TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
4.5 STARS - After a start as an Indiegogo project, the SoundPEATS H1 is now widely available via Amazon and AliExpress. Nearly a year after its initial release, it's still a great deal.
SoundPEATS H1 specs:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC and AptX Adaptive codec
IPX5 waterproof (rain and sweat resistant)
9,5 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 4 ear tips and USB-C cable
$70 - Buy on Amazon US, Amazon Germany, other Amazon stores or AliExpress
Below this SoundPEATS H1 review, you will find comparisons between the SoundPEATS H1 vs Edifier TWS1 Pro, Moondrop Sparks, Lypertek Soundfree S20, BGVP Q2s, and 1more ComfoBuds Pro.
All reviews on Scarbir.com are 100% unsponsored and honest. Please support my research by buying via the links on this site. You can also support me via PayPal. <3
Design, comfort and battery life
We've seen the case and the earbuds of the SoundPEATS H1 before. The H1 is a continuation of the SoundPEATS TruEngine 3 SE, with the biggest difference being the center parts of the earbuds: the color part is now bigger and space grey instead of dark-gold. The other change is the bright LED light on the buds, which are always on when you're connected and not playing music.
The earbuds look great with their grey-smooth black color scheme and transparent internal, but they are rather big. Especially in the beginning, you may want to take them out once in a while to relieve some pressure from your ears. Because they hug your inner-ears tremendously, the SoundPEATS H1 offers excellent passive noise isolation. Just putting them in makes them block as much noise as some wireless earphones with ANC active noise cancelling. You don't even have to choose the pre-delivered Comply tips (foam that expands in size in your ears) to reach this effect.
The charging case of the H1 is a tad bulky, but its specs are solid. There's a USB-C charging port on the back, and under the sturdy enough lid, you'll find four LED lights that indicate how much battery the case has left. It's capable of recharging the earbuds three times fully - and how!
The SoundPEATS H1 earbuds offer up to 9,5 hours of playtime on a single charge. What's more, is that a quick 15-minute recharge should set you up for another 2+- hours of listening without problems. Helped by the IPX5-waterproof rating to withstand rain and sweat, the H1 is still an excellent choice for commuting and traveling.
Connectivity and controls
The SoundPEATS H1 has every control you could want right at your fingertips. The touch panel responds well and quickly to your input, although you may activate the volume control a bit too easy sometimes:
Double-tap L or R to play/ pause
Tap R to increase the volume
Tap L to decrease volume
Hold R to skip to the next track
Hold L to return to the previous song
Triple-tap R to activate the voice assistant
Triple-tap L to (de)activate the low-latency Gaming Mode
As the SoundPEATS H1 doesn't offer ANC, you won't find controls for active noise cancelling or a Transparency mode. The latter could come in handy, however, as the H1 blocks out surrounding noise so well.
Connectivity on the H1 is mostly good, with a strong Bluetooth 5.2 connection up to ten meters away from your device. There are some slight music hiccups, but those are rare and short. Pairing and connecting is fast, and you can always switch seamlessly between listening to one earbud while charging the other, to listen to both earbuds again.
Calling and watching movies
The SoundPEATS H1 is sufficient for phone calls. It removes a great deal of noise around you when you're calling, although it can show a few processing sounds on the line to do so. When you're calling in a quiet room, the person you're talking to can ask you if you're still on the line - it can be that quiet.
It has to be said, though, that the performance is a little inconsistent. One time, the processing sounds took over the entire call and made the voice inaudible. In video calls like, your voice output is too soft. While you sound clear, others need to concentrate on hearing you properly - and it can be hard to interrupt in a call this way.
Happily - watching videos with the H1 is a breeze, with perfect synchronization between audio and video on Android and iPhone. The H1 is equipped with a low-latency gaming mode you can trigger by triple-tapping the left earbud. It works impressively - sound effects follow the action on-screen with little to no noticeable delay.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $100
Sound quality of SoundPEATS H1: Smooth
So, how does the SoundPEATS H1 sound, testing these much-praised earphones in mid-2021?
The bass is the least impressive part here. It doesn't extend very low and can miss that sensation of a deep-diving, dark rumbling sub-bass. The H1 focuses on the mid-bass mostly, which presents itself with steady, gentle thumps you can just about feel. The bass could have been tighter, and the decay could have been a little quicker - the best-sounding competitors halfway 2021 strike a little faster. Nonetheless, there's enough power to support modern and electronic genres.
The question is, how much you'll miss the deepest and fiercest bass notes. The SoundPEATS H1 is a treat when it comes to the higher frequencies.
It strikes a fine balance between clarity and smoothness. It has the clarity of earphones that go big on treble, but not the harshness or brightness that can come with it. The slight tinniness you get from vocals in return, is forgivable. Female and higher-pitched male vocalists sound forward, are the center of the music, and come across crisp and smooth, yet with enough detail on both the lower and the higher end. Piercing sounds - like cymbals and claps - stay away from splashiness and are controlled as well.
