you can experience excellent passive isolation, although the slightly-larger-than-average nozzle means it can feel a little uncomfortable for smaller ears, at least with the shallower stock tips, especially if your ear canals are on the narrower side. It’s not as comfortable as, for example, Geekly’s Vitas, which uses a similar design brief.
The shell, whilst smaller in footprint than the Opera series, is still a bit chunky - not altogether unexpected given the requirement for multiple drivers, battery, board, chipset, mics, etc. In my average-sized-ears they stick out a little, but they stay in place pretty securely.
More rigorous stability testing showed strong results, passing the 100 jumping jacks test without issue and remaining secure even with aggressive head shaking, chewing, talking, etc. The IPX5 rating makes them suitable for gym use and outdoor activities in light rain, but I wouldn’t go running with them due to the weight displacement and occlusion that is inevitable from these deeper-fitting sets.
The Case
The case is big, bold and a bit of a mixed bag. It’s roomy enough to fit pretty much any third party eartips - a huge bonus - but it’s probably a bit too big to fit comfortably in your jeans pocket. There are some areas that represent attention to detail, such as the leather effect inner-edge and Soundpeats slogan across the centre, but some areas that remind you this is a budget brand working with OEM suppliers for elements of the design.
Here you can see an example of evident ‘machine tolerance’ in some of the joins and edges. It’s hardly a deal-breaker, but is one of the compromises you get compared to the Sony’s and Samsung’s of this world, who do the whole design and build in-house. It doesn’t feel the most robust case in the world either, and has already scratched up pretty quickly.
Overall, it’s a functional rather than impressive case, lacking elegance and support for wireless charging, but getting the job done.
Audio & Sound Signature
Whilst it’s pretty clear what SoundPEATS are going for in terms of the H series target curve, an iterative approach to refining the sound is evident when you look at the transition from H1 to H3. The H3, like the Air5 Pro and Pro Plus, adopts SoundPEATS new take on their ‘Classic’ house sound - the big low-end and mid-bass emphasis of the previous two versions has been reigned in somewhat, whilst the less-offensive treble has been retained, with some minor adjustment. SoundPEATS has tried to trim a little brightness from the upper midrange too to give it a more ‘hifi-style’ profile, and it definitely achieves that, but I’d argue the changes from the H2 actually harm the sound more than improving it, with vocals often sounding a bit honky and nasal. Tonally, it sounds better, but in terms of actual enjoyment, I feel like it needs quite a bit of adjustment to show off the H3’s full capabilities.
I made some slight changes to the sound in the SoundPEATS app, although the adjustments don’t do as much to the FR as you might expect. Ignoring the 8kHz resonance peak, even the mild bass adjustments don’t seem to do much, but this EQ at least made the H3 a little more palatable. I’ll update the review with a better EQ once I’ve had a proper chance to tune them to my liking, probably with Wavelet as PEATS Audio is a bit limited.
The travails with the default sound aside, there are plenty of positives. The triple driver setup (two Bellsing balanced armatures plus a 12mm custom polymer dynamic driver) delivers much better coherency than their last stab at this, the Opera05. Group delay measurements confirm the perceived strong phase response and driver integration, and the imaging precision is easily SoundPEATS’ best achievement yet, with an almost holographic stage presentation (by TWS standards) and accurate instrument separation and spatial cues. Harmonic distortion is well controlled, particularly in the upper registers where it drops as low as 0.06% at 90dB. This level of performance is usually reserved for sets upwards of £150 and is testament to the ambition and delivery of such a project, which only succeeds when you’ve made the mistakes previously to learn from.
Whilst the macrodetail and dynamics, after a little EQ adjustment, deliver emphatically, critical listening will reveal a slight shortcoming in microdetail, with vocals sometimes sounding a little ‘smoothed over’ when you have more complex layering. The staging is impressive and the dynamics are good, but if you switch to something like the Vitas soon after, the gulf in class is very evident.
