Cleer Arc 3 Review: Excellent Sports Earbuds That Still Have Room for Refinement, Especially in the Case

Cleer Arc 3 Review

I have always liked the Cleer Arc sports earbuds, now in their third generation. I think they are well-engineered and beautiful. Unfortunately, they never fit my ears, as well as sports earbuds that allow for speaker adjustments via a hinge or ratchet (like some from Tozo or OpenRock). It almost hurts that I can push down on my ears and momentarily hear the quality of the audio I don’t experience when they sit in their normal position relative to my anatomy.

That said, I still enjoy hours of music and podcasts while wearing Cleer’s products. With Cleer 3, the company introduces a new case with a display, along with a few other technical innovations to improve the audio experience.

The new case, however, comes with some new issues, most notably poor stand-by time for the charging system (case and earbuds) and what some might consider, myself included, unnecessary features like UV-C sterilization and a mirror. The first Cleer Arc product didn’t include a battery in the case. The second did, but it was larger than this case. As much as Cleer gets sound engineering, case engineering seems to be a challenge. I’d rather see the company work on innovations to fit more ear sizes than spending time, introducing costs in the case.

The Cleer ARC 3 earbuds, however, still deliver the excellent engineering and manufacturing Cleer is known for.

For those seeking a gaming experience, Cleer offers a lower-latency version of the ARC 3s that includes a transceiver to deliver a more consistent connection than can be had with Bluetooth.

ARC 3 Specs

General

• Driver:16.2mm Driver
• Frequency Response: (Bluetooth): 50Hz-40kHz
• Microphones:cVc 2-mic Beamforming
• Bluetooth: Version5.4
• IP Rating: IPX7
• Controls: Touch
• Motion detection: 6 Axis Motion Sensor enabling head gesture controls
• Supported Audio Formats: AptX Adaptive, AptX Lossless, LDAC, SBC, AAC)
• Battery: Up to 10hrs, In total 50hrs with charging case (USB-C or Qi) With 10-minute Quick charge providing 1 hour of playback.
• Weight:12g (per earbud) 130g (both earbuds and case)
• Health: UV-C Earbud sterilization
• Warranty: 1 year

What we like

The Cleer Arc 3 headphones deliver audio performance that stands out clearly among open-ear designs. Music reproduction is crisp, with impressive clarity across high and mid frequencies. The enhanced bass ensures a full-bodied listening experience, adding depth without overwhelming vocals or finer instrumental details. Whether streaming music or enjoying podcasts, the audio quality remains consistently engaging.

While optimized for Dolby Atmos to bring multi-dimensional audio and spatial depth, the open-ear design works but is suboptimal depending on fit. For those with the speakers even with their ear canal (or held there temporarily), the soundstage feels expansive, creating immersive audio. Resting above the ear canal, the Dolby Atmos support is less impressive.

When well-placed, the Dolby Atmos feature enhances the perception of depth and directionality, making audio content more lifelike. Additionally, the inclusion of head-tracking technology ensures that as users move their heads, the audio dynamically adjusts to maintain alignment with the visual action, further enhancing immersion. This combination of spatial audio and responsive head tracking provides a rich and interactive auditory experience for most. 

Cleer’s open-ear design prioritizes user safety and comfort by allowing ambient sounds to filter through naturally. This is particularly advantageous for outdoor runners, cyclists, or urban commuters who need to remain aware of their surroundings. The design feels unobtrusive, balancing comfort with practicality, supporting prolonged periods of use without completely isolating users from external environmental cues.

The Arc 3s offers highly responsive touch controls for managing music playback, adjusting volume, and handling calls. Its voice control integration further enhances usability, allowing hands-free operations through Siri or Google Assistant. Users will appreciate the convenience of intuitive controls, minimizing the need to frequently interact with their paired device. Many of the touch controls are mimicked on the case.

With an IPX7 rating, the Cleer Arc 3 headphones are fully equipped for rigorous activities, easily resisting sweat, rain, and even temporary submersion. Athletes and fitness enthusiasts will find this particularly reassuring, as it eliminates concerns of damage from moisture or intensive workouts.

