In September last year, Redmi introduced the Redmi Buds 5, a pair of true wireless earphones priced at just 199 yuan. Since its release, this headset has gained immense popularity and quickly became a hot-selling product. It demonstrated to the entire industry that a wireless headset can offer outstanding sound quality and convenient operation at an affordable price. One year later, during the Redmi brand’s 10th-anniversary press conference, Redmi unveiled another cost-effective gem – the Redmi Buds 6, maintaining the same price of 199 yuan.
Marking a significant new product for the brand’s tenth anniversary, the Redmi Buds 6 brings comprehensive upgrades in sound quality, noise reduction, and battery life. For the first time in this price range, Redmi has incorporated a high-end dual-sound unit design, delivering a flagship-level audio experience to a broader user base. This makes Redmi Buds 6 the brand’s most value-driven in-ear headphones to date.
The Redmi Buds 6 features a ceramic coaxial dual-unit architecture, similar to the Buds 5 Pro. It integrates a 12.4mm ultra-large titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic unit and a 5.5mm micro-piezoelectric ceramic unit, offering top-notch sound quality. This dual-unit design enables the earphones to cover the full range of high, mid, and low frequencies, providing a natural and immersive audio experience.
Redmi Buds 6 has significantly enhanced noise reduction, supporting up to 49dB of active noise cancellation. As the most effective in-ear headset Redmi has released so far, it efficiently blocks external noise, catering to users in various environments. Whether on bustling city streets, high-speed trains, or airplanes, users can enjoy a peaceful listening experience.
Battery life has also improved, with Redmi Buds 6 now offering up to 42 hours of total playback time, an increase from the 40 hours provided by the previous model, ensuring a longer usage experience.
Let’s explore how the Redmi Buds 6 delivers exceptional sound quality and convenience in everyday use.
Design
The charging box of Redmi Buds 6 embraces a streamlined “light cloud” design concept, giving the product a lightweight and elegant appearance, resembling a soft cloud.
Its surface skillfully blends glossy and matte finishes, creating a visually striking contrast and offering a rich tactile experience.
The charging port of the battery compartment uses a Type-C interface and includes a breathing light on the top. With the upgraded cloud-crevice lighting effect 2.0, it indicates the battery status: when power is below 25%, 1 light flash; 25%-50% shows 2 light bars; 50%-75% shows 3 light bars; and above 75%, all 4 light bars light up, making it easy to check the battery level at a glance.
Redmi Buds 6 includes a golden touch bar on the back, which allows you to adjust song changes, volume, and noise reduction settings with ease. Various sensors and microphones on the inside enable functions such as calls, wear detection, and noise reduction. Each earphone weighs only 5.2g, ensuring an almost weightless wearing experience. Inside the package, Redmi Buds 6 provides a Type-C data cable, two sets of earplugs in large and small sizes, and an instruction manual.
Sound Quality and Noise Reduction
In-ear headphones naturally excel in noise reduction, especially when listening to pure music, where this effect becomes quite evident.
Sound Quality Test
The 12.4mm super-large titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic unit in the Redmi Buds6 effectively enhances daily pop music listening. During the sound quality test, I first listened to the rhythmic track “Sixth Sense,” where Redmi Buds6 captured the unique rhythm of each instrument, presenting the song with remarkable clarity and order.
The earbuds demonstrated impressive layering, maintaining a well-managed volume gradient and clear separation between the main melody and background music, ensuring musical harmony and unity. In the high-frequency range, the Redmi Buds6 performed purely without noticeable acoustic flaws, accurately reproducing the delicate sounds of high-frequency instruments like violins and pianos.
Listening to “Crossing,” the initial three drum beats sounded incredibly crisp. The earbuds captured the singer’s unique voice and emotional nuances with clarity, making every word distinct. The vocals remained balanced and natural with the instrumental accompaniment, allowing me to feel the song’s emotions and stories deeply. This precise vocal detail showcased the Redmi Buds6’s exceptional vocal reproduction abilities.
Noise Reduction Test
The Redmi Buds6 offers three noise reduction modes: light, balanced, and deep, capable of achieving up to 49dB deep noise reduction. It adapts effectively across various settings—cafes, parks, offices, and libraries—catering to different user needs.
I tested the noise reduction in three scenarios:
- Indoor Environment: With a background noise level of around 56.7dB, the mild noise reduction mode effectively cuts down high-frequency noise, such as the mechanical keyboard tapping in an office. Switching to deep noise reduction, reduced continuous low-frequency noises (computer fans, electric fans, and air-conditioning vibrations) by about 70%, while keyboard tapping sounds were diminished by over half. This mode provided a quieter working environment without causing discomfort, even during extended wear. I recommend using mild noise reduction for typical office settings.
- Outdoor or Near Windows: With ambient noise reaching 66.4dB, activating the deep noise reduction mode significantly minimized tire friction sounds. While sharp horn noises still penetrated, they were noticeably softened compared to when noise reduction was off, leading to a quieter listening experience.
- Near Busy Roads: Noise levels reached 76.3dB, with car engines, tire friction, and horns creating substantial interference. Enabling the deep noise reduction mode effectively cut these low-frequency sounds by about 50%. Although high-frequency horn sounds weren’t fully eliminated, the reduction remained evident, dramatically lowering the overall noise level.
These noise reduction capabilities of the Redmi Buds6 greatly enhance the listening experience, providing a quieter and more comfortable auditory environment, even in noisy outdoor settings.
Charging and Battery Life
Charging Test
At 3:00 PM, both earbuds had 60% power remaining. We placed them in the charging case, and after 5 minutes, the left earbud reached 75%, the right earbud reached 80%, and both eventually hit 90%.
This indicates that the earbuds charge at an average rate of about 3% per minute, taking approximately 34 minutes to go from empty to fully charged. With this speed, you can quickly charge them while getting ready in the morning, ensuring they have enough power for commuting or outdoor activities.
Battery Life Test
We set the headphone volume to about 20%, disabled noise reduction, and turned off the spatial audio feature. After listening to music for 1 hour, the left earbud had used 10% of its power, while the right earbud used 5%, averaging a 7.5% power consumption per hour. Therefore, when fully charged, the earbuds can last approximately 13 hours.
Verdict
Redmi Buds 6, released to mark the Redmi brand’s tenth anniversary, builds on its predecessor’s affordability while offering significant upgrades in sound quality, noise cancellation, and battery life.
Firstly, Redmi Buds 6 features a dual-structure design with a 12.4mm ultra-large titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic unit and a 5.5mm micro-piezoelectric ceramic unit. This innovative combination elevates the sound quality, delivering a well-balanced range of high, mid, and low frequencies. During tests, the bass showcased depth and elasticity, making it ideal for both rhythmic electronic music and emotionally rich jazz. The high frequencies stood out as well, with clear, pure tones and intricate details that provide an enjoyable listening experience.
The noise reduction capabilities of Redmi Buds 6 are impressive. Even in noisy environments like busy streets, the earbuds effectively minimize ambient sounds, such as engine and traffic noise. While it may not match the noise-cancellation performance of premium in-ear headphones, Redmi Buds 6 excels for daily use in offices, commuting, or reading, surpassing expectations for its price range.
Overall, the Redmi Buds 6 is a highly cost-effective true wireless headset. It excels in sound quality, noise reduction, and battery life, offering exceptional value. If you’re looking for an outstanding audio experience at an affordable price, Redmi Buds 6 is an excellent choice.
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