Verdict
The Cleer Arc take a different approach to deliver audio to your ears safely if you ’re out on a run or on a wheel . While they succeed in that heed and offer a secure fit , you’re able to find better - sounding assailable - ear headphones for the same money or less .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Cleer Arc are open - pinna buds that take a different approach shot to safely guide audio to your ears without entirely choke up out the away domain .
Built with seaworthiness firmly in nous , the Arc hope dynamic sound lineament , the ability to customize audio , and the sort of shelling life that means you wo n’t have to load them on a regular basis .
At £ 129.99 , they ’re competing with other undefended - ear options such as theShokz OpenRun , Naenka Runner Diverand the Bose Sport Open earbuds , which have still yet to make it out of the US .
So can Cleer clear up for exercise lovers who desire to keep their pinna loose from more invasive bud ?
The Cleer Arc are useable to purchase now from Cleer ’s internet site for £ 129.99 / $ 129 , as well as from retailers such as Amazon and Hifiheadphones in the UK .
Design
Most undefendable - ear headphone choice , particularly osseous tissue conductivity units , opt for a neckband - stylus design . With the Arc , Cleer has taken a foliage out of Bose ’s book with its Sport Open earbuds , choose for a earhook - design that sit over the pinna and place the drivers in front , rather that inside , your ears . Their show has changed importantly since they were demoed atCES in 2020 .
Cleer uses a flexible joint aim where the element hosting the number one wood dangle out , letting you luxate it onto your ear . It sounds like an refined glide slope , but it felt a bit embarrassing at times when trying to secure the buds in place . It ’s almost as if you need the foresightful , root word - like part of the earbuds to admit their own mechanism , which you’re able to pull up while you swing that hinge open to get them onto your ears .
However , once they ’re in place , they do stay put . I ’ve guide , used them in the gym , worked out on a rower , and put them to the HIIT tryout – and they have n’t budge . Each bud consider around 14.5 GB , so they ’re not heavy ; but you will be aware of their front more than a lightweight pair of open - capitulum Shokz headphones , for model .
On a more positive note these bud do persuade some much welcome moisture protection , with the IPX4 rating guarding against splashes of water system . There has n’t been a great amount of rain of late , so I ca n’t vouch for how well the Arc would do in that scenario ; but in terms of travail and throwing water over my headland during a race , they passed the run . I did n’t experience any issues with their functioning , nor any signaling dropouts .
Along with strong-arm on / off buttons on the stem part of the Arc , the driver incision is also where you ’ll find the touching control . you could swipe , tap , touch and hold to skip tracks , align intensity , take calls and cite your smartphone helper .
Like the touch controls of many fun headphones , they ’re far more fiddly to use when you ’re on the move . If you ’re sit on an drill bike and generally in a more stationary position while working out , responsiveness is n’t an exit . In a charge and with sweaty hands , however , it ’s easy to lack striking , or touches and taps simply do n’t file . These ascendence are supposed to be customisable through the Cleer+ comrade app , although I could n’t locate such a function inside what is a pretty basic app .
It ’s inside the accompanying showcase that the buds charge up . It ’s lark a pleasant , balmy - material finis , which does n’t exactly scream “ exercise ” , nor does it find particularly pocket - favorable . Nevertheless , the case more than ensures the bud stay impregnable when they ’re not in use .
They ’re USB - A powered and the cable required for charging is actually progress into the eccentric , intend you wo n’t have to occupy about carry one around with you . Unlike the buds , however , that instance does n’t fare with any sort of extra protective cover .
Features
Audio can be personalised thanks to the presence of an equalizer , which you ’ll find inside the Cleer+ comrade app . When paired , you have a pretty stock setup , where you could slide your fingers up and down the equalizer to adapt that sound profile . Ultimately , it did n’t really spay the listening experience in any sort of rewarding way ; it might have been useful to have included some presets .
It ’s a like narration for claim and handling calls . If you ’re hoping the onboard beamforming mics will serve up crisp call quality , then you ’ll be mistaken . You ’ll find other opened - auricle headphones that proffer better financial backing in that particular department .
The Cleer Arc ’s battery life is fine . promise up to 7 hour , a 10 - min quick armorial bearing will lend an time of day of playday . In tryout I found that the bombardment life free fall - off with an hour of hearing , at close to maximum loudness , was around 15 % – which seems about right based on Cleer ’s claim . This is n’t the skilful battery life you ’ll chance , but it ’s in the realm of rival open - pinna setup .
Sound Quality
Like other open - ear bud , the primary focus of the Arc is to deliver audio to your ears safely , continue you cognizant of your milieu at all time . It is n’t about merging the two , but see to it your ears can pick up both the earbuds and ambient sound in equal measure . From that point of survey , the Arc do their job . The buds are n’t drown out by traffic or breezy , blustery condition , and they do so channelling decent , if not wild , sound .
The 16.2 mm neodymium dynamical drivers with a pretty received 20Hz-20kHz frequency reaction are level with delivering good , bassy sound recording towards your pinna . While there ’s a adequate level of great power , with a little punch of bass here , it does n’t take long to pick out the muddiness in the effectual profile , even at restrained hearing volume .
TheCleer Goaltruly wireless earbuds I screen placed a greater emphasis on clarity , but this is n’t the case with the Arc . The sound recording from these bud is lacking in the detail department . If you ’re looking for a profound profile that ’s well suitable to vocals , podcasts or audiobooks , this is n’t a persuasiveness of the Arc . The bass performance is n’t much better , either . The Cleer Arc are fine , but there ’s definitely well - sounding assailable - ear headphones available .
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Should you buy it?
There are n’t many such models out there , so if you really want true wireless earbuds that do n’t clog up up your ear , then pick up the Arc .
. If you need a clearer , more balanced speech sound , there are better options to be had , peculiarly on the bone conduction front .
Final Thoughts
It ’s brisk to see Cleer maneuver off from the neckband - style design approach of most heart-to-heart - spike headphones , set about to do things differently . The Arc ’s fit is unattackable once you get them on , delivering on that promise of enabling you to enjoy your sound recording while continuing to hear what ’s around you . Unfortunately , that sound is n’t the most exciting , and while the barrage fire life and control are okay , the Arc do earbuds shine dead of offer a complete package .
Trusted Score
How we test
We quiz every headphones we look back thoroughly over an extended menses of time . We use industry received tests to equate features in good order . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a ware .
discover out more about how we test in ourethics insurance policy .
FAQs
The Arc has a open - pinna innovation , which intend it is always let auditory sensation from the exterior in . As such it ’s not possible for it to take combat-ready noise cancellation .
Full Specs
Sustainability
trust Reviews ’ holds the fact that global thaw is not a myth as a core value and will continuously strive to help protect our major planet from injury in its business practice .
As part of this mission , whenever we review a product we send the company a series of inquiry to help us gauge and make see-through the impact the gimmick has on the environment .
We currently have n’t received response to the questions on this Cartesian product , but will update this page the moment we do . you may see a detailed breakdown of the enquiry we ask and why in oursustainability info page .
