How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro — biggest strength: LDAC Hi-Res audio with a 12mm dual-magnet dynamic driver, plus Bluetooth 6.0 multipoint and a PeatsAudio EQ app. That's a serious spec sheet for an open-ear clip.
• SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro — biggest trade-off: The C-bridge clip is adjustable, but fit is fussy — the wrong angle causes sound leakage, and once you pull the buds from the case you must match left/right. More setup than "just wear it."
• iLive Electronics True — biggest strength: Dead-simple open-ear design, Bluetooth 5.4, a sweatproof build and Siri/Google support. Nothing to configure, nothing to learn.
• iLive Electronics True — biggest trade-off: Basic audio profile with no LDAC, no app EQ, no multipoint, and no stated playtime or IP rating beyond "sweatproof." It's a commuter/workout bud, not a critical-listening one.
• Pick the SoundPEATS if sound quality and features matter. Pick the iLive if you want the cheapest, most foolproof path into open-ear listening.
The PearlClip Pro is the more ambitious of the two, and it looks it. SoundPEATS went with an ear-clip design built around a C-bridge that uses a nickel-titanium memory-alloy core wrapped in soft liquid silicone. The point of that construction is elasticity — the clip flexes and holds without clamping down hard, so it's meant to stay comfortable across different ear shapes and, notably, alongside glasses. If you've ever given up on earbuds because they pressed on your frames, that's the specific problem this design attacks.
Where it separates itself is audio. The 12mm dual-magnet dynamic driver is paired with LDAC support, which transmits roughly three times the data of a standard codec like SBC when your source device supports it. In practice that means more detail and a wider soundstage than you'd expect from an open-ear bud, and the open design keeps you aware of traffic, announcements and the room around you. Battery is quoted at up to 6 hours per charge and 24 hours with the case, with a 10-minute quick charge giving about 2 hours of listening. Bluetooth 6.0 handles multipoint, so you can jump from a PC to a phone call without re-pairing. The PeatsAudio app adds EQ presets, a bass-boosting Dynamic EQ, Movie Mode and touch-control remapping.
Who should buy it: commuters, desk workers, glasses wearers and anyone who wants open-ear awareness without giving up sound quality or modern connectivity. Who should skip it: people who want zero setup. The clip angle needs adjusting, the left/right assignment only sorts itself out inside the case, and if you're pairing to two devices at once you'll want to manage interference and battery drain. It rewards a little attention.
The iLive True is the opposite philosophy: get out of the way. It's an open-ear wireless bud with a charging case, Bluetooth 5.4, a sweatproof build and built-in support for Siri and Google voice assistants. The enclosure is silicone, the driver is a dynamic type with a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range, and control is voice-based rather than touch. There's no companion app, no codec upgrade, no multipoint — and for a lot of buyers, that's the appeal.
The open-ear form factor here is framed entirely around comfort and fatigue. The bud rests outside your ear canal so you keep hearing your surroundings, and the case both stores and recharges the buds so you can pop them in and get back to your playlist. The sweatproof rating is the headline feature for the target user: this is a bud meant for heavy exercise, runs, gym sessions and outdoor work where you're moving and sweating. Voice-assistant support means you can ask for a track or a command without digging out your phone mid-set.
Who should buy it: gym-goers, runners, walkers and casual listeners who want an inexpensive, uncomplicated open-ear bud they can sweat on and forget about. Who should skip it: anyone chasing Hi-Res audio, LDAC, app-based EQ, multipoint switching or extended-feature listening. There's no stated playtime figure and no detailed IP number beyond "sweatproof," so if you need documented endurance specs, this isn't the one.
• Best sound quality → SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro. LDAC plus a 12mm dual-magnet driver versus a standard dynamic driver with no codec upgrade.
• Best for workouts and sweat → iLive Electronics True. It's explicitly built sweatproof for heavy exercise; the PearlClip Pro carries an IPX5 rating, which is splash-resistant but not pitched as gym-first.
• Best for battery detail → SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro. Up to 6 hours per charge, 24 with the case, and a 10-minute charge for 2 hours. The iLive sheet doesn't state playtime at all.
• Best for staying aware while commuting → either one. Both are open-ear by design and keep your surroundings audible; the PearlClip Pro adds spatial and Movie Mode options via its app.
• Best for glasses wearers → SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro. The clip-on C-bridge is specifically designed to avoid pressing on frames and causing irritation.
• Best for hands-free control → iLive Electronics True. Voice control with Siri and Google built in; the PearlClip Pro uses touch controls you configure in the app.
• Best for people juggling two devices → SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro. Bluetooth 6.0 multipoint lets you move between a laptop and a phone without re-pairing.
• Best for zero-fuss setup → iLive Electronics True. No app, no clip tuning, no left/right sorting inside the case. Wear it and go.
My Verdict
how to use tws earbuds
Take both buds out of the charging case and they power on and enter pairing mode. Open Bluetooth on your phone or laptop, select the earbud entry and connect — after that they'll reconnect automatically when removed from the case. For the PearlClip Pro, the adaptive left/right channels only sync while the buds are inside the case, so return them there if sides get confused.
how to wear tws earbuds
Open-ear clip buds rest on the outer ear rather than inside the canal. On the PearlClip Pro, adjust the C-bridge to a comfortable angle and line the sound outlet up with your ear canal — the wrong angle causes leakage, discomfort and instability. If the clip is too tight, gently widen the gap; if too loose, gently press it inward. The iLive True simply hooks over the ear.
how to open tws earbuds
"Opening" in this context usually means getting them out of the case and powered on. Lift the lid, remove both buds, and they switch on and pair automatically. The PearlClip Pro is deliberately foolproof here — there's no left/right distinction when you drop them back in, so you can't seat them wrong.
how to operate tws earbuds
The PearlClip Pro uses touch controls you can remap in the PeatsAudio app, and the iLive Electronics True uses voice control with Siri and Google Assistant. Both handle play, pause and calls, but only the PearlClip Pro offers app-based EQ, Dynamic EQ bass boost and Movie Mode. Just note neither pair has active noise cancellation — both are open-ear by design.
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See also: SHOKZ AFTER Aeropex Open-Ear vs eEAR BC-HPH-Pro-001, dbsono True vs inscamera Open Ear Headphones, CCA KZ ZSN Pro vs JiaSifu True: In Ear Headset