The H1 may not have the most natural mids, but it compensates with the right amount of warmth-inducing lower mid-tones and… in openness. There's that typical airy feeling that comes with opened-up upper-mids and highs, and the H1 has a wonderful sense of space: a wide soundstage with vocals centered, and instruments and effects coming from your left and right. There's above-average separation and space in between those details, and in higher quality recordings, it's possible to place instruments around you as well.
So, how good is this TWS still in mid-2021? It's simple. Even though the bass may not be the deepest or fiercest; the clarity, smoothness, and airiness make music a joy to listen to on the SoundPEATS H1.
SoundPEATS H1 comparisons
SoundPEATS H1 vs Fiil T1 Lite
The SoundPEATS H1 wasn't the only star near the end of 2020. The Fiil T1 Lite, that now only costs half the price of the SoundPEATS H1, is still a blast. It has three hours of battery life per charge less, but its more compact earbuds and case are in its favor. The T1 Lite has more layeredness in the bass, with a stronger mid-bass and deeper sub. Center-mids sound more natural, yet at the same time, the T1 Lite is more agressive. It pushes the lows and the mids and the highs, creating an immersive sound, but one that also can become more brighter, piercing and tiring than the more smoothed-out H1.
Fiil T1 Lite full review ($35)
SoundPEATS H1 vs BGVP Q2s
The BGVP Q2s is less practical for everyday use, as it lacks a waterproof rating and doesn't offer the best connection strength for walking or cycling. In sound, it's a massive rival. The BGVP has a warmer sound, achieved by the more prominent lower-mids and center-mid tones. The mid-bass feels a tad slower, more recessed than on the H1. The SoundPEATS has a wider, more open soundstage with instruments and effects sounding further from your left and right. It forwards upper-mids, claps, and cymbals more. As such, higher vocals and these instruments can sound a little tinny coming from the thick-sounding Q2s, but the added airiness may catch you by surprise, time and time again.
BGVP Q2s full review ($70)
SoundPEATS H1 vs Lypertek Soundfree S20
The SoundFree S20 achieves an even bigger sense of space in the sound, but it does so with a slight gap between the lows and the highs, which the SoundPEATS fills up with its nuances in the mids. The Lypertek bass is punchier, more articulated, and again; higher vocals, drums, and acoustic instruments sound more natural on the S20. Vocals sound thinner and tinnier on the SoundPEATS, but its smoothness makes the H1 an easier listen. It's also less bright and sharp than the Lypertek can be on the highest volumes.
SoundPEATS H1 vs Edifier TWS1 Pro
This battle is fought on detail. The Edifier TWS1 Pro has even more open upper-mids and highs and thus even more airiness in the music, with added space between instruments and details. The bass is tighter, and drums and lower-mids sound more natural. The SoundPEATS H1 has more weight in the lows and less of a 'gap' between the lows and the highs. It sounds less natural and articulated, but its smoothness makes it more pleasing - less tiring to listen to. As the battery life, call quality, and waterproof rating on both are convincing, you have to make a choice on taste.
SoundPEATS H1 vs Moondrop Sparks
The Moondrop Sparks opens all registers when it comes to upper-mids and highs, and while the sound feels bright coming off from the H1, it's so detailed and nuanced, it's still an easy transition to make. The SoundPEATS H1 is an easier listen, with more controlled highs. It also has more body in the lows, although the Sparks bass is tighter. The H1 puts instruments and effects more on your outer left and right; the Sparks places them more precisely around you. With its comfort and fit, waterproof rating, and better call quality, the SoundPEATS is a more convenient pair for everyday use.
SoundPEATS H1 vs 1more ComfoBuds Pro
The SoundPEATS H1 offers great passive noise reduction, but the ANC noise-cancelling on the 1more ComfoBuds Pro takes it up a notch. Both earphones have a comparable balance in the sound. The 1more is more natural and articulated in the mid-tones, and offers more space in between instruments. Claps and cymbals are a bit splashier, yet voices are more natural than on the H1. The SoundPEATS has weightier lower-mids, smoother underlining, and a slightly more pumping bass. The ComfoBuds Pro is noticeably tinier in your ears; the H1 has better battery life.
Verdict
Almost a year after its crowdfunding release, the SoundPEATS H1 is still worth it in 2021. Its battery life, waterproof rating, and connectivity are still on par, and its clarity, smoothness, and airiness in the sound are still a joy to listen to.
4.5 stars - Great
Buy SoundPEATS H1/ check lowest price:
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on Amazon Germany
Buy on other Amazon stores
Buy on AliExpress
I bought the SoundPEATS H1 myself to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
Also read:
Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones
