TechAudioHeadphonesCleer ARC II Sport review: open-ear workout headphones done rightCleer’s sporty headphones sound great and fit beautifullyWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictAs far as open-ear workout headphones go, the Cleer ARC II Sport is pretty much perfect, even though for the price, you can get noise-cancelling earbuds with transparency mode, providing more versatility. However, the Cleer ARC II Sport headphones produce a good enough sound to please audiophiles and are resilient enough for workouts, so if these are your priorities, they’re worth considering.Reasons to buy+Secure yet comfortable fit+Powerful sound+Awe-inspiring sound clarity for open-ear headphones of such size+Supports aptX Lossless technology+Snapdragon Sound certification+Multipoint connectivityReasons to avoid-Cleer+ app is pretty basic-Motion control is a bit gimmickyWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechAudioHeadphonesCleer ARC II Sport review: open-ear workout headphones done rightCleer’s sporty headphones sound great and fit beautifullyWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictAs far as open-ear workout headphones go, the Cleer ARC II Sport is pretty much perfect, even though for the price, you can get noise-cancelling earbuds with transparency mode, providing more versatility. However, the Cleer ARC II Sport headphones produce a good enough sound to please audiophiles and are resilient enough for workouts, so if these are your priorities, they’re worth considering.Reasons to buy+Secure yet comfortable fit+Powerful sound+Awe-inspiring sound clarity for open-ear headphones of such size+Supports aptX Lossless technology+Snapdragon Sound certification+Multipoint connectivityReasons to avoid-Cleer+ app is pretty basic-Motion control is a bit gimmickyWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Cleer’s sporty headphones sound great and fit beautifully
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictAs far as open-ear workout headphones go, the Cleer ARC II Sport is pretty much perfect, even though for the price, you can get noise-cancelling earbuds with transparency mode, providing more versatility. However, the Cleer ARC II Sport headphones produce a good enough sound to please audiophiles and are resilient enough for workouts, so if these are your priorities, they’re worth considering.Reasons to buy+Secure yet comfortable fit+Powerful sound+Awe-inspiring sound clarity for open-ear headphones of such size+Supports aptX Lossless technology+Snapdragon Sound certification+Multipoint connectivityReasons to avoid-Cleer+ app is pretty basic-Motion control is a bit gimmicky
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
T3 VerdictAs far as open-ear workout headphones go, the Cleer ARC II Sport is pretty much perfect, even though for the price, you can get noise-cancelling earbuds with transparency mode, providing more versatility. However, the Cleer ARC II Sport headphones produce a good enough sound to please audiophiles and are resilient enough for workouts, so if these are your priorities, they’re worth considering.Reasons to buy+Secure yet comfortable fit+Powerful sound+Awe-inspiring sound clarity for open-ear headphones of such size+Supports aptX Lossless technology+Snapdragon Sound certification+Multipoint connectivityReasons to avoid-Cleer+ app is pretty basic-Motion control is a bit gimmicky
T3 VerdictAs far as open-ear workout headphones go, the Cleer ARC II Sport is pretty much perfect, even though for the price, you can get noise-cancelling earbuds with transparency mode, providing more versatility. However, the Cleer ARC II Sport headphones produce a good enough sound to please audiophiles and are resilient enough for workouts, so if these are your priorities, they’re worth considering.
T3 Verdict
As far as open-ear workout headphones go, the Cleer ARC II Sport is pretty much perfect, even though for the price, you can get noise-cancelling earbuds with transparency mode, providing more versatility. However, the Cleer ARC II Sport headphones produce a good enough sound to please audiophiles and are resilient enough for workouts, so if these are your priorities, they’re worth considering.
Reasons to buy+Secure yet comfortable fit+Powerful sound+Awe-inspiring sound clarity for open-ear headphones of such size+Supports aptX Lossless technology+Snapdragon Sound certification+Multipoint connectivityReasons to avoid-Cleer+ app is pretty basic-Motion control is a bit gimmicky
Reasons to buy+Secure yet comfortable fit+Powerful sound+Awe-inspiring sound clarity for open-ear headphones of such size+Supports aptX Lossless technology+Snapdragon Sound certification+Multipoint connectivity
Secure yet comfortable fit
Powerful sound
Awe-inspiring sound clarity for open-ear headphones of such size
Supports aptX Lossless technology
Snapdragon Sound certification
Multipoint connectivity
Reasons to avoid-Cleer+ app is pretty basic-Motion control is a bit gimmicky
Cleer+ app is pretty basic
Motion control is a bit gimmicky
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Cleer Audio ARC II Sport deals
$189.99$169.99View$189.99$169.99ViewNo price informationCheck Amazon
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$189.99$169.99View
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$189.99$169.99
$169.99
$189.99$169.99View
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Open-air headphones are particularly popular among runners who prefer to stay aware of their surroundings. Very rightly so; when running on the road, you’re part of the traffic, including cars, bicycles, etc. Open-ear headphones provide much-needed spatial awareness while allowing you to listen to music or podcasts on the go.
Shokz is probably the biggest – or, at least, the most well-known – player in the open-ear headphones business, but many others produce quality audio equipment with spatial awareness capabilities. Cleer is one of these brands, and with their latest fitness-oriented offering, the ARC II Sport, they hit the nail on the head.
I’ve been testing the Cleer ARC II Sport for a couple of weeks and was thoroughly happy with the performance of these headphones. In fact, I think the ARC II Sport are one of thebest workout headphonesfor people who like high-quality audio and aren’t keen on either passive or active noise cancellation. Interested? Read my full Cleer ARC II Sport review below to find out more.
