SoundPEATS Air5 Pro Wireless Earbuds Review
The SoundPEATS Air5 Pro pairs dual lossless codec support (LDAC at up to 990kbps and aptX Lossless at 1.2Mbps) with 55dB hybrid ANC in a 4.9-gram stem, a combination that CNET praised for comfortable fit and solid sound quality. This review tests whether that lossless headline holds up in daily listening, or whether it collapses the moment you enable ANC, add a second device, or head into the gym.
The Headline Act
Most wireless earbuds in this tier trade codec flexibility against noise-cancelling depth. The Air5 Pro carries both by running Qualcomm aptX Lossless at 1.2Mbps alongside Sony LDAC at up to 990kbps, then layering a 55dB hybrid ANC system on top. That is a pairing you would normally find in a flagship stem, not a mid-range one. The product also carries Hi-Res Audio Wireless and Snapdragon Sound certification, labels that verify the signal path from source to driver has been measured for the bitrates these codecs deliver.
For a buyer who streams high-bitrate files, the practical upshot is straightforward: you get a codec ceiling that rivals wired playback without the cable. LDAC covers the Sony and Android side, aptX Lossless covers the Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound side, so whichever lossless source you already own is supported. The Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound Platform underneath is rated for ultra-low distortion and a high signal-to-noise ratio, which keeps the audio floor clean at the upper end of the bitrate range.
The one operational constraint: LDAC and multipoint (dual-device) connection cannot run simultaneously. If you need to stay connected to a laptop and a phone at the same time, the codec drops to a lower-bandwidth option. For single-source listening, the lossless path stays open.
Dual Lossless Codec Support Under the Hood
The codec layer sits on top of the Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound Platform, which SoundPEATS describes as delivering an ultra-high signal-to-noise ratio and ultra-low distortion. In practice, the digital-to-analogue stage inside each 4.9-gram bud has enough headroom to render a 990kbps LDAC stream or a 1.2Mbps aptX Lossless stream without smearing transients or burying fine detail in the noise floor. The Hi-Res Audio Wireless and Snapdragon Sound certifications confirm that the entire path, from phone DAC to driver, has been measured and passed for those bitrates.
The driver is a custom 10mm Composite Bio-Diaphragm unit that SoundPEATS tuned for a three-frequency balance: deep bass with punch, natural mid-ranges, and smooth highs that do not fatigue on long sessions. The company targets an expansive soundstage and precise instrument separation, a tuning goal that makes sense when the incoming signal carries the full bandwidth of a lossless stream. A compressed SBC feed leaves that headroom unused; a 990kbps LDAC stream puts it to work.
Bluetooth LE Audio with the LC3 codec is built in as a forward-looking layer, enabling lower latency at lower bitrates and Audio Sharing across multiple earbuds from one source. You toggle it through the PeatsAudio app. LC3 does not replace the lossless codecs; it is a separate, lighter-weight path for phone calls and shared listening where full bandwidth is unnecessary.
One setup detail worth flagging: LDAC is disabled by default in the PeatsAudio app. You have to switch it on manually before the lossless path activates. The same app controls the nine-band equalizer, adaptive EQ, tap-to-back sensitivity, and the LE Audio toggles, so the initial configuration takes a few minutes.
Audio Check
The SoundPEATS Air5 Pro produces a wide, open soundstage that owner reviews compare favorably to premium in-ear monitors. A US reviewer who owns IEMs in a higher tier called the quality “amazing” and noted that with the right ear-tip seal and a custom EQ curve, the separation and detail approached those sets. The CNET review, cited in the product listing, called the overall performance solid and the fit comfortable.
Treble behavior shifts with the ANC state. At least one owner reported that in normal (no-ANC) mode the upper register felt piercing above low volume, and that switching ANC on simultaneously smoothed the treble and made the bass more pronounced. The tuning profile effectively changes character depending on whether the noise-cancelling microphones are active. If you are sensitive to brightness, run the buds with ANC engaged and let the app’s adaptive EQ dial in the final balance.
