INTRODUCTION
Whenever i either get on my treadmill to run a few miles (unfortunately not so often nowadays) or when I’m on foot going someplace there's but one device that always complements my smartphone a good pair of wireless earphones/headphones. As expected i almost always pick a pair that features ear hooks and thus is not going to fall easily (there are some however that are quite secure even without ear hooks) and to date all the people i know who go running, hiking or even lifting weights at the gym do the same exact thing (i even know some women who are into yoga and pole dancing who use such earphones). Now there are many Bluetooth earphones in the market that feature ear hooks but not nearly enough that combine good build quality with acceptable build quality and crisp/accurate audio. SoundPEATS may not be one of the well-known and established manufacturers but they have a good number of earphones, headsets and speakers in the market so since i was curious to see how their products performed today I’ll be testing their Q11 Sport Bluetooth Headphones.
Founded in December 2010 and registered its own brand “SoundPEATS”, SoundPEATS Audio. is mainly engaged in designing, researching and developing acoustic products. As a professional design and production company, we are mainly engaged in acoustic products, such as middle and high-end music earphones, wireless earphones, water speaker, sound boxes, Bluetooth and so on. When our brand "SoundPEATS" expands at a great speed, we also establish long-term cooperative relations with some companies who produce world famous brand of headsets. Our company has been growing steadily, and maintained the growth rate of 1.5 to 2 times although the global economic environment deteriorated.
The Q11 Sport Bluetooth Headphones are rated IPX Level 4 (splash/sweat-proof) and feature Bluetooth v4.1 connectivity (up to 33 feet/10 meters range) with EDR (enhanced data rate), multiuse technology (supports up to two simultaneously connected devices), CVC 6.0 noise cancellation technology, CSR aptX codec support (high-fidelity audio), rechargeable lithium-polymer battery pack (up to 5 hours of audio playback and 180 hours standby), in-line controller and a built-in microphone. What makes the Q11 ideal for use by people at the gym or on the go however (aside its IPX4 certification which is very important since I’ve had expensive wireless earphones fail when i was sweating on the treadmill) is its flexible ear hooks which make it nearly impossible for them to fall off. SoundPEATS doesn't state the size of the drivers used nor their specifications but after taking a closer look we feel they used 8mm ones.
SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
PACKAGING AND CONTENTS
A product picture is placed at the front of the box right next to the company logo, product name and compatible devices (android and iOS).
The product features are printed on both sides of the box.
A drawing of the headphones is placed at the rear of the box and is used to showcase all of its parts.
The headphones and their bundle are placed in their carrying/storage case.
Aside the Q11 Bluetooth Headphones in the box you will also find a sturdy carrying/storage case, USB to micro USB charging cable, shirt clip-on, adjustable cable-buckle, 4 extra sets of rubber ear tips and the warranty information paper.
THE Q11
SoundPEATS bundles 4 extra sets of ear-tips with the Q11 two of which are closed (for music) and two semi-closed (for calls).
Both headphones are connected via a medium length tangle-free cable (they weigh roughly 170g).
The company name is placed on the exterior of both headphones right beneath the rubber ear hooks.
As you can see the end that goes into your ear canal is angled to provide a better fit.
Of course you can remove the default ear tips just by pulling them out and mounting one of the extra ones.
The in-line controller is placed near the right headphones and includes three buttons, two which control the volume and can also be used to skip tracks (next/previous) and one which can be used to power the device, place it in pairing mode, play/pause audio and answer/end calls.
Forgot to point out that the micro USB charging port is placed at the bottom of the right piece (left and right markings are placed at the base of the ear hooks).
CONCLUSION
We used the Q11 Sport Bluetooth Headphones for a total of 19 days and after that I was somewhat curious as to why SoundPEATS is a company we knew nothing about. Of course the Q11 is far from perfect since audio clarity and accuracy is not on par with what we’ve seen from many wired and even wireless headsets but it scores quite high on both including bass levels. Volume levels are also high and as for battery life we actually managed to squeeze almost 5 hours of audio playback at full volume so I believe that it should easily surpass 6 hours at regular levels. The built-in microphone is far from special since people on the other end would often ask us what was wrong but the ear hooks work as advertised (even when running on my treadmill they wouldn’t move) and so does the IPX4 splash-proof certification so I guess we can’t have it all right?
The people behind SoundPEATS are well aware that they can’t charge a premium for their products and that’s a good thing for the consumer since currently you can find the Q11 Sport Bluetooth Headphones for just USD29.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 28Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Overall I can’t say that we were impressed with what the Q11 has to offer but if you also take into account their very affordable price tag they are a descent offering and for that they are highly recommended by us for people who want a good pair for the gym or while on the go.
PROS
- Build Quality (IPX4 Certified)
- Design
- Good Bass Levels
- Excellent Stability
- Stereo
- Bluetooth v4.1 + EDR
- Battery Life (5+ Hours)
- Price (For Some)
CONS
- Mids / Highs
- Built-In Microphone