I remember my first TWS (True Wireless Stereo) earbuds, the Xiaomi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2. At some point, they were also called the Xiaomi Redmi AirDots. But as they say, “A rose by any other name, still smells as sweet”. They cost me a grand total of around Rs. 4999/- and were my constant companion from 2019. Even when I splurged on higher end earbuds such as the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro and Liberty 2 Air, and my Soundcore Space Q45 Headphones, I kept coming back to my trust AirDots because for that price, nothing else sounded quite like it and I had no reason to upgrade.
Fast forward almost 7 years and I decided the time was right for me to test the waters and see how times had changed. A bit of googling led me to the Redmi Buds 6 Play, available at SimplyTek and other electronics accessories stores for Rs. 4,999/-. Would these earbuds be a worthy successor to claim the title of the “king of budget earbuds”? Well, that’s what I intended to find out.
Image credit: Mahesh de Andrado
They’re definitely fun-sized
Available in colors of white, black, blue and pink, the Redmi Buds 6 Play measure around 53.9*53.9*27.4mm (L*W*H) and weigh in at just 40g. Each earbud is just 3.6g and measures around 20.6*14.5*22mm (L*W*H). That is a significantly small footprint, comparable to my old AirDots. So far things are looking good. The Buds 6 Play boasts an overall playtime of 36 hours via the Charging case and the earbuds themselves are rated for around 7.5 hours of use on a single charge.
The case features a USB Type C port on the back for charging and a pairing button on the right side in case you want to reset the earbuds or pair them with an additional device. The buds themselves are devoid of buttons, relying purely on touch controls that can be configured, but more on that later. In case you have not so average ears, the Redmi Buds 6 Play also ships with medium ear caps preinstalled on the buds. If they don’t fit, simply swap them out for either the small or large ear caps and you’re good to go.
The buds themselves are rated IPX4 for water resistance meaning they can handle an occasional splash of water, but I don’t advise you to use them in the rain or while you’re in the shower. If you’re sweaty from a workout or a walk, then it’s fine. Apart from that, steer them clear away from any and all liquids.
Image credit: Mahesh de Andrado
Your Beat, your way
Setting up the Redmi Buds 6 Play was a breeze. They have Google Fast Pair, enabling quick effortless Bluetooth pairing with Android devices. I just flipped open the lid and immediately a prompt appeared on my Android device to connect to the buds. Once paired and connected, I was able to see individual battery levels on the earbuds as well as on the case. The buds also connect to Google’s Find Hub, giving me their last used location. In addition, it gave me the option to install the Xiaomi Earbuds app for added customisability.
After installing the Xiaomi Earbuds app, I was able to set up the touch controls for play/pause, previous/next track, as well as to launch my voice assistant. The interface of the app itself is quite appealing and gave me the impression that the earbuds were of a much higher price tier than they looked. Once all that was set up, it was time to get down to my favorite part: listening to music.
Image credit: Mahesh de Andrado
The sound signature of the Redmi Buds 6 Play is indeed impressive for the price paid. At the LKR 5,000/- price point, you’re either going to get earbuds that have way too much bass, or way too much treble, but with the Buds 6 Play, it was smack dab in the middle, just the way I like it. The 10mm dynamic drivers are apparently fine-tuned by Xiaomi Acoustic Lab which is a nice touch, so I decided to put it through its paces.
My playlist is eccentric to say the least. It ranges from heavy metal, to pop, to rap, hip-hop, electronic, dubstep, and everything in between. Basically, if it has a beat I can groove to, it gets added to my playlist. One thing I noticed about my previous Redmi Airdots was that over time, the bass quality dropped (probably due to wear and tear). With the Redmi Buds 6 Play, I could actually enhance the bass via one of the 5 preset EQ modes, and it actually made a tangible difference to my listening experience. The Buds 6 Play use Bluetooth 5.4 with a low latency mode which helps sync game audio and video so when you get a headshot in Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM), you hear it immediately and not like 3 seconds later.
I switched to my iPhone and installed the app and all my settings (controls, EQ) synced to that too. Once again for the price I paid, I could honestly not find anything to complain about with these buds. They got progressively louder and would obviously distort at very high-volume levels but at the 50-60% mark, these buds are really something. Bass notes are reproduced really well, with very little tinniness which is usually quite common for earbuds in this price range.
Image credit: Mahesh de Andrado
In terms of battery life, the 7 hours seems to be holding true as well as I have kept them connected to my laptop for a full workday and they’ve lasted with no issues at all. Xiaomi (aka Redmi) says that a quick 10-minute charge of the buds in the case gives you up to 3 hours of music, with a full charge of both the case and the earbuds taking around one hour. There’s no wireless charging, but you can’t ask for everything and the kitchen sink at that price.
All things considered, am I happy with the Redmi Buds 6 Play? That’s a resounding yes. They’re small, compact, have great sound for what you pay for and have some cool features like Google Fast Pair, and low latency mode. Would I recommend it to anyone on the lookout for a new pair of Bluetooth earbuds? Most definitely Yes!