Bass depth is a consistent highlight across owner feedback. Multiple reviewers described the low end as strong, clean, and well-defined, with one Japanese reviewer noting that the bass quality held up against the mids and highs without muddiness. The 10mm composite driver and the lossless codec bandwidth give the sub-bass room to develop without the compression artifacts you hear on SBC-only pairs.
Beyond the Headline
The SoundPEATS Air5 Pro uses a stem design that one long-time SoundPEATS owner called “easier to get used to than I expected,” and several reviewers noted the buds are comfortable enough to sleep in. At 4.9 grams per bud the weight is low enough that the stem does not pull on the ear canal during extended sessions. The default ear tips fit most ears, but one reviewer swapped to DUNU Candy tips for a better seal and found the buds still closed inside the charging case, a small but useful detail.
Battery capacity is the weakest non-audio spec in the set. SoundPEATS lists 7.5 hours per charge with ANC off and 5.5 hours with ANC on, for a 37-hour total including the case. A quick-charge session of 10 minutes buys one hour of playback. Owner reports cluster around three to four hours of real-world use with ANC engaged, and one reviewer pulled just two hours out of a single bud before needing a recharge. The PeatsAudio app offers power-saving modes that extend the window, but the absolute runtime trails the brand’s older models, and reviewers noticed the gap.
The PeatsAudio app is the control center for everything else: nine-band EQ with custom user profiles, adaptive EQ, tap-to-back and touch-control sensitivity, LE Audio LC3 toggles, and the LDAC enable switch. Owners generally find it straightforward, though a Japanese reviewer called the equalizer a bonus feature and noted the app requires registration before unlocking full controls.
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Day-to-Day
On a gym commute the 55dB hybrid ANC handles treadmill drone and traffic noise effectively, and the AI wind-noise reduction algorithm claims up to 90 percent wind interference cut, which matters if you cycle or walk in gusty weather. One reviewer confirmed the ANC blocks out typical gym noise well, though below the level of premium flagship pairs. The AI adaptive system adjusts to your environment and ear fit without manual mode-hopping.
At a desk the multipoint limitation becomes the main friction. You can pair the Air5 Pro to a phone and a laptop, but LDAC drops out the moment the second device connects, so the lossless path only works with a single source. For a working-from-home setup where you alternate between a phone call and a laptop music feed, you will be riding on AAC or SBC during the multipoint window. If your primary listening source is one phone, the constraint barely registers.
What Owners Say
The headline claim, that dual lossless codecs produce sound quality rivaling premium IEMs, gets the most confirmation from owner feedback. A US reviewer who owns IEMs in a higher tier called the Air5 Pro’s output “amazing” and close to those sets after applying a custom EQ curve. A Japanese reviewer compared the sound against products in a higher tier and called it “astonishing” value, noting the bass, mids, and highs all hold up. The aggregate Amazon rating of 4.2 out of 5 across 983 reviews, with the top reviews consistently praising clarity and bass, aligns with the codec-driven promise.
The counter-evidence concentrates on battery life. One US reviewer who owns multiple SoundPEATS pairs reported the Air5 Pro delivered only two hours per charge and was returning them, while another noted the battery “is not as legendary as a couple of their older models.” The 7.5-hour spec with ANC off and 5.5 hours with ANC on is a step back from what the brand built its reputation on, and the PeatsAudio app’s power-saving toggles are a mitigation, not a fix. A second batch of complaints touches a connection stutter: one reviewer experienced audio that would “pretty badly stutter and not go away until I stop and restart the track,” and could not confirm whether the fault lay with the buds or the phone.
Comfort and fit draw steady praise. The 4.9-gram stem, the default tip fit, and the case design all appear in positive mentions. A few reviewers flagged the touch controls as too trigger-happy and disabled them in the app. The English voice prompts on power-on are a minor annoyance for non-English-speaking owners, one of whom docked a star for that reason.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Dual LDAC (up to 990kbps) and aptX Lossless (1.2Mbps) codec support in a mid-range stem
- 55dB hybrid ANC with AI adaptive adjustment and AI wind-noise reduction
- Hi-Res Audio Wireless and Snapdragon Sound certification on the S3 Gen 2 platform
- 4.9-gram weight and stem design comfortable enough for sleep wear
- 37-hour total battery with 10-minute quick-charge to one hour
- PeatsAudio app with nine-band EQ, custom profiles, and LE Audio LC3 control
Weaknesses
- Real-world battery life with ANC on trails older SoundPEATS models; owner reports of two to four hours per charge
- LDAC and multipoint (dual-device) connection are mutually exclusive
- Treble shifts character between ANC-on and ANC-off modes, requiring manual EQ tuning
- LDAC is disabled by default and must be enabled in the app
- Touch controls are prone to accidental track skips; voice prompts are English-only
Verdict
The SoundPEATS Air5 Pro earns its place as a lossless-codec earbud for listeners who stream from a single phone or source and want the bandwidth of a wired DAC chain without the cable. The dual LDAC plus aptX Lossless pairing, the 10mm composite driver, and the S3 Gen 2 platform together deliver a sound quality that multiple owners compare favorably to premium IEMs. For that listener, the 55dB ANC, comfortable 4.9-gram fit, and app-driven EQ make the package complete.
Best for a single-source streamer who wants lossless bandwidth and strong ANC in a lightweight, comfortable stem; look elsewhere if you need reliable multipoint with LDAC simultaneously, expect more than 5.5 hours with ANC engaged, or prefer a sealed, non-stem fit.
Spec Sheet
- Drivers: 10mm Composite Bio-Diaphragm
- Audio Platform: Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound Platform
- Codecs: LDAC (up to 990kbps), aptX Lossless (1.2Mbps), aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC, LC3 (LE Audio)
- Certifications: Hi-Res Audio Wireless, Snapdragon Sound
- ANC: 55dB Hybrid, AI adaptive, AI wind-noise reduction (up to 90%)
- Battery (per charge): 7.5 hours (ANC off), 5.5 hours (ANC on)
- Total Battery: 37 hours with case
- Quick Charge: 10 minutes for 1 hour playback
- Weight (per bud): ~4.9g
- App: PeatsAudio (nine-band EQ, custom profiles, adaptive EQ, tap controls, LDAC toggle)
Buyer Questions
Does the Air5 Pro sound like a wired earbud when running LDAC or aptX Lossless?
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Owners who compared the buds against IEMs in a higher tier called the quality close, with one reviewer noting the separation and detail approached those sets after applying a custom EQ curve. The CNET review, cited in the product listing, called the overall performance solid. The codec bandwidth supports the claim, but the final impression depends on source material and ear-tip seal.
Can I use LDAC while connected to two devices at the same time?
No. The SoundPEATS support documentation states that dual-device connection cannot be used with LDAC at the same time. When the second device joins, the codec drops to a lower-bandwidth option. If your workflow depends on staying connected to a laptop and phone simultaneously with lossless audio, the Air5 Pro will not cover that use case.
Is the battery life acceptable for a full workday with ANC on?
The spec sheet lists 5.5 hours per charge with ANC engaged, and owner reports range from about three to four hours in real use. One reviewer who needed six hours for a workday found the buds insufficient and returned them. The PeatsAudio app offers power-saving modes that extend the window, and a 10-minute top-up adds one hour, but the absolute runtime trails the brand’s older models.
Does turning ANC on change the sound tuning?
Yes. At least one owner reported that the treble feels piercing in normal mode above low volume, and that enabling ANC smooths the upper register while making the bass more pronounced. The tuning character shifts noticeably between the two states, so it helps to dial in your EQ with ANC on if that is how you will listen most of the time.
- 【CNET 】- "The SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro buds not only fit comfortably, but they also offer good overall performance, including solid sound quality, for the money."
- 【Dual Lossless Audio Codecs – Studio-Quality Sound Wirelessly】Experience true Hi-Res Audio Wireless with dual-certified lossless audio codecs. Featuring LDAC (up to 990kbps) and Qualcomm aptX Lossless (1.2Mbps), the Air5 Pro delivers every detail of your music with stunning clarity, rivaling wired headphones.
- 【Hi-Res Audio & Snapdragon Sound Certified for Authentic Playback】Officially certified by Hi-Res Audio Wireless and Snapdragon Sound, guaranteeing a premium, high-fidelity listening experience. This ensures you hear music exactly as the artist intended, with exceptional clarity and precision.