SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro LDAC Bluetooth 5.3 Earbuds 42dB Hybrid ANC

Soundpeats Capsule 3 Pro​

Soundpeats have surely come a long way. Not that they weren’t always a leader in the tws budget sector because they most assuredly have always had a nice stake to the budget pie. What I am noticing is that the quality is raising across the board with Soundpeats products to new levels, which really puts the noose around the necks of other tws manufacturers. Today I am reviewing the Soundpeats Capsule 3 Pro or “CP3” as I will call them. The CP3 comes equipped with many features, is dope looking and even sounds good too. I will obviously elaborate quite a bit more as we carry on with this review.

I want to take a moment to thank Soundpeats for their kindness in offering three different units for review at mobileaudiophile.com. Those being the Soundpeats Mini Pro HS, the Air3 Deluxe HS, and the set I am reviewing here, the Capsule 3 Pro. I do provide a link below for the purchase of the Soundpeats Capsule 3 pro, but I must add that I am in no way affiliated with Soundpeats and make no monetary gain in any way by reviewing this set. I’m simply glad to help out a company who was very kind and if posting a link helps, well …I’m happy to do it.

Amazon purchase link HERE

Early bird pricing below:

20% coupon plus 10% off code: QG6UCCG2

I have been a fan of Soundpeats for quite some time and have personally owned a number of their sets. One of my favorite tws iems at any price is the Soundpeats H1, which I still own. I was thrilled to be able to check out this newest Soundpeats tws iem and I will absolutely give my most honest impressions whether good or bad. Let’s get on with the review, the Soundpeats Capsule 3 pro everyone….

Packaging​

The CP3 (as I will call them) come in a smaller box which is pretty understated, which I have zero issue with. After all, I don’t listen to the box. Anyways, again, Soundpeats opted to put a young man on the sleeve cover who has obvious model features. Of course, this young man is completely expressionless with an almost annoyed look on his face. Soundpeats, please hire me to approve any designs for any new upcoming tws packaging, trust me, you will be glad you did. Just shooting my shot. Again, I don’t really care about the artistic expression of the box but… It does make me chuckle. Obviously, I am joking. So, the box has some good info on it relating to the performance and features of the CP3, but I will explain those things further later on. Plus, I realize not a soul on planet earth cares about the box. Also, just look at my pictures.

Take off the sleeve and you are met with a completely black flip top box. Open it up and the very nice-looking case will be staring back at you, wrapped in plastic. A small box above the case holds a very short and basically standard usb-c charging cable as well as the tips and both come in standard plastic baggies. Other than that, you will find some reading material, button layout instructions… some other really exhilarating stuff here. I was joking on that last statement by the way.

Eartips​

The provided tips are actually not of bad quality which is not the norm in the tws world. Most of the time the tips which come with tws iems are almost unusable. In this case they aren’t bad at all however I did find that the only size which worked in my ears were the largest pair. Unfortunately, these eartips are extremely shallow fit, so if the earbuds themselves don’t hug your ear perfectly than I’m afraid getting a seal may be hard for you as well. So, the provided tips are of great quality but in terms of use on the CP3 they may be a hindrance depending on your year’s anatomy.

What tips I used…​

One huge plus is that the case actually gives plenty of room for 3rd party eartips. Please trust me, this is fantastic and refreshing to see. 85% of tws cases within the hobby give little room for any tip changes which, quite frankly I cannot stand. I went through a number of tips. Kbear 07 tips did well, Final E-tips worked nicely but what I landed on was a set of ultra-wide bore shallow fit tips that are pretty common in the Chi Fi world. I have zero idea where I got these, but they have a very firm flange which makes for a fantastic seal on the ear opening. These tips seemed to open up the CP3 the best and brought the mid-bass a little closer to the ear while adding some depth to the sound to a degree. The included large size is good to but slightly less stable in my ear.

At first, during my tip journey I tried to find the longest tips. Due to the shallow fit of the CP3. I figured I’d find a pair that could really get in there. The Final E-tips and Fiio vocal tips from back in the day both were able to get further in there. Both are longer and extend further into the ear canal. However, one thing I noticed was that the bass all of a sudden was impacted. Greatly. It sounded as though the fundamental sound of the bass was much further back in the presentation. Like, way back. This was odd to me because normally it is the exact opposite conclusion. Anyways, switching over to some very short and shallow, firm flanged wide-bore tips brought everything closer. More dynamic, more open and more decisive in note delivery after I made this discovery. Just my experience but I do hope it helps.

Case​

The charging case which houses the CP3 is a great case at this price point. Really. First off, it is built really well. Nothing in it is flimsy and shoddy. Nothing is chinsy either. The case opens and closes nicely, with a quality hinge. The plastic used is pretty robust and great for the price of $69. It isn’t some ultra-premium feeling and ultra-premium looking case, but it is very nicely built and looks nice too.

Second, this case provides 52 hours of battery life. In case you didn’t know, that is fantastic. Not needing to worry about charging is a nice feeling. Just pop the CP3 in the case and they begin to charge relatively quickly.

Third, the case is a good size. I love the fact that the case slides right into the tiny jeans pocket that all blue jeans have. That is where I always store my tws iems and please trust, I go nowhere without them. The case is smooth and oval shaped and not too wide which enables it to simply slide right in. Lastly, the case looks nice. You have an indicator light on the front and a nice bronze colored Soundpeats logo placed on the back in a classy way. It’s all good.

Build / Design / Internals / Fit ​

Build Quality ​

Soundpeats chose a nice feeling plastic for this set. You know how some plastics feel of low quality, cheap, not durable? Well, this isn’t that. The CP3 feel sturdy, precision cut, molded to an exact form and done so in a class and bold manner. The CP3 feel solid. That is a great thing. The stems aren’t ridiculously long at 33mm in length. Also, the earphones are not heavy at all and actually feel very light in the ear. Truthfully, they are very comfortable. Soundpeats added three mics to each earpiece. One is a feed forward mic; another is a feedback mic as well as a mic for talking. These help for clear calls. All things considered the CP3 are built well for the price point.