The Arc 3’s smart charging case introduces an innovative touchscreen interface, displaying battery status and charging progress clearly. Its built-in UV sterilization feature offers an additional hygiene benefit, reducing bacteria buildup—a thoughtful addition for some, but I’m not sure a necessary one for a rarely shared device that doesn’t actually enter the ear. I’m also not sold on the need or cost of including a mirror. While the intent was likely aimed at people applying or repairing makeup or fixing their hair, I don’t see many people turning to their earbud case for that, but rather flipping their phone to the front camera.

The Cleer Arc 3 employs Bluetooth 5.4, providing reliable and swift connectivity. Multipoint connectivity allows simultaneous pairing with multiple devices, such as smartphones and laptops, streamlining transitions between work calls, entertainment, and daily tasks.

The Cleer Arc 3s are available in black, blue, green, light gray and pink.

What could be improved

The Cleer Arc 3’s charging case, despite its innovative touchscreen and UV sterilization features, is noticeably larger than many other cases, though a large case is common with sports earbuds, though it is significantly larger than the Tozo Open Buds–and the Open Rock X sports earbuds are a whole different story. Regardless, the Clear Arc case isn’t overly pocketable, even though it is smaller than the Arc 2 generation.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment in the Arc 3s is the poor stand-by time on the case. If I don’t use the Arc 3s for a couple of days, I find the charging system depleted. I do not experience this with other display-enabled headphones/earbuds, most notably, the JBL Tour Pro 2 and 3.

The sterilization feature needs a timing function. Playing with the headphones, such as trying to get them to pair to another device, involves removing the headphones multiple times without ever wearing them. Sterilization gets turned on each time the earbuds return to the case. Cleer should consider a function such as: If the headphones were just sterilized and less than some time (X time) has passed, don’t sterilize them again. Sterilization interrupts the problem-solving flow.

Due to its open-ear design, the Arc 3 inherently lacks effective noise isolation, making it less suitable for noisy environments such as busy cafes, public transport, or airplanes. While situational awareness is a selling point, users hoping for isolation from ambient noise might find their listening experience compromised, particularly when ambient noise levels are high.

Although the Cleer Arc 3 is ergonomically designed, user comfort can vary significantly. Some users report discomfort or fatigue after extended periods of wear, which might stem from differences in ear anatomy.

My fit issues did not result in discomfort, just a less immersive audio experience. For others like me, comfort may not be an issue, but alignment to the ear canal severely constrains the ARC 3’s ability to deliver on its audio performance promise.

Priced at $219.99 (sometimes discounted online), the Cleer Arc 3 positions itself at the premium end of the market. While its robust features justify the investment for audiophiles and tech enthusiasts, budget-conscious consumers or casual users might find the cost high. Competitors offer alternatives at lower prices, although with fewer features, such as Tozo with its Open Buds, which might prove attractive to those sensitive to price.

I would also like to see Cleer invest in more sustainable packaging.

Cleer Arc 3: The bottom line

The Cleer Arc 3 earbuds deliver impressive audio performance and thoughtful engineering that clearly positions them among the leading open-ear designs. With Dolby Atmos and head-tracking capabilities, they promise—and largely deliver—an immersive listening experience, though success depends heavily on individual ear fit. Unfortunately, Cleer’s ongoing struggle with consistent ergonomic comfort and ear fit adjustments remains unresolved, compromising sound quality for some users.

The new touchscreen-equipped case, while innovative, adds questionable features like UV sterilization and a mirror, increasing costs without justifying cost against benefits. Shortcomings in case standby battery life further complicate daily use.

Despite these issues, the Arc 3 earbuds remain a compelling choice for active users prioritizing situational awareness, durability, and audio fidelity, provided the fit aligns well with their anatomy.

Cleer provided the Arc 3 for review. Images courtesy of Cleer unless otherwise noted.

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