Can the ARC 5 Earphones Deliver Premium Sound?
Recently, Cleer Audio reached out to Sound Approach to review one of their new release open-earphone products, the ARC 5 Wireless Earphones. As a disclaimer, we are not being paid or sponsored for this review and like all of our tests and reviews, provide our real thoughts and honest opinion about the product. Without further ado, let’s jump into it!
Open-ear earphones have become increasingly popular as electronics have decreased in size because they solve a problem that traditional earbuds and closed-back headphones cannot. They let you listen to music, podcasts, movies, and phone calls without sealing off your ear canal and completely disconnecting you from the environment around you.
That can be useful while exercising, working in an office, commuting, walking through a busy area, or simply listening at home when you still want or need to be able to hear what is happening around you. Do you have a young kid playing in another room? Clip these on and you can still pay attention to your toddler while enjoying your favorite entertainment. Would you like to better filter your, some might say annoying, office colleagues without sacrificing your focus and attention? The open-ear design allows you to continue enjoying your content (or focusing on your work) all while still being engaged with those around you.
In general, most open-ear headphones and earbuds are known for limited bass response and somewhat muddy and crowded presentation. They open design doesn't always have a positive impact on the signal reproduction and playback which can result in a distinct lack of detail and crispness that most people are looking for when it comes to their headphones.
Cleer Audio has attempted to overcome the limitations of an open-ear design with the ARC 5 wireless earphones, which include a surprisingly ambitious collection of features, unique design, and discrete attention to detail that improves upon previous models and all for a surprisingly affordable $220 retail cost.
These open-ear wireless earphones combine 16.2mm dynamic drivers, THX Spatial Audio & Dolby Atmos optimization, head tracking, lossless 5.4 Bluetooth support, a touchscreen charging case, long battery life, light weight (11.5g per earphone), and IPX7 water (and sweat) resistance.
That is a comprehensive list of features for any pair of earphones, especially at this price point. In this review, we are going to examine the ARC 5’s design, comfort, sound technology, charging case, battery performance, connectivity, and other features to determine what we think of this product and who we feel these earphones are really designed for.
Traditional In-Ear vs Open-Ear
Before looking specifically at the ARC 5, it is important to understand how open-ear earphones work.
Traditional in-ear monitors typically use silicone or foam tips that sit inside the ear canal. This creates a physical seal surrounding the ear canal that helps block outside noise and strengthens lower-frequency bass and mid-range response. This design also creates a funnel aimed directly at the eardrum where the soundwaves can be absorbed and translated into sweet, sweet music!
An open-ear design is built differently and as such assumes a different approach. Each earphone has a flexible silicone hook that wraps around the top of the ear while positioning the speaker near, but not inside, the ear canal. Sound is directed toward the ear while the ear canal remains open. There is an obvious gap which allows external sounds to still come through while listening.
The main advantage of this design is awareness. You can continue hearing the traffic and people around you, announcements, coworkers, family members, and other sounds while your audio is playing. It also helps to avoid the pressure and ear fatigue that some listeners experience with conventional in-ear earbuds, especially after longer listening sessions. The same logic applies with open-back headphones which allow the pressure of soundwaves typically directed into your ear canal to express outwards and away from your ears.
The disadvantage is the same, background sounds remain part of the listening experience. One of the features that some people look for with wireless headphones is noise-cancelling and isolation. The ARC 5 does not feature traditional noise cancellation, which would only work to separate you from the outside world. This design element makes the ARC 5 much more appropriate for situations where comfort and awareness are more important than isolation.
Design & Comfort
Speaking of design and comfort, the ARC 5 continues Cleer Audio’s typical wraparound design, present on earlier models of the ARC earbuds, but the ear hooks have been made thinner and lighter than the earlier models. These new earphones fit more naturally and serve as a one size fits most solution. Whether you have large or small ears, the positioning is simple and feels comfortable.
Each earphone weighs only 11.5 grams. While heavier than many traditional true wireless earbuds (especially the ones that stick out really far), the weight is actually more evenly distributed around the ear rather than concentrated inside the ear canal or resting on the cartilage surrounding the ear canal.
This ear-loop design should help reduce pressure during longer listening sessions while also creating a secure fit during movement. Fatigue is something we deal with regularly in our testing and reviewing roles and something that leads us to choose products like the ARC 5 for our own personal use.
Beyond comfort, the positioning of an open-ear speaker is extremely important. Even a small change in the distance or angle between the driver and the ear canal can affect bass response, clarity, and volume. The ear hooks help keep the drivers in a more stable and secure position rather than completely loose-fitting open earbuds. Additionally, they don’t require numerous options of silicone or foam tips for proper fit.