Design​

What a catchy looking set of tws. I love the bronze-on-black two-toned colorway. On the stem is a bronze looking metal mesh that runs most of the way down the stem. The actual touch surface is the Soundpeats logo at the top of the unit. It has to be hard to design these tws iems as there is an ocean of them out there in the world and to come up with a fresh look is saying something. These are fresh. From the bronze mesh oval nozzle to the stems, the CP3 have a distinct and bold design language that is very well laid out.

Internals ​

The CP3 comes equipped with a massive Soundpeats custom made 12mm full frequency Bio-Diaphragm Driver. Also, Soundpeats opted for the quality SOC chipset WUQI-WQ7033AR. Which is actually an impressive chipset which is able to run Bluetooth 5.3 as well as audio output of 990 kbs using LDAC audio codec as well as quite a few other impressive specs. More on that later. The CP3 also house a good-sized battery as well as three AI ENC mics.

Fit​

The fit is a funny subject that will change between listeners. Truthfully, I don’t even know why I always add this to my reviews. For me, the fit is great. The main body of the CP3 sit perfectly within my ears and once I found tips that fit me, all the rest was history. I have zero idea how these will fit you, but the design is done in an ergonomic way.

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Features​

SOC Chipset / Audio Codecs​

Again, Soundpeats decided to use the WUQI-WQ7033AR SOC Chipset inside of the CP3. This is a fine chip which carries LDAC, AAC and SBC Codecs. So even Apple people will not feel left out. The CP3 can reach up to 990 kbs on LDAC which is as good as it gets for the most part. The CP3 can also replay at 24bit/96khz as well which is fantastic to see at $69. There was a time when LDAC within a set of tws was unheard of and thought to be impossible but now we have it in $69 earbuds. Awesome.

Hybrid ANC​

The CP3 do have a very well-done Hybrid ANC which is promoted to attenuate up to 43 db’s of sound. I can concur that the ANC is very well done. Now, I did have to update the firmware to achieve this ANC so I’m hoping that future sets will ship with this update intact. Anyways, the ANC really does a nice job of covering over sounds like the drone of an air conditioner. In fact, I am in my office right now with an AC running and I cannot hear it even slightly. Higher pitched sounds are simply dampened a bit, but they are not blocked out. Really any sound that is a low drone, the hum of an engine and very likely plane engines will be almost fully canceled with only the faintest of hum in the background. For $69 I am very impressed.

Transparency Mode (Pass-through) ​

The CP3 also comes equipped with a transparency mode which does a fine job. It isn’t perfect however as the sound is a hint tinny but for the most part is natural to the ear and works like a charm. You can toggle the ANC, Transparency mode, and Normal mode by simply holding down the left earpiece touch surface for a couple seconds.

Game Mode (Low Latency) ​

I was glad that Soundpeats added a game mode to the CP3 repertoire. Game mode is simply another way of saying low latency mode. Truthfully, I really haven’t had any lip-syncing or lag issues. Videos always seem to be spot on and even more so with game mode turned on. The toughest thing for tws to get right are games and more specifically first-person shooter type games which have plenty of action going on. The CP3 fares pretty well as I didn’t find gunshots to be too far off at all, even in the commotion of a battle scene. Soundpeats advertises the game mode to lag at as low as 70 ms, which if true, it is humanly impossible to notice any of that lag.

Soundpeats App​

The Soundpeats app (I use Android) has come a long way. Thankfully Soundpeats realizes how important a good app can be for us consumers. The app which correlates to the CP3 gives you many options. You can upgrade firmware through the app (don’t forget to do this right away). There is also a 10-band equalizer which is very effective at switching up the sound to your liking. Personally, I don’t use eq for reviews, but I did play around and the CP3 does very well in reaction to EQ. Soundpeats also offers 9 preset EQ settings as well as the custom user EQ. One huge plus is the fact that whatever setting you choose it will save to the buds themselves. You can also toggle between ANC, Transparency mode and Normal mode as well as toggle on or off game mode. Finally, you can check the battery status of each Earbud. It isn’t the most in depth app, but it is exactly what we need. Very nice.

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"]https://i0.wp.com/mobileaudiophile....dpeats-App-2.jpg?resize=1812,2176&ssl=1[/IMG]

Battery Life​

The CP3 have a lot going for them. The SOC chipset is really a great chip, in that, even though I am using LDAC, with ANC on, it is advertised to still give you 4-5 hrs. of battery. Without using these battery eaters, you get around 7-8 hrs. Each earbud has 35 Mah which is pretty good considering that the buds are not that large. Somehow Soundpeats cram a lot of tech inside these housings.

So, not only do you get decent battery life on the buds, but the case also has a 500 Mah battery which enables 52 extra hours. This is one area that will always be an issue with tws iems…Battery Life. The CP3 are pretty good considering that LDAC alone is a battery hog, couple that with ANC and you are still receiving 4-5 hrs.…not bad at all. Now, I haven’t tested this myself, I simply don’t have the wherewithal for that endeavor. I will confirm that listening for a full day in my office while periodically throwing the CP3 back in the case lasted days before I even thought about charging the case.

Call Quality​

This is one area that matters to me on a professional level as I do many Zoom meetings and calls. Thankfully I have buddies that I can ask about how my voice comes across and I have only heard that my voice sounds clear and clean and natural. Of course, I don’t think these people are critically listening trying to spot weaknesses in the sound quality, but I haven’t heard anything negative. I ask my wife the same, and again the quality was very nice.

Touch controls​

The CP3 did what I wish all tws manufacturers would do and that is make all controls available using either touch or push-button commands. You have complete control of music playback as well as full volume control, voice assistant and ANC/Transparency controls. The touch surface is very snappy to react albeit a bit sensitive. You may have a couple ghost taps every now and again. Personally, I like push button controls but as far as the implementation of the touch controls on the CP3, I have no complaints.

