Redmi Buds 4 Pro Review Philippines: Decent Budget HiFi TWS Earbuds. Redmi buds 4 pro
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro REVIEW: Much Better Than I Expected!
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro Review
On paper, the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have plenty of arguments to seduce customers. A claimed battery life of nine hours, dual transducers, LDAC compatibility, multipoint Bluetooth, active noise cancellation… all for a price of less than a hundred USD. But the spec sheet doesn’t tell the whole story, and to find out how good Xiaomi’s wireless earbuds really are, here’s our complete test.
Technical Specifications
| Earbud input parameters | 5.25V ⎓ 160mA MAX (single earbud) |
| Charging case input parameters | 5V ⎓ 0.5A MAX |
| Charging port | Type-C |
| Wireless connection | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Bluetooth protocols | Bluetooth Low Energy / HFP / A2DP / AVRCP |
| Operating distance | 10m (open space free of obstacles) |
| Speaker impedance | 24Ω |
Design
For its earbuds, Xiaomi offers a relatively classic design with earbuds that have stems and in-ear tips. This design choice has been tested over the years and ensures a secure fit when the earbuds are in the ear.
The Redmi Buds 4 Pro, however, stand out with a few original features. This includes the touch-sensitive surface, covered with a plastic Band that imitates metal to accentuate the stem’s line. Note, however, that the earbuds offer a fairly basic plastic that doesn’t particularly exude quality or solidity. Given their price of 100 USD, we don’t expect the highest quality plastic, but Xiaomi could have done a little better. This feeling is reinforced by the matte finish of the black version of the earbuds I had the opportunity to test – they also exist in white.
Once in the ear, the earbuds are comfortable and provide a good fit. I wore them for several consecutive hours without feeling any pressure against the cartilage of my ear or, at least, without it bothering me too much. This is helped by their weight of only 5 grams on the scale.
It’s also worth noting that Xiaomi provides its earbuds with three pairs of ear tips, ensuring you’ll find the right fit for your ears.
The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro charging case
Like all wireless earbuds, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro come with a charging case. It’s particularly compact, measuring 49 x 60 x 23 mm. This is a good thing because it will fit easily in a jean. including the front. and, even more so, in a jacket or purse.
In terms of design, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro case is not particularly original and offers a classic pebble-shaped design with a rounded shape. There is only one LED on the front to indicate the earbuds’ charging level or pairing status. On the bottom, there is a USB-C port. Finally, next to the port, Xiaomi has integrated a pairing button. In short, it’s all very classic. It’s a shame there isn’t a second LED to differentiate between the earbuds’ battery life and that of the case.
Water resistance and sport use of the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro are IP54 certified, meaning they are not only resistant to dust but also splashes and can be used in the rain or in a sports environment with sweat.
In practice, I had the opportunity to go on two running outings with the earbuds and did not experience any discomfort. The earbuds stayed in place well, and I didn’t feel like they were trying to escape from my ears.
Use and Application
The Redmi Buds 4 Pro only offer a quick pairing function when you connect them to a Xiaomi smartphone equipped with the MIUI system. Don’t panic! If you have a phone from another brand or want to connect them to a PC, you can still press the button on the case to put the earbuds in pairing mode, then select them in the Bluetooth settings of your device. However, a simpler solution, such as Google Fast Pair or Microsoft Swift Pair, would have been appreciated.
The touch controls of the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
As mentioned above, the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro are equipped with touch-sensitive surfaces on the stems. By default, several controls are available with these surfaces:
- Double tap: play/pause
- Triple tap: next track
- Long press: noise reduction
Right from the start, we have identical controls, regardless of which earbud we interact with.
However, the Xiaomi Earbuds app allows you to customize and extend these controls by differentiating them on the left and right. You can choose to assign the backward skip to triple tap on the left or the voice assistant to long press on the left or right. It’s also possible to adjust the volume by tapping three times on the left or right. However, this will replace the track change control.
This can then be assigned to double tap on the left or right but will replace the play/pause control this time. In short, with six possible controls – and the inability to assign volume control to long press – it’s impossible to take advantage of all the settings. Nevertheless, we appreciate the customization options offered.
The Xiaomi Earbuds app
We’ve already mentioned it, but it’s worth noting again: Xiaomi finally offers a control app for its wireless earbuds. Previously only available in the Chinese market, Xiaomi Earbuds will allow you to control the brand’s wireless earbuds more comprehensively – without having to use Mi Buds M8 developed by a third-party developer.
This is particularly noteworthy because until now, only Xiaomi smartphone owners could enjoy full control of their earbuds by going through the Bluetooth settings of their smartphone. Now, Xiaomi can offer its earbuds to all smartphone owners, not just those who are already customers.
Within the Xiaomi Earbuds app, users will be able to switch between noise reduction mode, passive mode, or transparent mode. They can also customize the touch controls, as we saw earlier, and update the firmware of their earbuds.
In addition to these relatively standard functions – such as the ability to see the battery level in each earbud – the app will also allow you to ring the earbuds to easily locate them, activate or deactivate in-ear detection (to pause the music when they are removed), perform a fit test to ensure that you have the right size ear tips for the best passive isolation and, logically, the best possible active noise reduction.
Note that the Xiaomi Earbuds app will also allow you to enable dual Bluetooth connection in multipoint mode.
Bluetooth Connection of Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro are compatible with Bluetooth version 5.3. In addition, the earbuds are announced to be able to be connected to two devices simultaneously. To do this, you will need to activate the option in the smartphone app, then place the earbuds back in the charging case before starting a new pairing.
The operation of multipoint Bluetooth on the Redmi Buds 4 Pro is relatively standard if you connect them simultaneously to a smartphone and a computer: it is always the device that has most recently emitted sound that will take control of the playback, pausing the other source. This function is very practical in everyday use, as it theoretically allows you to keep the earbuds in your ears all day and use them with both your computer and smartphone. In practice, note that the Bluetooth connection can lack stability.
By connecting the earbuds to a smartphone via Bluetooth, using the LDAC codec, and going for a run with them for nearly an hour, I experienced a few occasional micro cuts that were noticeable. The same goes for multipoint management. The earbuds may take a few seconds to work properly in understanding which source is supposed to take over.
Regarding Bluetooth latency, which is inherent to this wireless standard, particularly on Android, I measured a delay of 190 ms in SBC and 181 ms in LDAC. However, note that the Xiaomi Earbuds app does not allow you to choose between the two modes of LDAC: prioritizing stability or quality.
Noise Reduction
To ensure active noise cancellation (ANC) on the Redmi Buds 4 Pro, Xiaomi claims to have integrated three microphones per earbud, including two specifically dedicated to ANC, with one microphone positioned inside to analyze sounds that have passed through the passive isolation filter.
According to the Chinese company, this allows for noise reduction up to.43 dB with a reduction in frequencies from 30 to 3000 Hz. Xiaomi even boldly claims that its earbuds can block “up to 99.3% of external noise.”
To put it bluntly, the noise reduction offered by the Redmi Buds 4 Pro is disappointing. While it is lightyears away from what recent high-end models like the Bose QC Earbuds 2 or Apple Airpods Pro 2 can offer, Xiaomi’s earbuds offer noise reduction that is far less effective than most earbuds I have tested in the past two years, including models launched in the same price range.
The difference between the maximum noise reduction level and the simple passive isolation provided by the earbud cushions is negligible. The active reduction only dulls the frequencies in the infrabass range. I did not hear any significant difference in voices, highs, and even lows when switching between passive and active noise reduction modes. Despite offering three levels of noise reduction (light, balanced, and deep) and an “adaptive noise cancellation” option that adjusts the ANC automatically based on the noise level, even with the deep mode tested here, I could hardly hear any difference with the ANC turned off.
Double Transparent mode
In addition to noise reduction, the earbuds also feature two transparent modes. The first mode is rather typical, simply reproducing the sound captured by the microphones in the earbuds. The output is quite effective and natural. A second mode, called “voice enhancement,” reduces most ambient noises but reproduces the midrange frequencies in the earbuds.
This time, the output is clearly unnatural and can quickly become unpleasant because of the loss of frequencies, particularly in the low end of the spectrum. However, it has the merit of working for what it is supposed to do.
Audio
In recent months, earbuds with dual-driver sound systems have been increasing in the market. This was already the case with Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2, Honor Earbuds 3 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, and now also with Xiaomi’s Redmi Buds 4 Pro.
For reference, this sound architecture allows certain frequencies, usually the high frequencies, to be assigned to a secondary speaker, leaving the main one to FOCUS on bass and mid-range frequencies. When well-implemented, this technology produces a more detailed sound, since each transducer can FOCUS on its own frequency range. Xiaomi has integrated a 10mm main transducer made of aluminum alloy for bass and mid-range, and a 6mm titanium transducer for high frequencies.
The earbuds are also Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified thanks to support for the LDAC codec in addition to the standard SBC and AAC codecs. They are capable of reproducing files encoded up to 24 bits at 96 kHz.
The frequency response curve of Xiaomi’s earbuds suggests a strong emphasis on mid-range frequencies, almost forgetting high frequencies – except for very high frequencies – and rather subdued bass. When listening, you can feel a sound that lacks a solid foundation. The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro offer a rather thin sound signature with a strong tendency to highlight voices.
This is the case on Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” a track that typically features a prominent bass line to support the singer’s voice. Here, it’s Billie Eilish’s voice that clearly takes the lead.
This imbalance is already damaging in itself, given the earbuds’ lack of depth, but it is all the more regrettable that the frequencies emphasized, between 1000 and 2500 Hz, are precisely those that are naturally amplified by the ear canal. The result is a sound that is far from pleasant, dry, and thin.
Everything lacks depth, and even on lively electro tracks like Justice’s “Phantom Pt. II,” it’s hard to distinguish anything other than saturation in the mid-range. On Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, there is once again a lack of foundation with a completely thin sound.
It’s not enough to offer two transducers per earbud; they must be calibrated correctly, and that’s precisely where the Redmi Buds 4 Pro fall short. Fortunately, you can slightly alter the earbuds’ signature by activating the “enhance bass” audio effect in the Xiaomi Earbuds app. However, in the absence of a real Band equalizer, it’s impossible to fine-tune the sound as desired.
It’s worth noting that Xiaomi offers an “immersive sound” option advertised as “compatible with various audio sources and playback devices” that is supposed to immerse you in spatial sound when watching videos. Tested on YouTube, Netflix, or Disney, including videos in Dolby Atmos, it doesn’t offer much added value compared to the standard mode, so we’ll pass on that.
Microphone
The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have three microphones used for noise reduction or for voice capture during voice calls. However, Xiaomi’s earbuds struggle to properly capture your voice during calls. While it remains above ambient sounds, it will be greatly distorted. The person on the other end of the call will have no trouble hearing the sounds around you, and the conversation will quickly become frustrating for them. Even in a quieter setting, the earbuds will tend to make plosive sounds, such as “t,” “p,” “b,” or “b.”
Therefore, this is not a sufficiently convincing calling experience, and the noise reduction will be both too ineffective to truly eliminate ambient sounds and too altering for voice capture.
Battery life
Xiaomi claims up to 9 hours of battery life on its Redmi Buds 4 Pro with the earbuds alone, without specifying the codec used or noise reduction, and up to 36 hours, or three additional charges, with the case.
To test the battery life of the Redmi Buds 4 Pro, I played music by connecting the earbuds to a smartphone in LDAC, with noise reduction enabled and volume at 75%. Under these conditions, the earbuds were far from reaching the advertised nine hours of battery life. The left earbud ran out of battery after 3 hours and 16 minutes. The right earbud followed four minutes later, after 3 hours and 20 minutes. We are used to disparities between the battery life advertised by manufacturers and the actual measurements, but such a significant difference inevitably leads to disappointment.
Xiaomi also claims that the earbuds can be charged in the case for two hours of playback in just five minutes. On my end, I noted a full charge in about an hour.