For exercise and outdoor use, the ARC 5 carries an IPX7 water-resistance rating perfect for any physical activity. With this rating, the ARC 5 earphones are designed to tolerate sweat, rain, and brief exposure to water. The rating applies to the earbuds specifically and not the charging case, so the case should still be protected from moisture.
Driver & Sound Technology
Cleer Audio uses a redesigned acoustic structure intended to improve positioning, sound projection, imaging, and overall consistency. Each ARC 5 earphone uses a large 16.2-millimeter dynamic driver. This provides clear and concise quality regardless of the music or entertainment you choose to enjoy.
Large drivers can move more air than the smaller drivers commonly found in compact in-ear earbuds. In an open-ear design, that extra surface area is especially valuable because the earbuds cannot rely on a sealed ear canal to reinforce the bass. The bass may be somewhat lacking in terms of real ommph, but the mid-range and higher frequencies remain dynamic and faithful to the signal despite the lack of a seal.
The ARC 5 has a listed frequency response of 65 hertz to 40 kilohertz via Bluetooth wireless connection. 65-hertz at its lower limit reflects the reality of open-ear listening and aligns with our testing highlighting semi-weak bass performance. As already indicated, these earphones are not intended to reproduce the same deep bass or sub-bass as sealed in-ear monitors or full-size audiophile headphones. However, the resulting sound quality is still high due to the design and other enhancement features.
Cleer Audio has done a good job with strengthening the low end with the inclusion of DBE 4.0 Dynamic Bass Enhancement. This customizable enhancement can be adjusted and saved for quick selection on the charger’s touchscreen for playback that fits your exact preferences. The enhancement processing is designed to give bass more presence and impact without requiring the driver to create the same pressure that would exist via a sealed ear canal. While the ARC 5 may produce more body and punch than other open-ear models, this model naturally favors openness over deep, isolated bass.
THX Certification
One of the ARC 5’s most notable features that stood out in our testing is its THX headphone certification. THX certification is intended to confirm that a product meets established performance targets related to frequency response, distortion, output, and consistency. That does not mean every listener will automatically prefer the tuning, but it does show that Cleer Audio is positioning the ARC 5 to be more aligned with high-fidelity headphones where features like THX are standard and a minimum level of distorition is expected. It also means that lower distortion and more accurate playback and overall consistency lends itself to produce higher quality sound.
The goal is to provide a more balanced and controlled listening experience than other open-ear products. Given that open-ear acoustics can be difficult to manage, Cleer Audio has done an excellent job with the ARC 5 to balance these competing difficulties and concerns.
THX Spatial Audio and Head Tracking
As a subset of the THX Certification, the ARC 5 also supports THX Spatial Audio with head tracking. Spatial audio processing is different from THX and is designed to create a broader, more three-dimensional presentation. This is typically known in the audiophile community as soundstage. Instead of sounding as though the audio is located directly next to each ear, with a clear left and right alignment, the sound can appear to extend outward from the ear and occupy a larger virtual and perceived space. With high-quality earphones, the music should be coming from beyond and outside of the earphones themselves and the ARC 5 is able to achieve this with ease and at lower volumes.
Head tracking takes this spatial concept further. Sensors inside the earphones detect small movements of the listener’s head. The spatial presentation can then adjust so that sound appears to remain anchored in a particular position. This is something we noticed in our testing but it took a little while to figure out what was going on.
When watching a TV show or movie on a phone or tablet, dialogue may appear to remain centered on the screen even when you turn your head slightly. This can make films, games, concerts, and other visual content feel more immersive, especially on mobile devices. Additionally, it can actually trick your brain into thinking that the noise is coming from the position on the device rather than the earbuds, which makes the experience that much more enjoyable.
Spatial processing will not be equally useful with every recording or certain types of content. Traditional stereo music may sound more natural with the feature disabled, while cinematic content may benefit significantly from the expanded capability. Thankfully, the ARC 5 gives users the option to experiment and decide which mode and settings are appropriate for each type of content.
DOLBY ATMOS Optimization
These earbuds are also optimized for Dolby Atmos playback. Dolby Atmos can help you perceive sounds within a three-dimensional environment rather than limiting them to conventional left and right channels.
When combined with Spatial THX and used with compatible music, movies, and streaming services, the ARC 5 results in a more layered and immersive presentation. However, it is important to know that Dolby Atmos support depends on the source device, application, content, and individual subscription services. It may not be available on every song or show. Additionally, the earbuds cannot turn every standard stereo recording into true Dolby Atmos content. Ultimately, when the source supports it, the ARC 5 provides a platform designed to take advantage of that information.
