SoundPal ST16 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones review

Reviewed on September 20, 2016

What we like:

  • Good sound quality for price
  • Easy to set-up
  • Good battery life
  • Fairly secure for strenuous activities

Purchase Details:
May 18, 2016
Retailer: Amazon.com
Price: $29.99 + Tax
Notes: prices have dropped since our purchase

What we don’t like:

  • Charging issues
  • Starts losing connectivity beyond 5 feet of your device
  • Does not fit well on small ears

our review

If you’re considering purchasing the SoundPal ST16, read on and see if it’s a good option for you. Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 is any indication of where handheld devices are heading, then we’re in the midst of another technology revolution and we will see an exploding use of wireless headphones.

We purchased the SoundPal ST16 from Amazon.com along with the hotNcold Noise Cancelling Sport Wireless Headphone, originally intending to have one for each of us. At the time, they were the two top selling bluetooth headphones on Amazon, had comparable prices, and high ratings (4.5 stars).

We ended up returning the hotNcold due to a manufacturer defect. Since then, the ratings for the hotNcold has dropped to 2.5 stars… doesn’t quite give us a lot of confidence in trying those headphones again.

We were, however, surprisingly impressed with the SoundPal ST16.

Let’s first take a look at the advertised features and compare them against our own experiences:

  • Listed Feature:

    Secure Fit- perfect workout headphones that are snug and secure so the headphones stay put while running, biking or at the gym

  • Our Experience:

    This seems to depend on your ear size. They did not fit Christine’s small ears (she has very small ears), but fit well with Kevin’s larger ears. For Kevin, it is secure and definitely does not fall off while running or doing anything active. It can be snug, but he found himself having to occasionally push the headset back into his ears to maintain the snug fit.

  • Wireless Headphones that work with all smartphones, tablets and music players with Bluetooth connection
  • Worked seamlessly with iPhones, iPad, an Android device, and several different kinds of laptops (both Windows and Mac).
  • Wireless Headphones that work with all smartphones, tablets and music players with Bluetooth connection
  • Worked seamlessly with iPhones, iPad, an Android device, and several different kinds of laptops (both Windows and Mac).
  • Noise cancellation technology reduces outside noises, enable clearer microphone sound
  • We tried using it in the city a couple times and the person on the other end of the line had a difficult time hearing us, but we honestly have not tried it since. It works great at home and other quiet places. We are going to try it again outdoors and will provide an update soon.

Overall, the SoundPal ST16 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones are a good option for anyone looking for a budget bluetooth headphone that will stay in your ears. It doesn’t feel heavy on the ears and still feels very comfortable after wearing it for over 1.5 hours. It hasn’t fallen off during any strenuous activities yet, but we do find ourselves having to occasionally re-adjust the headphone in order to maintain the snug fit.

As with all budget earphones, be sure to temper your expectations with the sound quality. The sound does not sound tinny, and the balance is acceptable for the price. It definitely sounds better with some genres than others. The SoundPal sounds great with hip-hop and EDM, but we don’t think Beethoven meant for the cellos to have so much oomph.

Battery life is also impressive and can definitely be used for at least 3.5 hours without charge. We haven’t had the opportunity to use it longer to test the claimed 5 hours of usage. Approximately 2 weeks in, we did encounter a problem where the headphones would not hold their charge, and would only last for approximately 15 minutes. It fixed itself, however, after using it twice until it died, and allowing for it to fully charge again. Looking through the reviews on Amazon, it looks like many of the poor ratings are due to battery-related issues.

Our only other complaints are that the sound starts cutting out starting around 4-5 feet away from your device and you have to be mindful about keeping it properly charged (they do not recommend that you leave it on the charger after it has completed charging). But these two complaints are really general complaints about all bluetooth headphones, particularly the charging inconvenience.

Four months into using the SoundPal ST16 and it continues to work perfectly. The overall rating on Amazon has dropped down slightly to 4 stars, but continues to receive predominantly positive reviews. It has also dropped significantly in Amazon’s bestselling list, but this appears to be primarily due to the large influx of new competitors.

Lastly, it appears that, as we now see with many other Amazon products, this appears to be a “generic” design that is also sold under other brands and names, that use the same overall design, but give some unique visual tweaks. These include, the TaoTronics Bluetooth Earbuds, Wireless Sweatproof Sports Headphones and SoundPEATS Bluetooth Headphones
which both have great overall reviews, as well.

After using the SoundPal ST16 headphones over the last five months, we are confident enough to recommend it as an option for anyone looking for a pair of budget bluetooth earphones.

Want to learn more, check out user reviews, or ready to purchase the SoundPal ST16? Here are links to help get you started, along with links to the TaoTronics Bluetooth Earbuds and SoudPEATS Bluetooth Headphones: