Emir Bardakçı
The Redmi range has been synonymous with a great deal by virtue, and the new Redmi Buds 6 is no different. The price of these earbuds is 199 yuan, meaning they are closer to the face value category of their counterparts and do not compete with the affordable ones—for instance, the Redmi Buds 6 Vitality Edition. But are they worth all the hype of their addition of active noise cancellation in a semi-ear design? Well, let’s find out.
Design and Comfort
The Redmi Buds 6S has that very familiar semi-in-ear design in which you avoid deeper insertion of an in-ear model. This is most helpful for a user who cannot find a way to fit in comfortably with an in-ear tip. Weighing at only 3.9 grams per earbud, these are very light and do not cause ear fatigue even when used over long durations. Moreover, they come with IP54 dust and water protection, suitable for workouts in the lightest rain.
Sound Quality
Moving on to the audio hardware, Xiaomi does not cut any corners—the Redmi Buds 6S features a 14.2mm dynamic driver with 0.45mm amplitude for powerful sound output. The more significant driver ensures a more affluent and broader soundstage with hearty lows and crisp highs. The support of the AAC codec is relatively superior to the essential SBC codec used in most budget wireless earbuds, thus providing much better sound quality, especially with Apple devices.
Active Noise Cancellation
To incorporate ANC in a half-ear design is tricky, but it works out fine on the Redmi Buds 6S. Having two modes—Balanced and Deep—makes their ANC functionality fairly versatile for use in other environments. Now, this will not give mission isolation like the in-ear designs do, but it would be good enough to keep out ambient noise during office hours or maybe while on the move for those commutes. The listening experience will be elevated without the annoying ‘clogged’ feeling that comes with in-ear buds.
Battery Life
The battery performance is relatively good; meanwhile, the buds can play up to 7 hours on a single charge. Combining this with the charging case will take you 33 hours in total. The fast charging comes in handy when one is short of time but still wants to enjoy great audio—a nice feature for people who often forget to keep their devices charged.
Connectivity and Added Features
The Redmi Buds 6S further gets Bluetooth 5.3, which is slightly downgraded compared to the 5.4 it came within the Vitality Edition, yet it secures stable and fast pairing. One key feature here is the intelligent dual-device connection, with the earbuds allowing connection to any two devices at any given time, sharing audio between them seamlessly. Spatial audio support is good also; it will afford a more full experience while listening to compatible content.
User Experience
The earbuds support a pop-up window for quick pairing via HyperOS, which is especially convenient for Xiaomi users. The touch controls are responsive and intuitive, allowing for seamless navigation between music playback and calls without having to dig in your pocket.
Price to Performance Ratio
Coming in at 199 yuan, the Redmi Buds 6S does start to form an attractive side. They strongly undercut a large part of the competition with similar features. These earbuds can be hard to top for their price, especially if there are any other bells and whistles, but for that amount, one can find earmuff features in it, if not all.
Final Verdict
It would be an excellent choice for people who want to find this semi-in-ear design comfortable and those who would not like to compromise on features. The sound quality is top-notch, the semi-in-ear design is commendable, the ANC is super, and the battery life and connectivity are great. All in all, the Redmi Buds 6S punch well above their price. Totally one to be considered, commuting, working, or just when home enjoying the different vibes of preferred music—that being the case.
Pros
- Comfortable semi-in-ear design with no ear fatigue.
- Good ANC for a semi-in-ear model.
- 14.2mm Dynamic driver impressive for sound. – Long battery life, with fast charging.
- Great value for the price.
Cons
- They’re not as strong as in-ear models with ANC
- Bluetooth 5.3 instead of 5.4.
For anyone looking for budget-centric earbuds with great features, the Redmi Buds 6S should definitely be on their list. They strike an excellent balance between performance and price tag, making this pair of buds stand out in the budget earbud category.