High-Quality Bluetooth
The ARC 5 uses Bluetooth 5.4 and supports multipoint connectivity. Bluetooth 5.4 is the current standard for wireless connectivity in a world jam-packed with WIFI signals. And multipoint connectivity allows the earbuds to remain connected to two compatible devices at the same time. Very few products, especially at the same price point, have the same ability.
Multipoint connectivity allows a user to listen to music from a laptop and then answer an incoming phone call without manually disconnecting or reconnecting the earphones.
For additional compatibility, the supported codecs include AAC, SBC, LC3, LDAC, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless. LDAC and aptX Lossless are especially notable because they provide higher-quality wireless transmission when paired with a compatible source, frequently compared to CDs due to the lossless signal.
Because AptX Lossless is designed to deliver CD-quality audio under suitable wireless conditions, it has become standard on most high-fidelity products as well as streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, or Qobuz. Further, aptX Adaptive can adjust its bitrate to balance sound quality and connection stability.
Ultimately, the actual codec being used by the ARC 5 will depend on your phone, tablet, computer, operating system, and streaming service and will vary greatly depending on the content. Similar products may not offer as much adaptability and our testing showed that the ARC 5 worked with typical services, streaming high-quality signal, as well as in various environments with competing WIFI signals without any issues or loss in signal quality.
The Cleer+ App
The Cleer+ App provides access to additional settings and customization on a variety of products, including the ARC 5. Users can adjust the equalizer, personalize touch controls, monitor battery levels, manage spatial audio features, and change other operating options.
Based on testing and evaluation, we found the Equalization particularly valuable with the ARC 5 because adjustments available in the app are a little easier to make than with the equalizer on the touchscreen. A listener who wants more vocal presence may prefer increased mid-range for vocals, while another may choose to emphasize bass or treble. There are several different settings visible in the app that allows users to customize to their preference with ease.
The app allows the ARC 5 to be adapted more closely to individual preferences instead of relying on a single fixed preset. However, the app is somewhat superfluous for this product, in our opinion, because almost all of these manageable options are available via the touchscreen on the charging case. Additionally, the Cleer+ App design and content didn't function 100% correctly depending on which product being selected and/or when navigating to the user manual section. Hopefully, this is something that Cleer Audio can revise and update to make more user friendly and function properly.
AMOLED Touchscreen Charging Case
The charging case is one of the ARC 5’s most distinctive features and stood out immediately in our testing. Rather than functioning only as a battery and storage container like most earbud cases, the ARC 5 case includes an AMOLED (advanced, modern OLED) touchscreen as well as an internal personal mirror.
The display can be used to control playback, adjust volume, change equalizer settings, manage spatial audio, and check battery status in real time without the need for opening the app, or disconnecting the earphones. This can be useful when the source device is across the room, connected to another display, stored in a pocket or bag, or when the earphones are currently in use. Additionally, the AMOLED screen has numerous pre-saved screensaver options as well as the ability to connect to your photos for additional aesthetic customization. Beyond the screen, the inside of the case features a personal mirror on the lid for quick and easy use and to help you place the earphones correctly. While the mirror may not be necessary for everyone, it is a nice touch of subtle detail that adds to its overall presence and appeal.
Especially noteworthy, the case also includes UVC sanitization intended to reduce microorganisms on the earphones when they are stored. The sanitization is automatically carried out every time the earphones are placed back in the case for charging and it is closed, making it a standard feature. There’s even a motion and loading bar screen that displays the 20-30 second process. Again, the attention to detail on the case itself is quite exhaustive and demonstrates just how seriously Cleer Audio approached the manufacture of this product.
Whether every user needs a touchscreen charging case is another question. It adds size, weight, and complexity compared with a more basic featureless case. However, it also makes the ARC 5 feel more like a complete listening system rather than a conventional pair of earbuds. Additionally, the cost of the product is lower than many options that don’t have half the features available to the ARC 5 earphones.
Battery Performance
Battery life is one of this product's strongest selling points and advantages over similar products. These earphones are rated for up to 12 hours of playback from a single charge, with as much as 60 hours of total listening time when the charging case is included, recharging the earbuds up to 5 times with a single charge on the case.
Through testing, we confirmed the battery life actually lasts between 11-12 hours of continuous usage on a single charge and with the basic settings enabled. The ARC 5 earphones are probably the most suited for longer listening sessions than any other earbuds or wireless earphones Sound Approach has tested to date.
Obviously, the actual battery life will vary according to volume, spatial processing enhancements, call use, and/or screen interaction. But even with those variables, the ARC 5 offers enough capacity for long workdays, travel, exercise, and extended listening sessions without the need for constant or repeated charging.