SoundPEATS are trying to straddle the line between ‘fun’ and ‘audiophile’, so this can be forgiven to a degree, and it’s kudos to them that they’ve attempted to squeeze this level of audio engineering from a bud that also does ANC and calls pretty well. But if you’re expecting a detail monster, you might be left wanting a little, and whilst the tonality is good by triple driver standards, it lacks the organic charm of even something like Moondrop’s Golden Ages 2, a set that combines a tuning and Planar driver selection that meshes meticulously. I’ve seen some comments that the H3 could rival the high-end hybrids like the Rex5, ZX1 and the aforementioned Vitas….in reality, it falls short, not just in tonality and micro detail, but in the bass too, which is a bit pillowy compared to the Vitas, for example, which purrs by comparison, flexing layer after layer and exuding textured resonance. The H3 is kinda in the middle - a step up from standard dual-driver TWS offerings that cram in a BA for spec-sheet top trumps, but never really troubling the big hitters.
It’s worth noting, that with ANC off, the bass falls off the chart quite dramatically, so bear this in mind when you’re eq’ing.
Controls & Features
Despite using Qualcomm’s newest chipset, the QCC3091, the only ‘bit’ that SoundPEATS really take advantage of is the improved throughput. The H3 comes with a wide selection of codecs, including AptX-Lossless, LDAC and AptX-adaptive, and for those with young and uncoloured hearing, you might even notice the barely incremental differences between them, but when it comes to features and functions, the H3 is probably deliberately a bit threadbare.
Notable omissions include wear detection sensors, wind noise reduction modes, and a device list within the app for managing multipoint connections. For a product positioning itself as a premium budget option from a brand typically offering all-rounders, these omissions do feel like missed opportunities, because good audio a bit cheaper than the big guys probably isn’t enough of a differentiator - for SoundPEATS, they really have to do audio really well and a bit of everything else too, not just the basics. The hearing test feature lacks the shine of the Mimi equivalent that we’ve seen included with many brand’s apps, from Nothing to Creative. It’s clunky and produced inconsistent results, at least for me, and whilst many might see Spatial Audio as a bit of a gimmick, more and more releases now have it with decent implementations even in budget offerings from the likes of Realme, QCY and Moondrop.
SoundPEATS have always given us a default control scheme that makes sense, including single tap for volume control, but there’s also lots of customisation options through their Peats audio app. There’s also a low-latency mode, which drops latency from around 216ms to approx. 83ms, although when using LDAC, both gaming mode and multipoint connectivity are disabled, forcing you to choose, to a degree, between optimizing audio and functionality. In all honesty, you’ll probably want to stick with AAC anyway because of the hit battery life takes, and because, as I said previously, the differences between codecs are barely noticeable on earbuds - akin to discerning between SD and HD video on a postage stamp.
With ANC off and AAC, and using the H3 at a low volume, I could just about get over 5 hours playtime, but with ANC on it dropped to 3 hours 45 even on AAC. It’s not unusual for this kind of driver setup to be power-hungry, but for users who value long uninterrupted listening sessions, even the quick charge feature of 2 hours extra juice from 10 minutes in the case might not be enough to save the H3.
ANC & Transparency
The H3 delivers consistent, mid-tier ANC performance that benefits from the deeper fit and resulting passive isolation compared to previous SoundPEATS offerings. In real-world testing across busy coffee shops and subway environments, it performs adequately without reaching the heights of stronger performers like the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC or Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, which cut more low end rumble from typical outdoor scenes.
The Air5 Pro and Pro Plus are SoundPEATS’ own yardstick, and they don’t fall too far short, sometimes even outperforming them. For the deep, rumbling drone you get on aircraft or the tube, the H3 actually does a better job of taking the edge off. Both struggle with that slightly higher bass rumble - neither will silence a bus engine idling next to you for example - but through the frequencies where everyday background noise lives (think air conditioning hum, distant traffic, the general murmur of a busy coffee shop), the H3 maintains a slight but consistent advantage.
Where the Air5 Pro Plus (and other more versatile sets) claw back some ground is with higher-pitched sounds and the upper registers of speech. Nearby conversations are not handled as well by the H3, where the passive isolation can’t quite work its magic as effectively. Honestly though, the differences between the two are subtle enough that getting a good seal with the right ear tips can make up enough ground to not be a significant deal breaker.