(First reviewed July 2023.)
Cleer ARC II Sport review: price and availability
The Cleer ARC II Sport headphones were released in June 2023 and are available to buy now directly fromCleer Audio USandCleer Audio UKfor $189/ £199 (approx. AU$ 283). This is a significant price increase from the first iteration of the ARC series, which used to cost $129/ £129. The buds are also available atAmazon UKandAmazon US.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Cleer ARC II Sport review: specifications
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Cleer ARC II Sport review: design and build quality
The Cleer ARC II Sport headphones have an open-ear design with a flexible earhook hinge. Open-ear means that the buds don’t sit deep in your ear canal; instead, they are hooked around the top of the ear and sit higher up, leaving your ears partially uncovered. This allows for more spatial awareness, which is helpful in some situations but not others.
Instead of resonating with the cheekbones, the Cleer ARC II Sport uses traditional drivers to produce sound, and the 16.2mm neodymium drivers indeed do an excellent job (more on this below). The speakers sit at the top of the ear canal, which takes some time to get used to, but thanks to the hinged design, the Cleer ARC II Sport is comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.
I like the Cleer ARC II Sport’s carry case with its magnetic closure and UV light, the latter of which ensures the headphones stay bacteria-free (in theory, anyway). The case isn’t waterproof, but the ARC II Sport itself is IPX5 water-resistant and sweatproof, meaning that you can wash it under running water (again, in theory). I haven’t tested this, though, so be careful. Trickling water should be fine.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Cleer ARC II Sport review: sound quality and performance
I used Shokz bone-conduction headphones before, so when I heard the word ‘open-ear’, I expected a similar listening experience to those. Boy, was I wrong! The Cleer ARC II Sport is leaps and bounds ahead of bone-conduction headphones in terms of sound quality, thanks to the 16.2mm neodymium drivers with aptX Adaptive technology, not to mention the slew of lossless audio features, including aptX Lossless technology, Snapdragon Sound certification and LE Audio compatibility.
Better still – and I know this is something to be expected from wireless earbuds these days – the ARC II Sport has Bluetooth 5.3, which seems to provide a solid connection between your smartphone and the headphones.
I went for a few runs with the Cleer ARC II Sport and used it many times for listening to music at work and home. Fit seems to be on point; the headphones are adequately secured using the earhooks. In my experience, they stayed put no matter how vigorously I wiggled my head (although I didn’t go crazy with the shaking). I also wore the Cleer ARC II Sport with reading glasses, and although the hooks aren’t thin, the area behind my ears didn’t feel busy.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
I was particularly fond of the stereo effect and the lossless audio quality. I generally listen to music from various genres, which is ideal for testing headphones. This time, I was lucky enough that the testing period coincided with the release of the latest Queens of the Stone Age album and the soundtrack for the new Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, among other things. Plus, I just renewed myAppleMusic subscription to ensure the music streamed is truly lossless.
One final note: the open-ear design allows ambient sound to enter your ear; however, it’s not quite the same level as bone-conduction headphones. It’s a happy medium kind of situation, as the semi-open design does provide a minimum amount of passive isolation while also allowing you to hear sounds around you.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Cleer ARC II Sport review: verdict
As far as open-ear workout headphones go, the Cleer ARC II Sport is pretty much perfect. It offers long battery life, crisp sound, a comfortable yet secure fit, and an IPX5 water rating. It produces a good enough sound to please audiophiles and is resilient enough for workouts. I loved the stereo effect of the headphones and the fact I could listen to songs with such clarity without compromising spatial awareness while out running.
My biggest problem is – and this is true for all open-ear headphones – that I wonder if there is a need for open-ear headphones. You see, thebest wireless earbudsoften have transparency mode, which allows ambient sound to enter the ears, similar to open-air headphones. But unlike open-ear buds, in-ear headphones also often have ANC, enabling you to enjoy the best of both worlds: spatial awarenessandisolation.
For the price of the Cleer ARC II Sport, you can buy decentnoise-cancelling wireless buds(with transparency mode), narrowing down the pool of potential buyers. However, it’s worth noting that even the most sophisticated transparency mode can’t match the spatial awareness of open-ear headphones. Plus, few sports earbuds in this price bracket have such balanced sounds as the Cleer ARC II Sport.
Recommend for:those who prefer lossless music streaming and are also keen runners/cyclists.
Cleer ARC II Sport review: also consider
These days, the Beats Powerbeats Pro can be bought for less than the recommended retail price of the Cleer ARC II Sport, so they are well worth considering foriPhoneusers. It’s not the latest and greatest tech from Beats, but they sound beautiful and provide a secure fit. Read Duncan’s fullBeats Powerbeats Pro review.
Another option for audiophile gym rats might be the Shure Aonic 215 Gen 2. There is no ANC, but they sit in your ears, so the buds filter out noise better than the Cleer ARC II Sport. Shure claims the components of the Aonic 215 Gen 2 were “developed for the pros” and that you “hear the highs, the lows and everything in between” when listening to music or podcasts through the buds. I tend to agree. Read my fullShure Aonic 215 Gen 2 review.
Cleer Audio ARC II Sport: Price Comparison
$189.99$169.99View$189.99$169.99ViewNo price informationCheck Amazon
$189.99$169.99View
$189.99$169.99View
$189.99$169.99View
$189.99$169.99
$169.99
$189.99$169.99View
$189.99$169.99View
$189.99$169.99View
$189.99$169.99
$169.99
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price information
No price information
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