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Quick Sound Impressions ​

Note: I want to quickly make mention that I do not use EQ when reviewing tws iems. I may occasionally clue the reader in to how well a set reacts to EQ, but I want this to be an almost right out of the box review. I have a hard time not including what this set can sound like with some addition or subtraction of db’s at specific spots in the frequency. For the CP3 I used the “Soundpeats Classic” preset which is what is used out-the-box. Also, I listen using either Uapp or Poweramp using all stored music.

The CP3 has a warmer tonality which is pleasing and never harsh. Considering that the CP3 is $69 I’d say the sound quality is pretty darn nice. I do hear a V-shaped sound with a deep enough sub-bass response. The mid-bass drops off a hair early but still has ample weight to bass drops. The CP3 can bump Ya’ll. The midrange is mostly clean and clear and without any bass bleed which leaves the lower mids as close to pristine as a $69 tws can get you. Females have good energy and are certainly more forward sounding than males. The treble has decent body with enough energy to add some levity to the mix.

Each area of the spectrum has some minor flaws and most of those relate to the tws technology itself. Honestly, I enjoy when I’m out and about with some tunes jamming out in my ears as the CP3 does all the work. Really a fine set for the price.

Volume Level​

A few other things to make mention. One thing which drives me nuts is the low volume on 75% of tws. The CP3’s volume is not the highest, but I can still reach top volume with a pinch more headroom to spare. Using UAPP I normally have to listen at 95/100, which, I believe is a Uapp thing. Using Poweramp I am normally around 80/100. Another thing is the tonality has slight changes when toggling between ANC, Normal mode and Transparency. Keep in mind these aren’t major changes.

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Bass​

Sub-bass​

The sub-bass has a relatively sonorous and mildly deep haptic reverb that never overwhelms the mix. The leading edge is slightly on the softer side with less ‘Feel’ to the sub-bass rumble. However, it is a nice sub-bass section that comes across decently weighted. Alot depends on tips and positioning of the CP3 in your ears. Still, I am not missing anything at all in the lowest of lows as there is certainly more than enough for me and for most genres.

Ashley Monroe‘s track “Home Sweet Highway” begins with a deft and boomy bass drop that encompasses all of my head space normally. However, with the CP3 you get a good tactile texture yet without the rotund and growling meat down low. I don’t hear anything sloppy at all and nothing infringes on any other frequencies while at the same time I still hear a nicely weighted and clean delivery.

Mid-bass​

The mid-bass has a bass-tuck much like the Truthear X-Crinacle Zero or the QKZ X-HBB Khan. In fact, the CP3 follows both of those graphs almost perfectly in the lower regions. Thus, the mid-bass is not the beefiest that I’ve ever heard and reacts how the graph would Indicate. The bass-tuck takes away some of the dirty growl of a bass-guitar and the CP3 doesn’t have the most slam in this area. However, what it does have is a clean nature which stays in control mostly and never impedes on the midrange. Leading edges are snappy enough to represent many genres just fine. In my opinion the mid-bass does more well than it doesn’t. Also, again, this set is $69 and also…it’s a tws! When all is said and done, there is a very open feel in the bass region which comes across clean enough and hits with just enough authority.


I believe that bass heads may be on the fence here. It’s like the CP3 allllmost gets you there but is simply missing the fullness to the sound. The problem is, not on every track. Some tracks have that guttural and full sound that booms and others simply… Don’t. Basically, if a track calls for it than you will get just that out of the CP3. It is slightly colored but for the most part the CP3 will replay exactly what you give it. I love bass, I need good bass and for me I really am not missing anything. I suppose I always keep in mind that this is a set of tws and it’s under $100. Let’s Put it this way, compared to similarly priced tws I’d say the CP3 is doing just fine in the low-end. Also, the CP3 take to EQ very well as you could easily EQ this set into a basshead set if need be.

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Midrange​

Low-mids​

Male vocals come across in a crisp and tidy way while remaining warmer. Note weight isn’t anything to write home about but it isn’t deficient or brittle either. I’d say it’s sufficient but also males have a clean texture to them with a hard edge to notes. I’d also say that for a tws the resolution is decent in this price range. Males have a crispness like I mentioned which comes across fairly resolute to the ear. Male voices don’t have that rotund weight from the bass region like some sets, this of course is due to the bass-tuck or roll-off of the mid-bass. Still, what that tuck accomplishes is leaving the Mids very distinct, kempt and tidy with a nice tonality.

Upper-Midrange ​

Females have a nice shine to them and are very transparent. There is a thinness that I hear, but I am not calling them “overly thin” by any means, just a tad dry. Females are more forward than males and come across with almost a knife edged note outline. Resolution and clarity are nice in this area as well.

“Mariana Trench” by Gabrielle Aplin has a nice timbre to her voice. She does sound a hair thin, but her voice is melodic on the CP3. Using LDAC, female voices like Gabrielle’s are energetic enough while not coming across recessed or too veiled. Thankfully I did not hear any sharpness or glare as Soundpeats leveled off the upper mids before anything grating took place. While females aren’t the fullest or bodied, they are crisp and forward enough to highlight a woman’s voice nicely.

Instruments like strings, piano or the fundamental frequency of a cymbal crash for instance, are a hair less energetic and highlighted. I say that but I would also say that instruments come across pretty naturally. Overall, the midrange has a pleasing tonality which comes across pretty musical and earthy and not as processed as some tws iems.

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Treble​

The treble region has some nice lower treble energy and then seems to drop off a bit leaving a lot of info attenuated to a degree. The transition from upper mids to lower treble is a painless task for the CP3 and there is a nice and pretty natural rise in this area. However, there is a roll-off around the presence region which helps to create a non-offensive tuning.

