TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
FOUR STARS - Transparent parts that display drivers. A sharp logo lightning up in the earpieces when they're on standby. The SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE Dual Driver is one of the best designed wireless earphones under 50 dollars - but the sound may not be for everyone.
Specs of the SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE Dual Driver:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC and AptX codec
IPX5 waterproof (sweat and rain resistant)
5-6 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with 3 sizes ear tips and micro-USB cable
Below this review you will find comparisons between the SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE vs Syllable S101, Mpow T5/ M5, TRN T200 and Tranya T3.
Design, comfort and battery life
The SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE looks the part. The design looks and feels more mature than competitively priced wireless earphones. Both the charging case and the earpieces are made from a soft, matte black that is soft to the touch. The earpieces have an L-like shape, with round tactile buttons with the SoundPEATS logo in the middle of them. It lights up when charged or when in standby - not when you use them. Very neat.
On the inside, the earpieces show the same open 'clockwork' you see in a previous SoundPEATS model; their adoption of the Syllable S101. Within the two transparent plastics, they show two round internals. You can see the work around them. One of the translucent pieces is filled with glue, the other much cleaner.
Due to the transparant parts sticking out a bit, the TrueEngine SE doesn't have the tightest fit. It feels comfortable, but a bit shaky in your ear. It's probably not the best model for sports.
The battery capacity of the SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE is on-par with some of the best offerings in this price range. The earpieces offer around 6 hours of playtime on a single charge when you play music on medium volume, and can be recharged four times via the micro-USB powered case.
Connectivity and controls
The SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE has two actual buttons, placed in the round part of the earpieces. When you press one of them, you push the earphone a bit further into your ear, but happily, the controls don't require too much power. They are also quick to respond, preventing wrong presses.
With a single press, you play or pause the music. With two presses on the right one, the volume increases. Press twice on the left side, and you decrease the volume. Press and hold for 1,5 seconds to skip to the next song (right), or go back a song (left). You activate the voice assistant of your phone by three presses — a convenient control scheme.
The Bluetooth 5.0 connection of the SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE is excellent. The earpieces keep a connection with your smartphone up to 10 meters, even through some walls. Walking and cycling with them doesn't give any problems too. Unfortunately, it's not possible to switch rapidly between one and two earphones.
Calling and watching movies
Synchronization between audio and video is excellent on the SoundEngine SE. That goes for YouTube, Netflix, and services Amazon Prime on both iPhone and Android devices. There is a noticeable delay in audio when playing games, however.
The call quality of the SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE is excellent. You sound soft and a bit hollow to the person you're talking to, but you're audible both indoors and outside, where even loud traffic noises from your surroundings are repressed with significant effect.
Sound quality of SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE
The SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE may act all tough with its dual driver-setup to get most out of the sound quality; in reality, it's bass all around the clock on the TrueEngine SE.
There is a lot of emphasis on the bass and lower-mids on the TrueEngine SE. A lot. The bass of this SoundPEATS thumps easily, even in songs you wouldn't expect to have much bass - like singer-songwriter ballads. Drums, bass-guitars, darker electronic tones - they can all pulsate in your ears. The quality is also quite good. While not the tightest, the bass doesn't become overly boomy, and multiple bass lines are separated well. The TrueEngine SE has a decent soundstage with musical details coming from the left and right of you.
This earphone can get the mood going in hip-hop, dance, and more specific dance genres like techno and hardcore. Less so for trance, however. Or every genre that requires vocal performance. If a song demands mids and highs, it becomes apparent; the SoundPEATS sounds maybe too dark.
The TrueEngine SE has a total roll-off of highs and even mids. There is a slight treble peak to elevate higher-pitched male and female vocals and some cymbals just enough, but this is not a bright, clear sound at all. Especially at lower volumes, there is a lack of clarity. Mids like guitars and piano play a background role at best. Instruments like drums that sound like drums on more transparent earphones are moved to bass-lines here. The bass drags the lower-mids and mids along with it, making the SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE sound less clear and detailed than more refined competitors.
What remains is a smooth, dark sounding earphone that is good for specific dance genres or background listening if you don't want to be distracted by the music. If you listen to more music genres or like a little more balance in the sound, there are plenty of better alternatives.
Selected comparisons
SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE vs Mpow T5/ M5
The Mpow T5/ M5 is the current best sounding sub-50-dollars earphone with an emphasis on bass and lower-mids. Go figure: the SoundPEATS elevates lower frequencies even more! However, the Mpow resolves more detail in all other aspects. Mids and highs sound livelier and more detailed, vocals show more nuances, the soundstage is much bigger, and details are coming from all around you, rather than just the left and right. The SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE may have a better battery life; the Mpow is a much better earphone.
SoundPEATS TrueEngine vs Syllable S101
One of the first SoundPEATS earphones was based on the Syllable S101, which, just as the TrueEngine SE, aims to please bass lovers. The Syllable has more impactful bass that can also become boomier in bass-heavy songs, but mainly, its mids and highs are more forward. Instruments and vocals come through with much more detail. If you want a bass-heavy set with the internals visible, the Syllable S101 is a better choice to make.
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SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE vs Tranya T3
The bass-heavy Tranya T3 suddenly becomes a bit muddy and boomy next to the TrueEngine SE. The SoundPEATS has a tighter bass than the Tranya, with better separation of layers and more control over the lower frequencies overall. The Tranya T3, however, offers more presence of the mids and highs and has a sweet, big soundstage with details coming from everywhere - which the SoundPEATS lacks. Still, when purely looking at bass, the SoundPEATS performs better than the Tranya.
SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE vs TRN T200
Switch from the TrueEngine SE to the TRN T200, and it immediately becomes clear how much more sound you can get out the same music. The TRN T200 isn't a bright sounding earphone. Still, it admittedly sounds bright next to the SoundPEATS, with way more presence of vocals, acoustic instruments, violins, drums, and higher-pitched electronic sounds. The SoundPEATS has a more present bass, even in easy going songs.
Verdict
The SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE isn't the HiFi-quality true wireless earphone the manufacturer and some YouTubers claim it to be. It's bass and bass only here. If you're into that, go ahead. The build quality, call quality, and battery life of the TrueEngine SE will be humble servants to your bassy needs.
Four stars - very good
Buy SoundPEATS True Engine SE/ check current price:
Buy SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE on Amazon Europe (Germany)
I bought the SoundPEATS TrueEngine SE myself to test and review. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
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