The case itself can only be charged using the USB-C port. Xiaomi also provides a short USB-A to USB-C cable, but no wall charger. The Redmi Buds 4 Pro case is not compatible with Qi wireless charging.
Price and Release Date
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro Price 89,99 on Amazon.
Pros Cons
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro Pros
- Adaptive ANC
- Good sound quality
- Hi-Res Audio compatible
- Reliable controls
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro Cons
- ANC isn’t that powerful
- Need an app to access all features
- No wireless charging this time around
Redmi Buds 4 Pro Review Philippines: Decent Budget HiFi TWS Earbuds
While the Redmi line of products is usually associated with Xiaomi’s affordable line, the Buds 4 Pro is an interesting offering for bringing over support for wireless HiRes Audio with LDAC support at an under Php 4k price point. Paired with a clean, premium design and ANC, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro looks very impressive on paper–but do they deliver the goods?
Design
Like most TWS earbuds we’ve reviewed so far, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro has a pebble-shaped case that has an LED light in front and a USB-C port at the bottom. There’s a button beside the USB-C port for pairing the TWS earbuds, while the Redmi branding is placed in the back and not in the front.
The buds themselves have a pea-shaped design with a set of microphones on top and beside the drivers, and a metallic strip on the body for the touch controls. The grille for the drivers is made from metal, making the Redmi Buds 4 Pro look premium for their price. They come with wear-detection sensors as well, which disconnect from audio and pause the music once you take them off your ears.
User Interface and Fit
While you do get a pairing button on the case, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a quick pairing feature when you set them up with a Xiaomi device. Once you open up the case, our Xiaomi 11T Pro detected the Redmi Buds 4 Pro with a graphic interface and confirming the pairing setup gave us a quick overview of the battery life of both earbuds and the case.
Going through the settings, you get a toggle for LDAC for improved audio streaming via Bluetooth. Unlike the usual SBC and AAC codecs, LDAC allows you to stream audio via Bluetooth at up to 990 kbps at 24 bit/96 kHz, which is significantly higher than the maximum 328kbps bandwidth that you get with SBC codecs. That translates to high-quality audio, but using LDAC has its limitations: unless you have HiRes audio tracks or your audio streaming app supports 24-bit HiRes audio like Apple Music, you would not really maximize the benefits of LDAC.
Aside from LDAC, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro allows you to connect up to two devices, letting you transfer from your phone to your laptop easily without the need to manually reconnect from one device to another. We tried the feature by pairing it with two different phones, and the Redmi Buds 4 Pro gets the job done quite well.
Since they are a budget pair of TWS earbuds, you don’t get any flexibility in changing the controls: the touch panels only respond to commands for toggling ANC, pausing music, and skipping tracks, which are just the essential functions you’ll really need. You have a generous space for the touch controls, so you’ll not be frustrated at the Redmi Buds 4 Pro not registering your taps.
Despite packing a dual driver setup and multiple microphones, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro remains to be sleek when wearing them. You only get a small amount of protrusion for the stems, which is necessary for the mics and for easier interaction with the touch controls. We did not need to change the installed silicone tips, and they fit fine. The seal may not be as great as more expensive TWS earbuds, but you’ll have peace of mind knowing that they will not fall off your ears when you use them for casual walking, jogging, or for workouts at the gym.
Audio Quality and Battery Life
Being touted as a pair of TWS earbuds for HiFi audio, the crowning feature of the Redmi Buds 4 Pro is its dual dynamic driver setup that comprises a 10mm aluminum driver and a 6mm titanium driver. It’s rare to see a pair of under Php 4k TWS earbuds to have a dual driver setup, and it does deliver in giving a really good soundstage. Single-driver setups usually have difficulties balancing the lows, mids, and highs, and the addition of another driver does help in delivering a fuller overall audio quality.
To test out the Redmi Buds 4 Pro’s HiFi Audio capabilities, we listened to a few tracks on Apple Music that have native Lossless encoding and enabled LDAC to determine if these budget TWS earbuds deliver what they promise. We listened to Seulgi’s new solo album and Daft Punk’s critically acclaimed album Random Access Memories, and the Redmi Buds 4 Pro does deliver what it promises–but with a few caveats.
You see, since LDAC utilizes a wider streaming bandwidth than the usual SBC or AAC codecs, it is prone to connection drops when you use the Redmi Buds 4 Pro in crowded areas where its Bluetooth connection has to contend with a plethora of wireless connections happening within the area. The connection drops were noticeable as I was walking around our neighborhood during rush hour. It’s not a flaw of the Redmi Buds 4 Pro, but rather it is a limitation associated with LDAC.
As for its other feature, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro boasts of ANC that can filter up to 43db of noise and does so in three stages. There’s no actual way to pick the ANC mode–the TWS earbuds do the thinking on which ANC mode is appropriate for where you are. Being automated, getting the right ANC mode can be a hit-or-miss affair. It would have been better if the Redmi Buds 4 Pro came with a companion app that lets you tweak its ANC settings to that it can best showcase its noise-canceling claims.
When it comes to its battery life, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro was able to last us for 5.5 hours of straight use, which was enough for around 3 movies with them before putting them back into the case. The case charges via USB-C, and it takes around two hours to fully charge the case.
Wrap-up and Conclusions
If you are looking for a pair of TWS earbuds that are capable of wireless HiFi audio at a palatable price, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro is your best pick in the Philippines. While its ANC feature is not polished, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any TWS earbuds at under Php 4K that can actually bring out the best of lossless audio with its LDAC codec.
Redmi Buds 4 Pro Review Price Philippines
The Redmi Buds 4 Pro is priced at Php 3,999. They are available at Authorized Xiaomi stores nationwide.
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro review: why you shouldn’t bet on a technical specification sheet
On paper, the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a lot going for them. Nine-hour battery life, twin transducers, LDAC compatibility, multipoint Bluetooth, active noise reduction… all for less than a hundred dollars. However, the data sheet is not everything, and to find out how much Xiaomi’s wireless headphones are worth, check out their full evaluation.
Technical Sheet
| Format | in-ear headphones |
| Removable battery | No |
| Microphone | Yes |
| OS compatibility | Android, iOS |
| Active noise reduction | Yes |
| Autonomy announced | 36 hours |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Price | 99 |
Design
Xiaomi provides a rather traditional appearance for its earphones, with stems and in-ear tips. Enough to provide enough support when the headphones are placed in the ear, since this design option has been demonstrated throughout time.
The Redmi Buds 4 Pro, on the other hand, stand out for their unique features. This is the case with the tactile surface, which is coated with an imitation metal plastic strip to accentuate the rod’s line. However, the headphones have a rather simple plastic that does not emanate quality or firmness. Without quibbling too much, considering their price of 100, we anticipate a bit less raw plastic than Xiaomi offers here. A sense reinforced by the matte look of the headphones in the black version I was able to test – they also come in white.
Once in the ear, the headphones are comfortable, with good support. I had the opportunity to wear them for several consecutive hours without their size pressing against the cartilage of my ear or, at least, without it really bothering me. It must be said that they are helped in this by their weight of only 5 grams on the scale.
Note also that Xiaomi provides its headphones with three pairs of tips. Enough to ensure that you will find a shoe that fits your foot – or a mouthpiece for your ear canal.
The Case Of The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
The Redmi Buds 4 Pro, like other wireless headphones, come with a charging box. With measurements of 49 x 60 x 23 mm, this is very small. A nice point, because it will fit even more easily into a jeans (including the fob ) and, presumably, a jacket or a purse.
The Redmi Buds 4 Pro cover does not play the uniqueness card, instead offering a very conventional pebble-type style with a rounded appearance. On the front, a single LED indicates the amount of charge or pairing of the headphones. A USB-C port may be found on the bottom. Finally, Xiaomi has included a pairing button next to the socket. In a nutshell, everything is really traditional. Unfortunately, we would have liked the inclusion of a second LED to distinguish the headphones’ autonomy from that of the enclosure.