Case in point, “In Bloom” by Nirvana. This song should be so full of energy that you should be ready to turn the volume down at a moment’s notice. Using the CP3 I find myself not needing to. In fact, I added a few dB’s using the EQ. The treble region (using Soundpeats Classic preset) sounds like it is behind everything else in this track. I personaly would like some more energy up top. I could really use a bit more bite to the trebleHowever, I suspect that many will enjoy the non-piercing behavior of the treble region. Crank it up all you want and the CP3 will stay pretty well in control for a set at this price range. Treble heads will certainly be left in wanting with the CP3, however.

Info Up Top​

There is a peak around 15k which adds a sense of extension to the mix and does help to draw out some of the technical stuff to a slight degree but mainly the treble up top feels somewhat attenuated. Detail retrieval is actually decent. Secondary harmonics of cymbals are easily distinguished yet are somewhat splashy as well, depending on the track. Obviously, EQ helps even more and again, the CP3 takes EQ well enough to point out within this review. Out the box the treble is not the most elevated or crisp, but it is great for long listening sessions without any agonizing peaks to disrupt your favorite tracks.

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Technicalities​

The stage size has pretty good width to my ear. Not enormous but it is good. Height is well established too and there is a slight bit of depth. I should add that this is an area where most tws suffer. The CP3 is certainly above average for the price point. Imaging is well done on the CP3 as positioning is well laid out to the music being replayed. Separation of elements within an imaginary stage are rendered pretty well providing that I am not listening to a congested track. Details actually aren’t that bad either, considering this is a fun and musical tuning. The CP3 will draw out some of the minutia within my music and for a tws they are actually pretty good. No, the CP3 aren’t detail kings but you won’t find yourself lacking at all if you choose to pick up a set.

Is the Soundpeats Capsule 3 pro worth the asking price? ​

This is an easy yes for me. Absolutely the CP3 surpassed my expectations. For this type of build quality, this design, features and sound quality, all for only $69, please trust me… you should be paying more. I’ve tested too many sets to list and please understand that the CP3 are well worth the asking price. Just for features alone the CP3 is worth the asking price. Take a class leading ANC and couple that with very good build quality, call quality and a fantastic transparency mode and what you are left with is one of the better deals out there under $100. Soundpeats has been doing this for a long time and have really dialed in the budget models to compete with pricier sets. Especially when you look at the product as a whole, features, design, sound and price-to-performance.

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Conclusion​

To conclude my review of the Soundpeats Capsule 3 pro I again have to thank Ellen and Soundpeats for being as kind as they have been in sending out this set for review. Soundpeats never asked me to skew my words to upsell their units and they never put words in my mouth. They simply sent this pair for a fair and honest review and to me that takes believing in your product and is nice to see. Thank you so very much.

Please do not just take my word for it though. Please read, listen to or watch other reviews of the CP3. We all have different gear, hearing and even different likes and dislikes and so it only makes sense to gather other perspectives. With that, I thank you (the reader) so very much. I do hope this review helps you in at least a small way. Please take care and be well.

Rating (0-10)​

Build/Design- 9.5

Bass- 8.4

Midrange- 8.0

Treble- 6.5

Technicalities- 7.5

Features- 9.5

Overall Rating- 8.2

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General Info/Build/Comfort/Packaging
Soundpeats is a reputable company which produces high performance as well as cost effective TWS earbuds. I have reviewed the Soundpeats Opera 05 and found it to offer a very high price performance ratio, all good except for the fitting probably due to my ear shape. I have the Capsule 3 pro with me today and the fitting is excellent for my ears

Build quality is very solid, the TWS itself is very light and I don't feel any weight on my ears when I'm using the Capsule 3 Pro.
Packaging itself is rather straightforward, and comes with 3 pairs of eartips, a charging cable, the charging case and the TWS itself. Minimal and straightforward.

As for comfort, Capsule 3 Pro fits perfectly on my ears, i have no issues with the fitting this time around, but the stock eartips doesn’t provide a good seal due to the material used, i switched to my go to eartips for TWS, which is the Spinfit CP360 and i get a much better seal with it. The good thing about the battery case is that it plays well with a lot of 3rd party eartips, so you can experiment with eartips according to your liking.



Specifications (Grabbed from the product page)


Battery Life

• The battery life of Capsule 3 Pro is good at approximately 7 hours +- connected to my iPhone 12 Mini via SBC codec, as iPhone doesn’t support LDAC

Connectivity/Codecs

• LDAC and SBC codecs are supported, i am mainly using SBC because iPhone doesn’t support LDAC
• iPhone 12 Mini uses Bluetooth version 5.0 while Capsule 3 Pro supports up to 5.3 which is the latest version, however, despite connected to a Bluetooth 5.0 device, the connection remained solid without any dropouts
• However, i do notice a slight interference or stuttering when i’m out in the public, not sure if this is something to do with my device itself or it is due to the RF interference, but after disconnecting and reconnecting it, the issue seems to go away

App Functionality

• Capsule 3 pro is compatible with Soundpeats app
• The app offers the functionality to change the EQ, either preset EQs or your own customisation
• You are also able to cycle through ANC, Normal, or Transparency mode (Audio passthrough mode/Ambient sound mode)
• Firmware upgrade of the Capsule 3 pro is also possible via the app itself
• The app also offers the overview of battery life on both the L and R earbuds

Sound Impression (Based on default EQ preset Soundpeats Classic)
Capsule 3 Pro’s sound tuning is tilting towards V-Shaped to my ears. Bass and the treble is boosted whereas the mids are a little recessed. In terms of timbre, they are not too bad being a dynamic driver, but it's not the most accurate timbre either, nonetheless, this TWS is not meant for critical listening anyway, so the expectation has to be right

Bass

• Bass is certainly being emphasised here, sub bass rumbles whenever the track calls for it
• Mid bass has good punch to it, it is very pleasant and fun to listen to overall
• Bass has good texture and in terms of speed, it is doing quite well as it handled Slipknot’s People = crap! effortlessly without sounding muddy

Mids

• Mids are not as forward as the bass, it does sound a little recessed but not to the point where it is bad
• Male vocal sounded slightly recessed whereas female vocal sounds a little forward
• Male vocal has good texture whereas female vocal does sound a little thin sometimes

Treble

• Treble on the Capsule 3 Pro is smooth with a little energy, but not overly bright or offensive
• Some wide bore 3rd party eartips can help to boost the treble if you find them to be dark sounding.