Where the H3 falls short is against more versatile competitors like the OnePlus Buds 4 - the Swiss Army Knife of sub-$100 sets that does all the basics very well (but sounds nowhere near as good). The Buds 4 maintain consistently better reduction across the board - that low rumble the H3 struggled with around the 40-50Hz mark? The OnePlus handles it with noticeably more composure. Through the frequencies that make up the bulk of everyday noise - traffic, HVAC systems, the general din of public spaces - the Buds 4 stay a step ahead. It’s not a dramatic gulf, but it’s consistent and audible. As we’ve established - The H3’s strengths clearly lie elsewhere - so with either set you’ll have to compromise - it’s up to you where that compromise should be depending on your preferences.
Transparency mode on the H3 is perfectly serviceable without being anything special. Voices come through clearly enough for a quick conversation or staying aware of announcements, though there’s a subtle warmth to how the outside world sounds - a slight thickening in the lower registers that makes things sound marginally less natural. Low-frequency sounds like distant traffic rumble or the hum of a train carriage are filtered more than they should be, while high frequencies roll off noticeably - bicycle bells and birdsong will sound softened and less immediate. It’s the same story as the Air5 Pro Plus, suggesting this is simply where SoundPEATS’ transparency algorithm sits rather than anything specific to the H3. Usable for everyday awareness, but you still might want to pop an earbud out for any proper conversation. I was able to hold clear conversations in shops without difficulty, hearing most words clearly. This represents a genuine improvement over older budget offerings.
SoundPEATS also offer a ‘vocal mode’ within their app, but it seemed to do little compared to offerings from the likes of QCY, where voices are not only enhanced, but surrounding sounds are also muted somewhat. The H3 also handle wind noise adequately (despite no dedicated mode), although stronger gusts will see some reverb through the mics.
Call Quality
Call performance is adequate but not exceptional. The H3 gets the job done across various environments, but voice clarity and noise reduction fall short of premium offerings like the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4, which uses bone conduction mics and benefits from the closer proximity derived from a stem-design.
In busier environments, the noise reduction algorithm steps back a little, prioritising your own voice, which can sound a touch raspy. Quieter indoor calls work better, with more consistent voice reproduction. The ability to switch to ambient mode during calls through the app helps mitigate some of the isolation issues.
Summary
The SoundPEATS H3 is something of a gem, albeit not an especially versatile one. It delivers genuinely well-rounded technical audio performance that rivals products at significantly higher price points, particularly in its imaging and soundstage capabilities, that surpasssed my expectation in a mid-budget true wireless offering, although it required a bit of work to get the sound how I liked it. I fear that SoundPEATS change-in-direction towards a rather dark treble is possibly hiding the performance of some of their newer releases - a shame as some won’t spend the time working with the EQ and will dismiss them off the bat. I realise tuning is highly subjective and this narrative probably plays into the hands of those who might judge me a ‘Harman is best’ reviewer, but I don’t think you can ignore that it is still considered the default among consumer audio products so significant deviations will often be perceived as bad, or at the very least different. And different usually starts as bad and often stays at that stop. The macrodynamic performance, after EQ, is resounding - this is a fun set that flex a bit of technical muscle at the same time, without trying to be too detailed. The timing between drivers is very good. SoundPEATS played to their strengths here.
But for those seeking a set of all-rounders, this technical strength comes wrapped in compromises. I can accept a bit of EQ intervention since sound is largely subjective, and a good driver selection and combo will encourage EQ tweaking rather than see it as detrimental. The short battery-life, though, will put people off, given so many people these days can’t seem to tolerate ten minutes of real life without their music, and I may be alone in thinking this but the cheap-feeling case is so bad it’s almost enough to actually put me off taking them out.
SoundPEATS, IMO, have struck a nice balance between high quality audio and doing the basics. The shortfalls inevitably mean this isn’t a shoe-in purchase, but I like them enough to keep them on rotation - high praise indeed!