Open-ear headphones are gaining in popularity as they provide a secure and safe listening experience when using it for exercise. Well, at least for me. Soundpeats are also getting a piece of the pie with their RunFree Lite2 and GoFree 2 headphones. They retail for S$43 and S$79 respectively on Amazon.
Soundpeats RunFree Lite 2
The RunFree Lite2 is the classic open-ear headphones with a connecting band at the back. It uses air conduction to produce sound instead of bone conduction which other brands such as Creative does. Quick run-through of the key specs: You get 15 hours of playtime on a single charge, has a companion app for personalised EQ, and has a Game Mode feature for less latency. RunFree Lite2 has a IPX4 water resistance rating, so you can use it for your workouts.
In terms of comfort, the RunFree Lite2 feels light on my ears and stay securely during my exercise. I mainly use the RunFree Lite2 for my runs, and I did not experience it moving out of place even when I’m sweaty. Do note that the slack of the neckband at the back cannot be adjusted. Hence, if the back of your head is going to be resting against something (eg. gym bench), as it will cause the headphones to dislodge from its fit.
Sound quality of the RunFree Lite2 is average. Overall sound is warm and has dark undertones. Bass presence is highly dependent on how the speaker drivers are aligned with your ears. It has sufficient punch so the audio doesn’t feel thin. Vocals and instruments does sound laid back and it is not the best in terms of clarity. At higher volumes, clarity does suffer as well.
Soundpeats GoFree 2
The Soundpeats GoFree 2 are open-ear earbuds that come with individual left and right earbuds, without requiring the wire/neckband at the back to connect them together. Like the RunFree Lite2, the GoFree 2 also uses air conduction technology to produce sound. Quick run-through of the key specs: You get 9 hours of playtime on a single charge (up to 35 hours with the case), has a companion app for personalised EQ, multipoint pairing, and has a Game Mode feature for less latency. GoFree 2 has a IPX5 water resistance rating, so you can use it for your workouts.
Each earbud of the GoFree 2 weighs just 9 grams, and they fit really naturally over my ears. Although there are no adjustment points on the earbud, I found them to sit securely and lightly on my ears. I also quite like the design – nice curvatures all round with the shiny tail end offering a good design touch. Speaking of touch, GoFree 2 uses touch controls which is so-so as they can be unresponsive if your hands are sweaty. If you are wearing gloves then you can forget controlling playback and volume via the earbuds.
As for sound quality, the story is quite similar as with the RunFree Lite2. It is a warm sound that lacks the clarity that I crave. Having said that, the overall sound is decent enough to fuel me on my runs. Bass is present and vocals does just enough for me enjoy the song. It is just that next level of oomph that I’m not getting with the clarity.
Conclusion
Soundpeats offer affordable open-ear headphones options in two forms – RunFree Lite2 and GoFree 2. Both offer different kind of fit and use cases, but share similar traits in terms of audio quality. The GoFree 2 is one of the more comfortable “band-less” open-ear headphones I’ve tested so far. There are better options if you priortise audio quality, but if comfort and fit is your main focus then Soundpeats have a pretty good design.