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is good, good depth, height, and width to give a big perception of the soundstage,
• Imaging is average in my opinion, it does well on normal track but during complex track where many instruments are playing at the same time, Opera 05 does struggle to image properly at times, with all that aside, considering the price point, it is actually pretty good

Noise Cancellation Performance

• ANC performance is very good
• Most lower frequency are being cancelled except for some high frequency which Capule 3 Pro struggles at, i find this to be normal for budget priced TWS which is totally fine given the asking price
• Considering the price point and the ANC performance that Opera 05 offers, also having an AirPod Pro for noise cancellation performance comparison, it’s safe to say that Capsule 3 Pro does offers at least 60-70% of AirPod Pro’s noise cancellation performance at a fraction of the price

Final Thoughts
Capsule 3 Pro is a very solid TWS overall. If I were to score it from an audiophile’s perspective, it would be a 3.5 out of 5. If I were to rate it based on the general consumer’s perspective, it will be an easy 4.5 out of 5. The reason why is that the sound of Capsule 3 Pro is tilting towards the preference of general consumer, an as a general consumer, the sound coming from Capsule 3 pro is very easily likeable, whereas for audiophile, the demand and preference is slightly different in terms of sound preference, critical listening capability and technical performance (in terms of audio’s technical performance). Nonetheless, I find myself enjoying Capsule 3 Pro when I'm out and about. Let's be real, who listens critically when they’re out and about? The fitting is also good and seals well with proper eartips, this in turns will also boost the ANC performance by a little.

*Big thanks to Ellen from Soundpeats for sending the Capsule 3 Pro over for the purpose of this review, All thoughts are of my own.

Capsule 3 Pro will be launching in Amazon on the 28th Feb with an early bird offer of 48.99$ instead of the SRP which is 69.99$. The promotion will run from 28th Feb 2023 - 31st March 2023. Grab yours now at Soundpeats’s Amazon store via the link below (Unaffiliated)

Soundpeats Capsule 3 Pro Amazon Store Link

How I review: (See Previous Reviews)
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Model: SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro
Price: MSRP Approx £62.99
Website: Soundpeats
Review Reference: RC087

Manufacturer Specification:

• Brand: SoundPEATS
• Model: Capsule3 Pro
• Driver: 12mm Bio-Diaphragm Driver
• Chipset: WUQI WQ7033AR
• Mic: 6 mics with NNPU AI ENC
• ANC: Yes, up to 43dB
• Codecs: LDAC, AAC, SBC
• App Support: Yes
• Volume Control: Yes
• Gaming Mode: Yes
• Earbud Weight: 4.52g
• Earbud Dimensions: 33mm stem length, depth approx. 23mm
• Gross Case & Buds Weight: 47.3g
• Case Dimensions: 64mm (width) x 48mm (height) x 24mm (depth)
• Case Charge Capacity: 500mAh / 1.85Wh
• Quick Charge: Yes - approx. 2-3 hours from around 5 minutes
• Wireless Charging: No
• Single Use Playtime: Up to 8 hours (ANC off, SBC), Up to 4.5 hours (ANC on, LDAC)
• Playtime with Charge Case: Up to 52 hours
• Bluetooth Range: 10m advertised
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth® 5.3
• Bluetooth Protocols: BLE/ HFP 1.7/ A2DP 1.3/ AVRCP 1.5
• Water Resistance: IPX5
• Colours Available: Black & Rose Gold / White & Silver

Includes:

1 x Pair Wireless Earbuds
1 x USB Type-C Charge Case
1 x USB Type-C Charge Cable
1 x User Manual: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
3 x Pairs Eartips

YouTube Review:



Introduction

Welcome to the @regancipher review of a naming-convention curve-ball from SoundPEATS - the Capsule3 Pro. Despite a thorough search through the archives, I couldn't find anything on the Capsule 1 or 2, so I'm not entirely sure what the 3 represents, but with it's stem-based design and familiar feature-set, I'll take the time in this review to compare the release to SoundPEATS' other similar-looking products - the Air3 Pro, H2 and Life, as well as assessing the performance in isolation.

On paper, the Capsule3 Pro seem to complement the aforementioned brothers and sisters, with support for the LDAC codec, 43dB ANC and 6-mic ENC for clearer calls seemingly a justifiable differentiator, just as was the case for the Mini Pro HS (hereby referred to as MPHS) which I reviewed here only a few weeks ago. However, we've often looked at products on paper and anticipated much greater improvements than the reality proved, so the proof will be in the pudding as we delve into each of these iterative improvements throughout the review.

Unboxing - 7/10

After the impressive unboxings of the MPHS and Air3 Deluxe HS, SoundPEATS have somewhat disappointingly reverted back to the old unboxing experience - a slightly more rudimentary cardboard enclosure, with an outer sleeve denoting the key features on one side, and a pensive-looking model gazing into the distance on the other. There's also a nod to the 2023 VGP award they've been nominated for (that's at least two years in a row!)



As mentioned in the intro, the Hybrid ANC is a headline feature here, and SoundPEATS have listed this, along with the 12mm bio-coated dynamic drivers and 52 hours total playtime on the outside of the box, along with support for LDAC permitting the Hi-Res Wireless Audio logo. This is SoundPEATS' third release to offer a 990kbps transmission rate, and they are quite justifiably very pleased to point this out in the product material.

Otherwise it's as-you-were with the unboxing experience - the manual is as per previous releases, with diagrams and text used to good effect to display basic instructions, including the control scheme. The instructions are in seven different languages (as per the product specification at the top of this review). You also get the usual USB-A to USB-C charge cable. The tips are reasonable quality and come in three sizes. There's also a card instructing how to update firmware and use the SoundPEATS app.

