SoundPEATS Engine4 Review: Quality Sound and Affordable Price
The SoundPEATS Engine4 is a Bluetooth earphone model that has recently caught our attention with its impressive features and surprising audio quality. With its dual coaxial drivers, multipoint connectivity, LDAC support, and long battery life, these earphones offer a compelling audio experience for music lovers.
While it may lack ANC, fast charging, and a comprehensive app, the Engine 4s still manage to stand out with their sound performance and affordability, making them a great option for those seeking high-quality wireless earphones without breaking the bank.
SoundPEATS Engine4: Video Review
| Specs | SoundPEATS Engine4 |
| Driver | Dual Co-axial Dynamic Drivers - 10mm Woofer, 6mm Tweeter |
| Chipset | WUQI WQ7033AR |
| Mic | 4 mics with ENC |
| Codecs | LDAC, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Protocols | BLE/ HFP 1.7/ A2DP 1.3/ AVRCP 1.5 |
| Volume Control | Yes |
| Gaming Mode | Yes |
| ANC | No |
| Earbud Weight | 6.3g |
| Total weight | 42.74g |
| Earbud Dimensions | 19.8mm height, depth approx. 26.8mm |
| Case Dimensions | 61 x 45 x 28 mm |
| Case Charge Capacity | 350mAh |
| Single Use Playtime | Up to 12.5 hours (AAC), up to 8 hours (LDAC) |
| Playtime with Charge Case | Up to 43 hours |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 |
Unboxing
The SoundPEATS Engine4 earphones come packaged in a simple and clean box design that perfectly reflects the minimalist aesthetics of the earphones themselves.
The highlight of the packaging is the pair of wireless earphones, elegantly positioned inside their charging case. The metallic brown charging case exudes quality and durability, while the inclusion of a USB Type-C charging cable ensures a hassle-free charging experience.
The user manual provides clear instructions for setup and usage, while the different-sized eartips allow for personalized comfort and effective noise isolation. Overall, the packaging reflects the attention to detail and commitment to user satisfaction that SoundPEATS has put into the design of the Engine4 earphones.
Design
The SoundPEATS Engine4 earphones are crafted with a sleek and minimalist design that exudes a sense of sophistication. The charging case, in particular, showcases an oval shape that adds a touch of elegance to its overall appearance. The metallic brown finish of the case enhances its aesthetic appeal, giving it a premium look and feel.
One of the notable features of the charging case is its compact and lightweight nature, weighing in at just 43 grams. This makes it incredibly portable and convenient to carry in your pocket or bag.
The earphones themselves are designed with a stemless in-ear style, which not only contributes to their modern aesthetic but also enhances comfort during extended wear. The absence of a stem gives them a sleek and streamlined appearance, while the in-ear design ensures a secure fit and helps to minimize sound leakage.
The touch control area on the earphones adds a level of convenience and ease of use. With simple touch gestures, you can control various functions such as play/pause, skip tracks, answer calls, and activate voice assistants. This touch control feature eliminates the need to fumble with buttons or your smartphone, allowing for a seamless and intuitive user experience.
The combination of the metallic brown finish on the exterior of the charging case with the matte gray, almost rubberized material on the earphones themselves creates a visually appealing contrast. This blend of colors and textures adds a stylish flair to the overall design of the earphones, making them stand out from the crowd.
SoundPEATS Engine4: Sound and microphone quality
The SoundPEATS Engine4 earphones are equipped with dual coaxial drivers, consisting of a 10mm woofer and a 6mm tweeter. This driver setup, combined with LDAC support, allows the Engine 4 to deliver an immersive audio experience with a fast frequency response. The LDAC support, which can reach up to 960k, ensures high-quality audio transmission, enabling users to enjoy the full depth and detail of their favorite music.
The SoundPEATS Engine4 earphones deliver a sound signature that impresses with its balanced frequencies and expansive soundstage. The emphasis is placed on the center-mids and lower treble, resulting in a prominent positioning of both male and female vocals in songs. Secondary vocals and details are spread wide from left to right, creating an immersive and spacious sound experience. Remarkably, this wide soundstage is achieved without excessively extending the highs or introducing sharpness.
