I’ve had so many pairs of Soundpeats headphones & earphones over the years & they have possible the best quality to price ratio of any tech I use. The Q40HD are their updated sports earbuds and I just had to give them a go. I have an older pair of these I love when I go running. For me, these are ideal because they are wireless, but also a necklace type earphone. You can remove them from your ears and connect the earphones with their magnets to create a necklace, which keeps them in place when running by a busy road or when I need to hear. Much more convenient than a standard wireless earbud or headphones.
So the Soundpeats Q40 HD came out as a massive upgrade to my older Soundpeats Q12 which I got & reviewed years ago & you can read here. Choosing portable headphones isn’t always straightforward. The lighter and more compact they get, the more you often sacrifice in terms of comfort, durability, or battery life. For people who want headphones that balance portability with proper sound and long-term wear comfort, the SOUNDPEATS Q40 HD make a strong case. They come with a great selection of ear hooks (wings) and ear tips so you can get that perfect fit, and these feel premium in the hand with their metal casing and reinforced cables. I’ve been wanting to upgrade the Q12’s I use for a long time, so when I heard of these with bigger drivers & LDAC support, I just had to try them.
The Q40 HD uses a neckband design. It may not suit everyone, but for active use it’s an excellent choice – the band helps the earbuds stay secure without weighing you down. The cable is slightly flattened at the back so it rests more comfortably against your neck, and each bud uses small ear wings to keep them locked in place during workouts. I really liked the addition of the ear wings, as they made the fit much more secure than the Q12 I’ve already got. I did heavy workouts and sprints, but they stayed in place at all times. They also feel extremely comfortable when wearing them and the fact that the earbuds are technically joined, means connectivity between left & right is solid with no chance of drop-outs. I also like that if one falls from your ear for whatever reason, it’s still connected to your body around the neck and in the other ear. It would be extremely difficult for these to drop to the floor by accident.
In the box, you’ll find five sets of silicone ear tips and three sets of ear wings, giving you plenty of sizing options for comfort and stability. The lightweight nature of the Q40 HD means you can wear them for hours without noticing much strain. With an IP67 rating, the Q40 HD can easily withstand sweat, rain, and dust, making them a reliable running & sports earphone. Magnetic clasps on the earbuds let you clip them together when not in use. It’s a simple but useful touch carried over from previous designs that make them easier to carry and prevents tangling.
An inline control module handles playback, volume, and track skipping. It’s easier to use than fiddly buttons on the earbuds themselves, and it also makes it simple to tell left from right at a glance. I really appreciate this feature, as I sometimes struggle to remember the gestures and taps required when it comes to touch controls on ear buds. The controls contain the playback and pause buttons, volume controls and the microphone for calls. It’s always handily available by your neck & I much prefer inline controls to touch controls for ease of use. Multipoint connectivity via Bluetooth 5.4 means you can connect to two devices at once – for example, switching seamlessly between your laptop and phone, which I haven’t used with these, but it’s a great feature to have.
Audio Performance
The Q40 HD are Hi-Res certified and support the LDAC codec, which means higher-quality streaming when used with compatible devices. Inside each earbud are 11mm dual-magnetic dynamic drivers, tuned for a lively sound profile with punchy bass and smooth mids. Treble is controlled well enough to avoid harshness, even at higher volumes. I enjoyed the sound from these & the inner ear design allows for some external noise dampening without actual ANC. These have just enough bass to make them comfortable to wear & I found I didn’t need to use massive volumes to enjoy music on them. A 360° spatial audio mode adds depth for films and gaming. It isn’t going to rival high-end surround systems, but it makes content feel more immersive than standard stereo. Overall, the sound signature leans slightly towards the energetic, making them well suited to workouts, pop, and electronic tracks – while still handling podcasts and calls cleanly. I listened to a lot of podcasts using these & spoken word does sound excellent. I also tried some Prog Rock & some metal albums from my collection, and they sounded good. Perhaps the best thing I listened to was my 90s grunge. Nirvana tracks like Son of a Gun & Turnaround sounded really clean on these.
Microphone Quality
For calls, the Q40 HD includes a single AI-assisted microphone that reduces background noise. It does a solid job of filtering out chatter and general environmental noise, making voices clearer on the other end. It’s not at the level of professional headsets, but for casual and work calls it performs well. I found this works better in quieter environments, I tend to run at the side of busy roads, so even the best noise-cancelling would struggle, but these are OK for making those quick calls during your workouts.
Battery Life
Battery life is one of the Q40 HD’s strongest features. You get up to 20 hours of playback on a full charge, which is more than enough for a week of commuting or several long gym sessions. A 10-minute quick charge provides around 5 hours of use, perfect for when you’re rushing out the door. Full charging takes about 1.5 hours, and standby stretches to 100 hours.
What’s in the Box
SOUNDPEATS include a generous set of accessories:
Q40 HD headphones
5 pairs of silicone ear tips (XS/S/M/L/XL)
3 pairs of ear wings (S/M/L)
Adjustable silicone bead
USB charging cable
User manual
This range of fittings ensures a secure and comfortable experience for most ear shapes.
The SOUNDPEATS Q40 HD neckband headphones strike a balance between portability, performance, and comfort. They’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but they deliver strong sound quality, excellent battery life, and rugged durability at a price that feels more than fair. They are a massive upgrade from my trusty Soundpeats Q12 and well worth the investment if you are looking for some well priced workout earphones. For sports, commuting, and general day-to-day listening, they’re a dependable choice – and one of the better-value neckband headphones currently available. They are super cheap to buy & they do seem to last years. My older Q12 which I’ve had for many years still hold great charge & have survived a lot of miles of running. As of writing, they are running a promotion on these, so you can grab them at a bargain price of £29.99 over on Amazon.