Whilst it lacks the glamour of SoundPEATS' recent releases, and won't look quite as impressive wrapped up and being handed out as a gift, it is a 'substance over style' unboxing - no frills, straightforward, and probably enough for the average consumer.

Case - 8/10

Despite being unmistakenly 'SoundPEATS-looking', with the pill-shaped profile and two-tone monochrome colour-scheme, the Capsule3 Pro case breaks away from the H2 and Life designs, instead looking more akin to their recent Air3 Deluxe HS case, albeit with a more robust feel to it.



As with other SoundPEATS releases, you get an LED on the front to denote charge status. It's the usual traffic-light scheme here, with Amber kicking in when the case drops below 50% charge, and Red below 10%, though unlike the MPHS, it isn't tactile, and it isn't quite as bright.

The buds slot very gently into the top of the cockpit with the stems facing downwards and the nozzles facing outwards. It is pretty intuitive - no issues at all here. In the hand, the case has a hardened plastic, almost metallic feel to it. Despite that, it doesn't feel especially premium - the hinge isn't quite as satisfyingly secure as the MPHS, although it is reinforced sufficiently to allow you to pop the case on the desk open while you pair and connect. Yep, this time SoundPEATS HAVE included 'hall-switch' mode, meaning the magnetic field change which occurs when the case is opened informs the MCU to control the pairing or disconnection of the earbuds with the connected device - i.e. once you open the case, the buds will connect before you've removed them and popped them in your ears.



As opposed to the piano-black schema of the HS, the Capsule3 Pro has gone for a slightly lighter, matte look, with rose gold accents on the back and around the USB-C charge socket matching that of the buds themselves.

The case is charged exclusively with USB (socket on the bottom - no wireless charging), but this time quick charge is supported thanks to the Low Power Semi LP7810 charge case management chip, which handles NTC management, LDO and over-voltage protection, as well as permitting high current charging of 2 hours playtime from just three minutes juice. The case capacity is 500mAh, and it provides an additional 6-7 charges, taking the total playtime to a whopping 52 hours (provided you aren't using LDAC or ANC)



As mentioned previously, the case is only moderately robust, although this does keep the weight down and adds to the portability. It's on the larger side in terms of width, measuring almost 6.5cm, but the unobtrusive height and depth combine with the lightweight 47g footprint to offer solid portability - only the Air3 Pro case of their stem lineup is lighter (and that has far shorter battery life) so SoundPEATS have negotiated a fair trade-off here, getting in some very decent features and specs without compromising too much elsewhere.

Design & Ergonomics - 8/10

The Capsule3 Pro again use the WUQI WQ7033AR Bluetooth SOC, the chipset that has allowed SoundPEATS to equip their latest products with Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, support for LDAC and BLE, AI ENC and Hybrid ANC, and was also used by Haylou in their X1 Pro and QCY in their HT05 Melobuds ANC. The chip performs well, with LDAC delivered flawlessly in my tests, and no connection issues at all.



The ergonomics of the Capsule3 Pro might look familiar - somehow they've managed to combine elements of all of SoundPEATS' previous stem-based releases to look like a bizarre love child of the rest of the product portfolio! This makes for another extremely comfortable, stable stem-based offering that is far more preferable to larger-nozzle designs like the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 and Apple Airpod Pro.



The profile is probably closest to the Life, and they also share a mesh finish to the driver surround, this time in rose gold, as per the rest of the design. The tips are similar to those of the H2, with a grey/orange two-tone look, and the charge connectors in the base are similarly-placed to the Air3 Pro, as you would expect given the location of the case connection. This prevents direct contact with your skin, which is definitely beneficial for nickel allergy sufferers.



On the inner side, you have an opening for a feed-back noise cancelling microphone, the second of two additional mics used to improve voice calls and maximise noise cancellation. The mics are IB251 2527 MEMS mics - different to those in the MPHS, but still perform very similarly. On the outer side, you have another meshed opening at the top, which protects the feed-forward ambient mic and pressure release cavity.



The buds weigh 4.52g - this is around average, and with thoughful weight displacement applied to the design, the buds sit very comfortably and securely in your ears without the need for continued readjustment. All of SoundPEATS' stem buds weigh between 4.36 and 4.71g - only really the weight of the battery separating them.

The only blot on the copybook is the rose gold finish to the decoration around the outside of the bud. Close up, it doesn't look too bad, with the usual Soundpeats logo around the touch control extending into a trailing teardrop-style shape with a baffled texture appearing gradually from the top. From a distance, though, and after a bit of wear, it looks more the colour of a 2p piece here in the UK - a bit dull and more copper-like. The garish nature will probably polarise opinion - it isn't too much of an issue to me, but I can't deny something a little more conservative would have been preferable.

That's where the white and silver model has come in and saved the day. Released in April 23, they look fantastic. If rose gold is a little too much for you, that's the model to go for!

ANC - 8.5/10

After stellar ANC performance on the MPHS, I was expecting a similar performance on the Capsule3 Pro, given they share the same WUQI chipset and hybrid feedback & feedforward 6 mic configuration, so I wasn't altogether surprised to discover performance is similarly excellent given the price.

Like the MPHS, the only real limitation is in the modes available - there's no dedicated Wind Noise Reduction mode or alternative passthrough modes, like you get on some of the newer flagship releases from the likes of Soundcore and 1More. However, you will also pay a lot more, and probably not achieve the ultimate aim of strong ANC that works in a number of environments - this is something both the MPHS and Capsule3 Pro achieve quite comfortably.

