Opera 05 is a new ANC true wireless earphones under SoundPEATS, and it is the first tws earbuds of SoundPEATS Opera series. SoundPEATS Opera 05 has obtained Hi-Res Audio WIRELESS certification and support LDAC codec. The shortcoming are – no auto pause, no game mode, no custom tap controls – there isn’t even dual-device connectivity.
SoundPEATS Opera 05 specs and features:
- Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC/SBC/LDAC codec
- IPX4 waterproof rating (earbuds)
- 5.5-7 hours playback of per charge with LDAC (ANC on/off)
- Charging case can charge earbuds fully 3 times
- 12mm dynamic driver+dual balanced armature drivers
- Comes with 3 sets of eartips, USB-C cable, User manual
- $79- Check latest price on Kickstarter (Crowdfunding Site)
SoundPeats said Opera 05 will be available later this year for $99 on Amazon and Aliexpress.
Design & Comfort
The SoundPEATS Opera05 charging case is in the shape of pebbles, and the surface is treated with a gold-sprinkling process to enhance the appearance and texture. At the same time, the frosted material is more scratch-resistant and less prone to fingerprints. The case is small enough to easily carry it in any pocket. The indicator light is located in the middle of the front of the charging case. The Type-C charging interface is on the back of the charging case, and there is a bluetooth pairing button on the left.
The earbuds adopt a bean-shaped in-ear design to bring a smaller and more compact size. Ergonomic design is helpful for wearing comfort and stability. The wearing comfort of SoundPEATS Opera 05 is better than that of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. The appearance of earbuds is similar to SoundPEATS Mini Pro HS.
The golden brand logo occupies almost the entire side, which is very eye-catching. At the same time, this area integrates touch operation functions, which is not only beautiful but also practical. In addition, all the gold parts on the charging case and earbuds are made of metal.
After actual measurement, the overall weight of SoundPEATS Opera 05 is about 60.2g, and the weight of a single earbud is 7.3g. Since multiple parts on the earbud are made of metal, the weight is 2.1g heavier than the SoundPEATS Mini Pro HS. However, coupled with the well-fitting appearance, it will not cause too much pressure on the ears when worn, and it will not easily cause discomfort after long time use.
Connectivity & Controls
Opera 05 adopts Bluetooth 5.3 technology, which has good compatibility and stable connection. When connecting for the first time, just select “SoundPEATS Opera05” in your phone’s bluetooth device list to connect quickly. Open the charging case for subsequent use to connect to a successfully paired bluetooth device.
The earbuds is stably connected to the mobile phone within a distance of 10 meters. In a scene without obstacles, when the distance from the mobile phone is more than 10 meters, the connection starts to appear intermittent. Unfortunately, SoundPEATS Opera 05 does not support dual-device connections.
The control functions of Opera 05 are very comprehensive (except that there is no previous song), and all touch controls can be completed in the earbud touch area.
- Double tap L or R earbud: play/pause music
- Single-tap L/R earbud: volume-/volume+
- Long-press R earbud 1.5s: next song
- Long-press L earbud 1.5s: ANC on/Transparency mode/Normal mode switching
- Double-tap L or R earbud: answer/hang up
- Long-press L or R earbud 1.5s: reject call
- Triple-tap L or R earbud: wake up the voice assistant
Battery Life & APP
Battery life is a highlight of SoundPEATS Opera 05. SoundPeats claims about 5 hours of battery life on a single charge when using both LDAC and ANC. However, if you turn off ANC and force the phone to use the SBC codec, you can get up to 9 hours of battery life. In this case, the charging cycle is about 3 times, and the total battery life is up to 33 hours. These figures assume a volume level of 60%.
Opera 05 is compatible with SoundPEATS APP, after downloading and installing, you can add binding devices. You can check the connection status and remaining power of the device on the home page.
App support on the SoundPEATS Opera 05 is plain and simple:
- Check the battery status of the left earbud and right earbud
- Volume control of earbuds
- Choose from four equalizers or create your own
- Switch between ANC on/Transparency mode/Normal mode( ANC off)
The functions of the APP feel very basic, lacking some more important settings. For example, control customization, game modes, and more. Hopefully, more features will be added after updating the firmware.
Calls & Noise Reduction
Call quality is very good when you’re in a quiet place, but falls short in a breeze or with background sounds. Sometimes, if there is too much background noise, the other party can’t hear you at all. Even in ideal circumstances, you may need to speak up.
SoundPEATS Opera 05 adopts dual-feed active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, and there are three noise reduction modes to choose from: ANC on, normal mode and transparency mode. Users can find more suitable noise reduction modes in various scenarios.
ANC quality: The noise reduction performance of SoundPEATS Opera 05 is enough to greatly reduce the noise of the surrounding environment, and it also has an obvious effect on eliminating the roar of vehicles. After turning on the music, it is enough to suppress most of the noise, and the overall noise reduction effect is excellent in this price range. At the same time, the ear pressure is also moderate, which can effectively reduce the discomfort caused by long-time use.
Transparency mode: No effect at all when listening to music. When talking to others while listening to music, the content of the other person’s speech is completely inaudible (60% volume), and it only works when the music is paused.
Wind noise: Normal mode works best, and can eliminate most wind noise. After turning on the ANC mode, the wind noise is still quite obvious.
Sound Quality of SoundPEATS Opera 05
Sound quality is also a highlight of SoundPEATS Opera05. Opera 05 has obtained Hi-Res Audio WIRELESS certification, support LDAC codec, the code rate can reach up to 990kbps, and the frequency response range can be extended to 40kHz. Each earbud of the SoundPEATS Opera 05 is equipped with two balanced armature (BA) drivers and a 12mm dynamic driver – the configuration that is still rare among true wireless earphones. The hybrid driver design allows you to hear more music details with less overlap between sounds.
In the actual experience, I randomly selected some popular songs for trial listening. In terms of sense of hearing, Opera 05 can convey the information of the music itself very well, while the high and low frequencies are enhanced to a certain extent. The sense of hearing is fuller, the sound is more dynamic and real, and the human voice is also very pleasing to the ears. The bass is powerful and the mid-treble clarity is impressive.
The Opera 05 can’t quite reach that sound quality level of the Sony WF-1000XM4, but it manage to outclass the Soundcore Space A40. These is one of the best-sounding tws earbuds you can buy without entering the $200+ territory.
Where to got it?
SoundPeats initially offered Opera 05 for $79 via Kickstarter. SoundPeats claims that if you back the project, you’ll get the earbuds in April 2023. If you like the look and functionality of the SoundPeats Opera 05, you can also waitting until they hit Amazon or AliExpress for $99. SoundPeats says this will be available later this year.
In addition, SoundPeats Opera 03 will be launch at the same time. Opera 03 is identical to Opera 05 in almost all respects, except for the color of the metal parts (Opera03 is rose-gold) and the number of drivers: Opera 03 uses only one balanced armature driver instead of two.