Disclosure: I’d like to thank SOUNDPEATS for providing me with the Air5 Pro+ for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and SOUNDPEATS had no say or input on the contents of this review.

The SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro+ lands in the under $150 category, at around $130 USD, but packs high-end hardware, such as dual drivers (an xMEMS Cowell driver and a 10mm dynamic driver) and support for LDAC, aptX Adaptive/Lossless, and LC3 codecs. I’ve been impressed that they include features you’d normally pay twice as much for, and it’s encouraging to see xMEMS technology being delivered in an affordable product. In everyday use, I found these to be a great value play: clear, lively sound and surprisingly strong ANC for the price. While they don’t fully dethrone the likes of Apple, Sony, or Bose in any category, they do tick almost every box (except auto-pause and wireless charging) for budget-conscious audiophiles.

Released in November 2025, the Air5 Pro+ arrives as SOUNDPEATS’ flagship offering targeting value-minded audiophiles and Android enthusiasts who can leverage its extensive high-resolution codec support. Does all of this tech truly make the Air5 Pro+ a great TWS earbud, or does it end up being outdone by more affordable options? Let’s get into it and find out.

• SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro+
• S, M, L silicone eartips
• USB-C to USB-A charging cable
• Manual
• Stickers

Physically, the Air5 Pro+ carries on the AirPods-shaped tradition: short stems with a capacitive touch surface and angled nozzles. In my experience, they are pretty comfortable. The 5-gram earbuds feel nearly weightless once seated, and I rarely had to readjust them during use. The sculpted shape and oval nozzles give a snug fit, and I didn’t find it easy for them to come loose, even when jogging or moving around. Speaking of jogging, the Air5 Pro+ retains the IPX5 weather resistance rating, so working out with these earbuds is a worry-free experience.

The overall build quality feels solid despite being plastic (no rattles or cheap creaks), and I appreciate that the finish looks pricier than it is. The Air5 Pro+ is essentially the same shape and design as their predecessor, the Air5 Pro, so if you’ve used those, then you have a very good idea of what to expect here. The only difference is the gold color-way, which adds some class to the look of the Air5Pro+.

The charging case is similarly well-made (again, it’s essentially the same as the charging case for the Air5 Pro). It’s made of hard plastic but has clean lines and a robust feel. The lid opens and closes with ease and a satisfying click. The case houses a big 520 mAh battery, giving many extra hours of playtime (I’ll cover battery performance in a bit). Overall, I’d say the Air5 Pro+ looks and feels like midrange TWS earbuds rather than budget ones, which is definitely a plus in my book.

The Air5 Pro+ uses the “PeatsAudio” companion app (iOS/Android). In use, I found the app to be very capable and to do everything that I need it to do. It lets me remap touch controls, adjust ANC levels, and even do a simple hearing profile via adaptive EQ. There’s a full 10-band graphic equalizer, some presets, a toggle for LDAC, and even a “Find Earbuds” function. The app is straightforward and clean, and generally very responsive. Sometimes it needs to refresh to “fetch device”, such as when you are in the More Functions area, where you can enable LE Audio support and check for firmware updates. Otherwise, though, it is very fast and fluid to use. Ideally, I would like it to show the current Bluetooth codec in use, which many competitors’ companion apps are now doing, but really, you can’t ask too much more here since the app is very nice to use.

The app’s EQ controls can feel a bit sluggish to use: making adjustments has a slight delay, so it can test your patience if you’re trying to quickly fine-tune things. Again, not a huge deal overall. Here are some screenshots from the app:

The SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro+ are built on Qualcomm’s QCC3091 chip with Bluetooth 5.4, and are Snapdragon Sound certified. In practical terms, this means solid connectivity and compatibility. In daily use, I had no dropouts or connection issues. Pairing is also quick and reliable. The earbuds support multipoint pairing, so I could keep them connected to my phone and laptop (or iPad and phone) simultaneously. Switching between devices was seamless for me, meaning I could pause music on the laptop and start a call on my phone without having to manually re-pair. Worth noting: if you force the LDAC codec for higher fidelity, you lose out on multipoint mode (this is a documented limitation). LDAC performance is excellent, as is aptX Lossless. I noticed no issues with either, and if you want to get the absolute best audio quality, you will be using one of those codecs.

Latency is also impressively low. There’s a dedicated “game mode” or low-latency mode. I tried it on a few games and video calls, and audio/video sync seemed fine with no major lip-sync delay. Watching YouTube videos and movies is completely fine with this as well, and in my opinion, the dedicated Game Mode works better than the low-latency mode of aptX Adaptive.

I also did test the LC3 performance and latency, and as you would expect, it performed just fine. The LC3 codec is a great balance of low latency and good audio quality, sounding much better than SBC, while delivering very low latency.

Testing notes: for testing the various codecs, I used the FiiO Air Link Bluetooth dongle to test LDAC 990kbps mode, and aptX Lossless, the Sennheiser BTD 700 Bluetooth dongle to test aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 for LDAC and LC3 testing, and an iPhone 16 for AAC.