Indoors, air conditioning units and outside traffic are negated altogether. Chatting or TV sounds are reduced, almost to incoherent mumbles. Keyboard clicks become taps, and whilst they don't disappear altogether with no music playing, the harshness is certainly taken out of the sound. It isn't quite as strong as the MPHS, but more on that in a minute.
Outdoors, it's a similar story. Engine noises almost disappear altogether - I stepped out in front of a car on my first test, because you only really hear engine noises when it's too late - so beware! Traffic is really only audible when vehicles are pretty much by your side, and with the increase in electric cars on the roads, you may not hear them at all. Outdoor generators and planes flying over are inaudible, and they do a decent job of muting wind noise and splashes - not altogether, but that's mainly down to the fit.

There is a fundamental difference in the way the MPHS and Capsule3 Pro wear. The MPHS don't insert into the ear canal due to their inobtrusive, but fat, nozzle. Instead, they fill the space around the entrance to the ear canal, and whilst this does make for slightly more effective ANC, it does reduce comfort. With the Capsule3 Pro, because the nozzle is a little thinner and the gradient a little steeper, they feel much more comfortable, but the seal isn't necessarily as strong - this is the main reason why despite claiming 43dB noise reduction, it isn't immediately quite as impressive as on the MPHS. You at least have the choice to use larger tips and have them filling your ear canal, as is the default modus operandi with the MPHS, but for me trading a few dB of ANC and retaining comfier fit is definitely preferable.

Passthrough mode is also very good, although certainly better when the sounds you're trying to hear are close up. Chatter a few metres away is perfectly coherent, although if you're trying to hear a conversations a little further away it isn't quite as impressive. Even so, like the MPHS, it is quite natural sounding and one of the most impressive I've tested, if not the most impressive, under $100.

Audio and Sound Signature - 8.75/10 (for the price), 8/10 (raw score)

As mentioned in the intro, like the Mini Pro HS, the Capsule3 Pro takes advantage of the capabilities of the WUQI chipset, which permits a frequency response of 20Hz-40KHz, transfer rate of 990kbps and transmission up to 24bit/96KHz using the LDAC Bluetooth codec and a 12mm Dynamic Driver. Whilst this pushes the transmission to 3x that of SBC, delivering relatively efficiently, the theory is usually more emphatic than the reality. LDAC will not turn badly-tuned drivers good, and the differences are usually somewhat academic.

For a $60 set of earbuds it is a really palatable sound, and significant, because this represents further evidence that the SoundPEATS 'classic' sound is evolving into a friendlier, more neutral-sounding bass-rich profile that seeks to avoid the chasmic drops and imbalances of previous releases, whilst retaining punch and vigor.

Subjectively, the lower frequencies are a little warmer and tighter controlled than the MPHS. Both models try to limit mid-bass bleed but retain a moderate boost in the subbass - enough to feel the 'woop' in house and techno tracks, without overpowering the sound. The fit of the Capsule3 Pro has some impact here - rather than having a tight seal which you have on the MPHS, it's slightly looser down to the stem design, and as a result I found the bass to be slightly less controlled compared with the Capsule3 Pro, and slightly less to my liking.



As you see in the graphical comparison of Soundpeats' buds above, the Capsule3Pro tracks pretty well with the Oratory1990 target, only starting to tail around 100Hz. The Capsule3 Pro and MPHS both avoid midrange bleed and lower frequency bloat, and the gentle midrange dip at around 200Hz gives a little more room for the mids to breath - clarity is good and separation is very respectable. Despite the elevated lower frequencies, they sound much less boomy than the Life or Air3 Pro.

The upper-mids are slightly more elevated on the MPHS to compensate for the perception of stronger bass, and whilst this can give the MPHS more energy compared with the Capsule3 Pro, it really does depend on the fit. The midrange is generally pretty neutral and transparent.

The trebles follow a fairly similar path, peaking at around 8k. The treble on both models is soft and well-balanced - you aren't going to get the texture on snares and hats that you get on something like the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro, but there's just enough to prevent them from sounding either too boring or overly-bright. Vocals are fairly prominent, avoiding sibliance, and the soundstage (slightly wider on the Capsule3) is reasonably wide, with moderate depth to deliver an enjoyable sound that can be used out of the box and satisfy the average consumer sufficiently that they won't be reaching desperately for the EQ. Note - with ANC on, the the resolution does worsen slightly in the the higher frequencies.

The treble rolls off sharply initially from 8k, then completely after a 15k peak on the Capsule3 Pro, and whilst I suspect my ears probably wouldn't tell the difference, it does seem like there's a smidge more air to the MPHS.

I mentioned in the MPHS review that the technicalities didn't dazzle me, and it is the same story here. Detail is exactly what you would expect from a strongly performing $60 TWS - with LDAC on it seems to have a little added texture, but even on AAC you're getting competent resolution at a competitive price. Even so - whilst the balance is very good, the resolution is lacking a little. Having got their sound signature to where they want it to be, the next step will be to bring out more depth

Unlike the MPHS, the sound doesn't suffer drastically when you switch ANC on. There's a little tightening of the soundstage and as mentioned above it slightly impacts the trebles, but it doesn't detract to the point you'd rather just switch it off, and it's these intricacies that, amongst other things, IMO make them a better sounding option than the MPHS.

Call Quality - Indoors - 8/10, Outdoors - 8/10

Adding an additional mic seems to have helped Soundpeats not only with active noise cancellation but also delivering strong call quality that copes with background noise pretty well and also conveys your voice well enough, with good weight and tone.

Indoor your voice comes across very clearly. With no other sounds around you, your voice is very coherent and authoritative - certainly moreso than the MPHS, but conversely, it isn't quite as strong at dealing with enviromental sounds, either indoors or outdoors.

Outdoors, it's a similar story, although the ENC seems to work far better in environments with a diverse array of sounds all in the middle distance. Passing cars are reduced to virtual silence - only the occasional crackle over your voice intrudes on the presentation, and even then it certainly doesn't impact on your coherence. Wind is handled well, and talking from nearby pedestrians seems to be eradicated better than indoors.