When it comes to instruments like guitars and piano, the Engine4 reproduces them with clarity and naturalness. Vocals exhibit plenty of nuance, although higher male vocals may occasionally sound slightly nasal. The lower-mids are clean and barely boosted, allowing for impressive texture in drums and darker guitar riffs.
The audio experience provided by the Engine4 is particularly impressive in the bass department. The earphones boast a boosted sub-bass that adds depth and richness to the overall sound without overwhelming other frequencies. This balanced bass response contributes to a more enjoyable and well-rounded audio experience.
To fully unlock the potential of the bass, it is recommended to use larger ear tips from the package than one might typically use. SoundPEATS provides ear tips with wider holes, and without using larger tips, the bass can feel a bit lacking. However, with the right-sized tips, the sub-bass reaches deep and tight, while the mid-bass gains a natural weight with a tight and well-timed slam.
At higher volumes, there is a slight change in the sound profile. In order to allow the treble to shine, the lows can become slightly lighter. This adjustment ensures that the treble frequencies have the necessary space and presence, maintaining a balanced overall sound even at higher volumes.
Overall, the SoundPEATS Engine4 earphones impress with their nicely balanced frequencies and wide soundstage. The center-mids and lower treble take the spotlight, resulting in clear and natural vocals, while the lower-mids provide clean and textured reproduction of instruments.
However, when it comes to call quality, the Engine 4’s microphones may leave something to be desired. They struggle to capture and transmit voices clearly when there is background noise present, and windy conditions exacerbate the issue further. As a result, video and phone calls are best conducted in quiet environments for optimal clarity.
Functions
On the positive side, the Engine4 earphones offer a range of solid features. The responsive touch panels on the earbuds allow for easy control of play/pause, track selection, volume adjustment, and activation of the voice assistant. Additionally, the gaming mode of the earphones effectively synchronizes sound effects with on-screen action, enhancing the gaming experience.
Another notable feature of the Engine4 is its multipoint or dual device connection support. This allows users to connect the earbuds to two phones or a phone and a laptop simultaneously. The seamless switching between devices, triggered by pausing on one device and playing on the other, adds convenience and flexibility to the user experience.
However, the app support for the Engine4 is a weak point. The free SoundPEATS app, similar to other models from the brand, lacks the polish and refinement found in competitors like Soundcore. On iPhone, the app may lack visual feedback on applied settings, while the Android app demands excessive permissions. The sound equalizer in the app can also be inaccurate at times. These shortcomings in the app’s functionality and user interface detract from the overall presentation of the product, giving it an amateurish feel.
Considering the price point of around $70, it is clear that the Engine 4 is focused more on delivering an audio-centric experience rather than offering features like active noise cancellation, transparency mode, or auto-pausing of music when an earbud is removed. It aims to cater to those who prioritize audio quality above all else.
Battery life
The SoundPEATS Engine4 earphones excel in providing an impressive battery life, making them a reliable companion for long listening sessions. When using the AAC codec, these earphones offer an astonishing 12 hours of continuous playback on a single charge.
Even when opting for the LDAC codec, which offers superior sound quality, the battery life remains commendable, with approximately 8.5 hours of continuous playback on a single charge. Considering the high resolution and enhanced audio experience provided by LDAC, this battery performance is still impressive and allows for extended listening sessions without interruption.
In real-world testing, with the earphones set at a relatively loud volume of 70-80%, the SoundPEATS Engine4 managed to provide just over 7 hours of continuous playback with the LDAC codec. This result is exceptional, especially considering that many other headsets on the market struggle to achieve such battery life while using high-resolution codecs like LDAC.
The charging case is designed to provide additional charges to the earphones, extending the total battery life up to an astonishing 43 hours. This means that you can use the earphones for several days on a single charge of the case, without the need to frequently find a power source.
SoundPEATS Engine4: Conclusion
Overall, the SoundPEATS Engine4 earphones offer a compelling audio experience with their balanced sound signature, wide soundstage, and impressive battery life.
While there are some areas for improvement, such as the call quality and app support, the Engine 4 delivers on its promise of providing an immersive audio experience at an affordable price point.
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