Call Quality
The ARC 5 uses a dual-microphone system with Qualcomm cVc processing and AI-enhanced noise suppression. The goal is to reduce environmental noise while keeping speech clear during phone calls and this works exactly as advertised. The calls are clear and microphone picks up sound without any issues.
Addtiionally, because the earphones do not seal the ear, you remain aware of your own voice and surroundings during a conversation. This makes calls feel more natural for speaking than while wearing highly isolated or noise-cancelling headphones with an attached microphone. If you find yourself pulling off one headphone while you're speaking on your current setup, this may be the solution to that problem.
Ultimately, microphone performance will still depend on external noise and the distance between the microphone and your mouth. While, the ARC 5 is well suited to everyday calls and office use, extremely noisy environments may challenge the earphones, just like any other open-ear wireless system.
Everyday Performance, Preferences, and Limitations
As already discussed, the ARC 5 offers an unusually broad collection of features, and the open-ear format creates unavoidable compromises that lead to inherent or perceived limitations.
Obviously, the first sacrifice and, in our opinion, only true limitation, is bass response. Without an ear-canal seal, deep low-frequency energy can and will escape. Dynamic Bass Enhancement adds low-end heft, but it cannot completely reproduce the physical pressure or quality of a sealed in-ear design or closed back headphone. Additionally, we absolute appreciate how some people dislike the compromise of natural signal vs enhanced dB processing, as it just doesn't result in the same sound-quality.
The second semi-limitation is environmental noise. These earphones are designed to let outside sound in. If you are looking for isolation or noise-cancelling, these aren’t the earphones for you. It’s as simple as that.
For some this is a limitation, and rightfully so, but for others it is more of a feature. In an office, at home, walking through a neighborhood, or exercising in the gym, that awareness may be extremely useful. But it’s important to point out that near heavy traffic, being inside an airplane, or in a crowded area, outside sound will likely overpower the quieter details in the music, which will ultimately poorly impact the performance.
The third consideration is fit. While the ARC 5 uses a stable ear-hook system, every ear is shaped differently. The position of the driver will affect volume, balance, and overall performance. The fit is important to performance and may not be perfect for every user. However, Cleer Audio did a good job with this design to make it a one size fits most, or as close to that as you can get with this type of product.
Finally, the touchscreen case adds a lot of convenience and numerous features but also makes the system larger than many other conventional wireless earbud cases. If you are looking for a matchbook size carrying case, this isn’t the best option. But the slightly larger size does make it comfortable in the hand and when replacing or removing the earbuds from the case. If you have difficulty replacing small earbuds in a small case, the ARC 5 earphones are much easier to grasp and handle. Again, this feels more like a matter of preference over actual limitation.
Who Should Buy the ARC 5?
After extensive testing and research, our recommendation would be that the Cleer Audio ARC 5 is best suited to listeners who want to remain aware of their surroundings without giving up advanced wireless features, those who desire higher audio quality in their playback vs similarly designed or priced products, for anyone who enjoys longer listening sessions up to 12 hours, and for physically active earphone listeners looking for a comfortable and stable fit.
Final Thoughts
The Cleer Audio ARC 5 is one of the more ambitious and successful open-ear wireless designs that we have ever tested at Sound Approach and we were thoroughly impressed with what Cleer Audio has been able to achieve at the current retail price of $220.
Additional features that stand out on the ARC 5 are the long 12-hour battery life, light weight comfort, and UV cleaning. These features are not standard and most earbuds are typically rated for less than half the battery life and don’t include any thought for sterilization, cleanliness, or extended listening comfort.
At Sound Approach, our employees work in a large open office space and a product like this works perfectly at a cubicle or desk to filter out unwanted environmental notices without detaching completely from what needs to be heard. For people who value awareness, comfort, and smart controls, the ARC 5 offers a compelling and advanced option.
It’s amazing to see so many features, a thoughtful design, and an open-ear system that can provide excellent playback and high-quality sound compared to similarly priced open-ear and other wireless earphones or earbud options. The audio quality will not reach the level of dedicated in-ear monitors but it does get close to that level at an attainable price. For listeners who want maximum isolation or powerful sub-bass, a traditional in-ear or closed-back headphone will almost certainly be the better choice. For everyone else, we highly recommend the Cleer Audio ARC 5 Wireless Earphones!
For more information about Cleer Audio, please visit their website CleerAudio.com or contact Sound Approach if you need help deciding whether the Cleer Audio ARC 5 is the right match for you. Thanks for reading to the end and we hope you have a great rest of your day!