For calls and voice notes, you certainly won't be rendered incoherent - if this is now the SoundPEATS default standard, then massive kudos for raising the bar - the difference between the Capsule3 Pro and Air3 Pro is like night and day.

Connectivity, Controls and other Interactive Features - 7.5/10

The SoundPEATS app is definitely a little more mature these days, although some of the experimental features are again missing, with Soundpeats opting for stability over features. Adaptive EQ, like on the MPHS, has been left out, and really you only have a few functions available - ANC toggle, single-touch toggle, and gaming mode toggle. You do also have 9 EQ presets and a 9-band equaliser (-20Hz to +14KHz) so lots of room here to tailor your own preferred sound.

Just like with the MPHS, I didn't find many of the presets especially useful. Electronic boosts the upper and lower mids, giving vocals a little more sparkle, but also detracting from clarity a litle as the bass overwhelms a little. Rock&Roll and Treble Enhancement add hiss to the treble (although the latter sounds much thinner). Folk decimates the treble, Pop compresses the midrange, and the bass boost and reduction presets do exactly what they claim to, although not to a point you'd actually want to use it.

Controls are back to the old scheme, with no option to play the previous track unfortunately. Single tap on the left and right bud reduces and increases volume respectively. Double tap plays/pauses and answers calls, hold the left bud for a couple of seconds to toggle ANC mode, hold the right bud to progress track forward. Triple left tap for gaming mode, triple right tap for voice assistant. The controls are responsive and intuitive, although there are no control mapping options from the app. There are voice prompts for 'Pairing', 'Connect', 'Game Mode/Exit Game Mode' and the various ANC modes, with tones for other functions.

Latency is fine - videos are close to lipsync, although not as impressive as the Air3 Pro. With gaming mode on, first person shooters like PUBG see a minor delay, although it seems slightly improved from the original. Volume is loud - I rarely went above 60%, a little lower than most of my earbuds.

Battery Life - 9/10

Battery life is one of the headline features of the Capsule3 Pro, although as with all ANC and LDAC buds, it can vary depending on your usage. My findings were as follows:

ANC off, SBC, occasional call & gaming mode, 50% volume - 7 hours 16 minutes playtime (advertised 8)
ANC off, LDAC, one call, 50% volume - 4 hours 43 minutes (advertised 5.5 hours)
ANC on, SBC, 50% volume - 5 hours 13 minutes (advertised 6.5 hours)
ANC on, LDAC, 50% volume - 4 hours 6 minutes (advertised 4.5 hours)

The charge case enables the buds to be charged an additional five full cycles before it had to be charged again, and the quick charge feature of 2 hours from around 5 minutes of juice, and overall, this compares quite favourably with the much more expensive Soundcore Space A40 - the pace setter when it comes to battery life in these conditions.

Summary

The Capsule3 Pro seemed like an odd release according to the naming condition and proliferation of stem-based offerings in the SoundPEATS portfolio. In reality, they probably caused SoundPEATS a naming headache, because they map more logically to a 'pro' version of the 'already pro' Air3 Pro, and once you get your head around this, it makes a little more sense.

As far as I see it, it now leaves the lineup looking like this:

• Capsule3 Pro - Best all-rounder
• H2 - Best for sound alone, no ANC & short battery life
• Life - Budget option
• Air3 Pro - Moderate all-rounder, strong latency performance

As annoying as it is to see new iterations released so quickly, the Capsule3 Pro are the front-runners in SoundPEATS stem-based offerings, with an impressive balance of sound, ANC, call quality and battery life that offer great value, and in reality a tangible improvement over their previous stem designs. With the risk of sounding excessively philosophical - what was the point in Life?! Seriously, I could understand if there's a huge difference in price, but the Life would have to be damn cheap! I think they are around $30, so maybe that could be the justification - but do yourself a favour, skip them - the Capsule3 Pro blow them away.

I often end SoundPEATS reviews listing a couple of basics that didn't quite make it into the subject that have left me a shade disappointed, but this time, the basics are all here. The ergonomics, sound, ANC and call quality are all at the upper end of acceptable, quick charge gives the product a leg up over other SoundPEATS releases, and other than the controversial design choice, you would be hard pressed to find anything to take umbrage with from this release - and even then, Soundpeats decision to release a white and silver option, which looks fantastic, is no longer an excuse to say no!

Price Weighted Score: 86%
Raw Score: 84%

SoundPEATS Review Inventory:

SoundPEATS Opera05
SoundPEATS Mini Pro HS
SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS
SoundPEATS Air3 Pro
SoundPEATS Mini Pro
SoundPEATS H2
SoundPEATS T3
SoundPEATS Mini
SoundPEATS Air3
SoundPEATS TrueAir2+
SoundPEATS TrueAir 2
SoundPEATS H1
SoundPEATS T2
SoundPEATS Sonic

About SoundPEATS:

SoundPEATS seem to have become an overnight sensation, wiping up a large portion of budget TWS earbud market share with a business model that has served them (and Anker before them) exceptionally well - good distribution channels (via Amazon), good support, a catchy name and product that performs well at a very competitive price point. In reality, they have been around a long time - whilst Shenzhen SoundSOUL IT Co LTD is a different trading name to Ginto E-Commerce, they share the same business address (including room number) as them - you may know their brand name better as Dudios. With Dudios not sounding quite so cool as Soundpeats, maybe the brand transition has been instrumental in their success, but having been around since 2010 and patents in Bluetooth tech stretching back to 2015, they are not the plucky upstarts that some may think - they know their stuff, have a great network of contacts, and now a very solid brand in Europe, and deservedly so.

The thing that sets SoundPEATS apart from other vendors, and makes them my favourite budget earbud vendor, is that they are completely transparent over their components. Whether they use Realtek, Qualcomm or Airoha chips in their buds, they are totally open about it, and as a reviewer this really helps, because whilst I have, and do, dismantle buds to check the way that certain things have been implemented (such as the power management, mems mics, etc) and I really don't like having to do it with every set of earbuds, because they then become unusable.