Redmi Buds 6 Lite Review

The Redmi Buds 6 Lite positions itself as a budget-friendly entry into the world of true wireless earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). After using them for five months, here’s my experience with these lightweight audio companions.

First Impressions and Design:

My initial thoughts upon unboxing were how remarkably lightweight both the earbuds and the compact charging case are. The case easily slips into pockets, making them highly portable. The earbuds themselves fit my ears well, and after switching to the medium-sized ear tips (small and large are also included), I found a secure fit that never caused them to fall out during daily activities. The design of the buds is sleek and understated. After five months of regular use, the earbuds remain scratch-free and look new, a testament to their decent build quality. While the case has accumulated a few minor scratches, it’s nothing significant.

Comfort and Fit:

I found the Redmi Buds 6 Lite comfortable to wear for extended periods, averaging 4-5 hours of daily use without experiencing any ear fatigue. The secure fit, once the correct ear tip size was selected, ensured they stayed in place comfortably.

Sound Quality:

For their price, the Redmi Buds 6 Lite offer surprisingly good and balanced sound. The bass is present without being overwhelming, mids are clear, and highs are crisp, making them suitable for various music genres like the rock and metal I primarily tested. Supporting both AAC and SBC codecs, they aim for decent audio quality, with AAC potentially offering a slight edge on compatible devices. The sound is enjoyable for everyday listening and can be further tailored using the equalizer in the Xiaomi Earbuds app.

Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode:

The Active Noise Cancellation proved to be around 60% effective in reducing ambient noise in environments like the city, buses, and taxis when listening without music. When paired with music at around 80% volume, it effectively isolated me from most outside sounds. However, I did notice an issue where uneven external noise on either the left or right earbud could cause the ANC to struggle, sometimes leading to a decrease in volume or a change in the bass and treble balance.

The Transparency Mode performed as intended, allowing me to clearly hear conversations without removing the earbuds. Setting the music volume to around 20% allowed me to remain aware of my surroundings, but pushing the volume higher rendered the transparency mode less effective. Using transparency mode with music playing didn’t introduce any noticeable issues.

Call Quality:

Call quality was generally okay. I could hear the other person clearly, and they reported being able to hear me without significant issues. The AI noise reduction for calls seemed to work in certain scenarios, effectively minimizing some background noise.

Battery Life:

The battery life has been impressive. Over my five months of use, I rarely managed to drain the battery completely, consistently having around 10-15% remaining after mixed usage. With ANC enabled, I averaged about 5 hours of playtime, and without ANC, this extended to 6-7 hours easily. The charging case boasts a substantial battery, lasting me around three days on a single charge with multiple recharges of the buds. I’ve fully charged the earbuds from the case approximately 4-5 times on a full case charge. The case takes around 2 hours to fully charge, but the earbuds themselves charge quickly, with a 15-minute charge providing 2-3 hours of listening time.

Connectivity and Pairing:

The Bluetooth 5.3 connection is fast and reliable, thanks to Google Fast Pair. Opening the case near my Android phone resulted in a connection within 2-3 seconds. I experienced no noticeable connectivity dropouts during my usage.

Touch Controls:

The touch controls were a bit of a mixed bag. Single taps, double taps, and long presses generally worked well. However, the triple tap gesture was often unreliable, leading me to disable it in the app. The app allows for easy customization of these controls, and the long press function can be set to toggle between ANC, Transparency mode, or activate the voice assistant.

Xiaomi Earbuds App:

The Xiaomi Earbuds app is user-friendly and easy to navigate. It allows for customization of the equalizer, switching between ANC and Transparency modes, locating lost earbuds via a sound playback feature, and, as mentioned, customizing the touch gestures.

Issues and Quirks:

Beyond the touch control inconsistencies, I encountered a couple of other issues. The long press gesture for toggling ANC/Transparency could sometimes get mixed up, activating the wrong mode on either the left or right earbud. This was occasionally annoying and hopefully could be addressed with a software update. Secondly, I sometimes experienced a stereo imbalance when watching videos or listening to music, where one earbud would be noticeably louder than the other. Pausing playback for about five seconds usually resolved this. Finally, my initial pair of earbuds had a significant battery drain issue in the left earbud, leading to rapid depletion. I returned them under warranty and received a new pair. I would advise potential buyers to check the battery performance upon initial purchase.

Pros:

Lightweight and portable design.
Comfortable and secure fit for extended use.
Surprisingly good and balanced sound quality for the price.
Decent Active Noise Cancellation, especially with music playing.
Functional Transparency Mode.
Good battery life with fast charging for the earbuds.
Fast and stable Bluetooth connection with Google Fast Pair.
Customizable touch controls and EQ via the user-friendly Xiaomi Earbuds app.
Excellent value for money, especially with recent price drops.
Cons:

Inconsistent triple-tap touch control.
Potential for mixed-up ANC/Transparency long press activation.
Occasional stereo imbalance issue requiring a temporary pause.
Potential quality control issues with battery drain (as experienced with the first pair).
ANC performance can be affected by uneven external noise.

Conclusion:

The Redmi Buds 6 Lite offers a compelling package for users looking to experience Active Noise Cancellation and good sound quality without breaking the bank. While there are a few quirks and potential quality control considerations to be aware of, the comfortable fit, long battery life, and feature-rich app contribute to a positive overall experience, especially considering their affordable price point.

Who should buy them?

I would recommend the Redmi Buds 6 Lite to anyone who wants to try Active Noise Cancellation for the first time and enjoys good sound quality at a fair price. They are a solid entry-level option for budget-conscious buyers.