The hybrid active noise cancelling (ANC) on the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro+ is strong for the price. SOUNDPEATS claims up to 55 dB reduction, and in my experience, it noticeably cuts down steady hums like air conditioning or engine noise. I tested it in early-morning walks with my dog, and while at a coffee shop, and the background drone and music were significantly softened. I could still hear people chatting nearby, and actually, I kind of liked that safety in a gym or street setting, but the intrusive racket of machines and street noise got toned way down. In terms of sound, the good news is ANC doesn’t muffle music or turn it into mush. The audio remained clear and detailed even with ANC on. The bad news is that it doesn’t quite match flagship earbuds, but it handles droning bass and midrange really well, where very sharp or high-frequency noises (like the sound of a garage door motor or sudden clanks) can still poke through. Another plus is that there’s no white noise that I could hear, which is common on budget-oriented earbuds (usually you hear it when no audio is playing, thankfully not the case here).

SOUNDPEATS offers multiple ANC modes (Adaptive, Indoor, Outdoor, Traffic, plus Normal/Off). In practice, I found the differences subtle, with Adaptive mode being my go-to. Switching modes via the app is pretty quick, though be aware that when using the capacitive controls on the earbuds, you have to tap through “Normal” each time. You also cannot cycle through the individual ANC and Transparency modes; they must be selected in the app. Overall, I’d say the ANC performance is extremely good for the price.

Transparency mode on these TWS earbuds is very decent overall, and very, very good for the price. There are two modes: Standard and Voice. Both modes let outside sound in so you can chat or stay situationally aware, but the Voice mode boosts vocals slightly so that they overcome any background noise. In both modes, though, speech comes through intelligibly, and it doesn’t add too many digital artifacts. I did notice that voices through transparency can sound a bit tinny or recessed, but this is generally how most TWS earbuds will sound. I think the Air5 Pro+ does a better job than most at trying to make voices sound natural, so in my opinion, it’s one of the best at this price point.

A final point I’d like to make is that, in order to get the most out of ANC, you need to have a good seal. Using the correct eartip size makes a huge difference, and I ended up experimenting quite a bit until I settled on the medium-sized tips. I found those to be the best balance for fit and comfort, for my ears at least.

Using the Air5 Pro+ day-to-day has been smooth. The touch controls are simple: tap to play/pause, double-tap to skip, press-hold to change modes (volume and control mappings can be customized in-app). I generally found them responsive, but every so often I got an accidental tap, especially if I was adjusting the fit. That’s more a general touch-control issue than a flaw of these earbuds specifically. Fortunately, you can disable the touch sensors entirely through the app if that’s a problem. There’s no in-ear detection sensor on these, so playback won’t pause when you pull them out, something I miss that even budget earbuds have been implementing lately. The case lacks wireless charging, so it’s strictly USB-C (a 10-minute charge gives roughly 2 hours of playback, which is super handy if you forget to charge). Pairing is also easy. I used them with Android and iOS devices, various Bluetooth dongles, and even my laptop’s built-in Bluetooth, and they handled all of these sources well. In short, these are easy to use and cover almost every basic feature. Multi-device switching works flawlessly; voice prompts are handy, and there’s even a fit-test tool to help get a good seal. All in all, I have no major usability complaints, other than the lack of in-ear detection.

Battery life is decent for modern TWS buds, though not exceptional. Officially, they are rated for 6 hours of continuous listening per charge (ANC off) and ~30 hours total with the case. In my real-world test,s that’s about right. With ANC off and moderate volume, I consistently got around 6 hours before they died. With ANC on and using LDAC or aptX Lossless, it’s closer to 4 hours. For the TWS earbuds launched in 2025, it’s honestly a bit disappointing.

The included case fully recharges the buds about 4–5 times, giving a total playing time of around 30–37 hours, depending on use. In practice, that meant I could go a few days between charges if I wasn’t using ANC or LDAC/aptX Lossless constantly. Fast charging is a welcome feature: I confirmed that a 10-minute top-up gave me a couple of hours of listening, perfect for “I forgot to charge” emergencies. The downside: no Qi wireless charge pad support, just plug in the USB-C port on the case. Personally, I don’t use wireless chargers very much anymore, but some users will miss the wireless option. In summary, battery life is fine but not class-leading. Expect mid-single-digit hours per charge, and plan to use the case as often as possible. Remember, powering two drivers, ANC, and LDAC/aptX Lossless all draw extra juice, so one could say this is a typical tradeoff in this feature set.

The SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro+ has a very good sound profile that will be appealing to most people. These TWS earbuds use a hybrid driver setup, with a 10mm dynamic driver (DD) for enhanced bass impact and dynamics, and an xMEMS Cowell driver with a dedicated XAA-2000 Aptos Class-H amplifier to power it.

