SoundPeats Sport Q9 Wireless Earbuds budget headphones review

Audio quality matters, even when exercising. The  SoundPeats Sport Q9 Wireless Earbuds give you the comfort you need when working out and at a bargain price, but without sacrificing sound quality. Also see: Best budget headphones 2015.

Design wise, the Q9  headphones (which cost £19.99 from Amazon) are neat and sporty. Their ear hooks are made with flexible black plastic and feel soft against the ear. Ideal for gym activities, the ear hooks come in handy when exercising because they fix the headphones on the ear and prevent them from falling off (that is very likely when running or exercising in general).

Each earpiece is simplistic and compact, with the name of the company and a line that curves toward the end as the only decoration. The curving line is either red or grey, depending on which model you choose.

The earbuds fit nicely inside the ear. To stop the SoundPeats crushing your ear canal you can customise them using the three sets of buds (small, medium and large) included in the package.

On the right earpiece sit all the controls: there are two buttons for adjusting the volume and changing the track, and a single button for switching on/off, pairing, answering phone calls and playing/pausing music. 

On the opposite side of the same earpiece you’ll find the LED indicator with the usual blue/red light, the built-in microphone and the USB charging port. The port is protected by a rubberised flexible cover.

The two earpieces are connected by a smooth flat wire, which is red or black depending on the model. Thanks to the wire’s flat shape, the headphones won’t tangle when left in your pocket or bag. See all headphone reviews.

When wearing Q9 Earbuds, the wire sits on the back of your neck. It’s long enough to ensure comfort, and at the same time it’s adjustable if you find it too long. The SoundPeats Q9 Wireless Earbuds come with two line buckles that let you fold the wire, shortening it; plus a wire clamp is also provided so that you can clip the headphones to your clothes. The package also includes a USB cable for charging and a black mesh bag in which to carry the headphones.

However, the most interesting feature of these headphones is the lack of an audio cable. The SoundPeats Q9 Earbuds are indeed wireless and can connect to almost any device via Bluetooth.

This means that they are perfect for use during sporting activities. Cables can restrict your movements during a workout, and the Bluetooth connection means you won’t have to keep your phone too close, such as in a pocket.

Plus, the SoundPeats Q9 Earbuds are surprisingly light for wireless headphones, meaning that they won’t be a burden for your ears and they are unlikely to fall out when jumping or running.

SoundPeats Q9 Wireless Earbuds audio performance

Clearly focused on a lightweight and portable design, we didn’t expect much from these £20 headphones in terms of audio quality. However, we were delighted with what we heard from these sporty ear buds.

Highs and mids are fairly clear and crispy, and they are well balanced with bass. Bass has a great timbre and is pretty boomy.

Obviously, you can’t expect the same audio quality as from premium headphones that cost closer to £200. But for budget headphones the audio quality is surprisingly good.

The Q9 Earbuds also work well for phone calls. The voice from both the receiver and caller is crystal clear, and it’s pretty intuitive to switch from music to phone call mode using the button on the right earpiece.

SoundPeats claims that the battery lasts for four- to five hours of playtime (depending on the volume), and it took only two hours to charge them from empty.

Read next: Best headphones 2015.