The Air5 Pro+ is tuned for a fun, slightly V-shaped signature, where the bass and treble are lively while the midrange is kept clean and unintrusive. The 10 mm dynamic driver provides a good punch, as bass-heavy tracks hit with satisfying thump without bleeding into the midrange. I found the low end deep and extended, though it does get a bit bloated (more on this shortly). Vocals and midrange are clear, and I didn’t feel the vocals were ever buried or lost in the mix. The Air5 Pro+ has pretty good resolution for its price too, with better detail and separation than many competitors. Listening to complex tracks like orchestral or layered electronic music, I could pick out subtleties and placement that I wouldn’t expect from cheaper earbuds. The soundstage is also surprisingly wide for closed-in earbuds, and it never felt cramped.

Casual listeners and those outside the audiophile realm will really enjoy the tuning here, as it emphasizes the bass and treble, but personally, I did find that the sound profile seemed to be somewhat underwhelming given the hardware inside. After playing around with EQ, it became a night and day difference for me (in a very good way), so I will be mentioning EQ throughout the Sound Quality section.

Bass

The bass response runs deep and punchy, with excellent sub-bass extension that provides satisfying rumble on electronic and bass-heavy tracks. The dynamic driver delivers fullness rather than precision, and the bass “bathes you in its warmth” rather than attacking with clinical accuracy. For bass-heavy genres, the default tuning excels. I think most casual listeners will enjoy this. Personally, for my musical tastes, I find the bass to be a bit bloated and muddy, losing out on the detail that I’m used to hearing. Thankfully, EQ can definitely fix this, to the point where in the end it sounds much cleaner, a bit tighter, but still gives you the satisfying punch. My EQ profile will be at the end of the Sound Quality section, as I’m not done talking about it.

Midrange

The midrange benefits from the xMEMS driver’s speed and resolution. Male vocals carry weight and authority, while female vocals sound smooth without sibilance. Acoustic instruments, saxophones, guitars, and strings all render with good texture and body. The lower midrange can occasionally feel too dull and hollow, though, and vocals at times can exhibit a slightly shouty quality, especially for higher-register singers. EQ, again, saves the day here for me, and completely transforms the listening experience. Vocal clarity improves, and the shouty quality disappears.

Treble

Treble control prioritizes comfort over sparkle. The xMEMS driver provides crisp, fast, precise high-frequency response with good extension, but SOUNDPEATS tuned it to avoid fatigue during extended listening. It’s the best part of the stock sound signature, in my opinion. It lacks sparkle and air, but it’s extremely comfortable to listen to, even at higher volumes, and you don’t lose out on too much detail. Since the Air5 Pro+ responds very well to EQ, the treble can be tweaked to add some clarity and presence, becoming less veiled.

Soundstage and Imaging

Soundstage and imaging rank among the Air5 Pro+’s technical highlights. While not exceptionally wide, the presentation offers good depth, and imaging allows precise instrument placement, giving an almost holographic sensation. Track separation benefits significantly from the xMEMS driver’s resolving power, delivering cleaner, more defined sound than single-driver competitors.

EQ

Below is my EQ profile for the Air5 Pro+, which I based on profiles done by several different users on head-fi. Don’t take this to mean that I think the sound quality of the Air5 Pro+ is not very good. I think SOUNDPEATS did an excellent job at implementing a V-shaped sound signature that will please most listeners, but I wanted to get more out of these earbuds, especially given the hardware inside them, and I think this EQ profile does just that.

The call quality is incredibly solid for these earbuds. The six-mic does a good job isolating my voice and filtering background noise. I tested them both indoors and when walking down the street, while it was quite windy. In the quiet environment, my voice came through cleanly, and the person on the other end said I had good volume and clarity. In windy or very noisy places, the performance dips (windy day recordings had some gating and artifacts), but they held up roughly on par with most true-wireless buds in this class. I did notice a slight robotic tint when noise reduction kicked in heavily, but intelligibility remained high, and that’s the important thing. In short, I’d say the Air5 Pro+ microphones are competent, and your calls will sound far better than on lower-end earbuds, but they aren’t quite at a flagship noise-cancellation level. Personally, I think the performance here is much better than what the price would have you believe.

After over a month with the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro+, I feel it offers outstanding value. In practice, I loved having flagship features like LDAC, aptX Lossless, and multi-device connectivity. The sound quality and feature set make everyday use enjoyable. Music is clear and punchy, ANC works well enough to let me focus on work or walks, and the battery, while not as good as others in this price range, will easily get me through a day. I did find myself missing some convenience niceties, such as auto-pause from having in-ear detection when taking the earbuds out. Otherwise, though, the Air5 Pro+ offers a very complete experience.

For about $129 USD (sometimes on sale closer to $100), these TWS earbuds deliver serious performance and an excellent feature set. In my opinion, if you want a feature-packed TWS earbuds under $150 that sounds great and is highly tweakable, the SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro+ is a winner. Just remember the trade-offs: shorter battery life with all features on, no in-ear detection, and EQ may be mandatory depending on your sound preferences. Overall, I highly recommend them for users who care about sound quality and features over brand cachet, as they really deliver on the promise of high-end audio at a budget.

 

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