Water Resistance and Sports Use Of The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have an IP54 rating. This means they are resistant not just to dust, but also to splashes, and may thus be worn in wet weather or in a sweaty sports scenario.
In fact, I ran twice with the headphones on and experienced no pain. The headphones stayed in place, and I didn’t feel like they were attempting to escape from my earphones.
PERFECTION IN SIMPLICITY��XIAOMI REDMI BUDS 4 PRO WIRELESS HEADPHONES ANC 43 dB MULTIPOINT ANIMATION
Use And Application
When connected to a Xiaomi smartphone running the MIUI system, the Redmi Buds 4 Pro only provide a Rapid pairing feature. Don’t be alarmed! If you have another phone or wish to connect them to a PC, click the button on the case to turn the headphones to pairing mode, then choose them in your device’s Bluetooth settings. However, we would have preferred a simpler approach, such as Google Fast Pair or Microsoft Swift Pair.
The Touch Controls Of The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have sensitive surfaces on the stems, as seen above. These surfaces include various controls by default:
- Double press: play / pause.
- Triple press: next title.
- Long press: noise reduction.
As a result, regardless of the earpiece with which we engage, we have identical controls from the start.
Nonetheless, the Xiaomi Earbuds app allows you to personalize and expand these functions by separating them on the left and right. As a result, we may assign the rewind function to the triple press on the left or the voice assistant function to the long press on the left or right. You may also modify the sound volume by tapping three times on the left or right. This, however, has the effect of overriding the track change.
The Xiaomi Earbuds App
We’ve previously mentioned it, but the occasion will be commemorated with a white stone: Xiaomi has finally released a control app for its wireless headphones. Previously exclusive for the Chinese market, Xiaomi Earbuds will allow you more control over the brand’s wireless headphones – without having to go via a third-party developer’s Mi Buds M8. This is especially noteworthy given that, until recently, only Xiaomi smartphone owners have had complete control over their headphones via their smartphone’s Bluetooth settings. Xiaomi may now sell its headphones to all smartphone owners, rather than only those who are currently clients.
Users will be able to pick between noise reduction mode, passive mode, and transparent mode inside the Xiaomi Earbuds application. They will also be able to tweak the touch controls and upgrade the firmware of their headphones, as previously shown.
In addition to these relatively standard functions, such as the ability to view the battery level in each earphone, the application will allow you to ring the earphones to easily locate them, activate or deactivate in-ear detection (to pause the music when removed), and perform a fit test to ensure that the ear tips are the correct size to provide the best passive isolation and, logically, the best active noise reduction.
It’s also worth noting that the Xiaomi Earbuds app lets you enable the dual multipoint Bluetooth connection.
The Bluetooth Connection Of The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro
Bluetooth version 5.3 is supported by the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro. Furthermore, the headphones are marketed as being able to connect to two devices at the same time. To accomplish this, you must first select the option in the smartphone app, then place the headphones in the charging case before beginning a fresh pairing.
If you connect the Redmi Buds 4 Pro to a smartphone and a computer at the same time, the device providing the most recent sound will methodically take over the reading, pausing the other source. This capability is quite useful on a daily basis since it allows you to keep the headphones in your ears all day and use them with both your computer and your smartphone. In fact, keep in mind that the Bluetooth connection may be unstable.
I was able to hear a few infrequent but notable microcuts by connecting the headphones through Bluetooth to a smartphone, using the LDAC codec, and going for a run with them for over an hour. The same may be said for multipoint management. Headphones may take a few seconds to recognize which source is meant to take over.
In terms of Bluetooth latency, which is inherent to this wireless technology, I was able to measure a delay of 190 ms in SBC and 181 ms in LDAC. However, the Xiaomi Earbuds program does not enable you to select between the two LDAC modes: priority for stability or priority for quality.
Noise Reduction
Xiaomi claims that it has installed three microphones per earphone to provide active noise reduction in the Redmi Buds 4 Pro, two of which are especially devoted to ANC with a microphone positioned inside to analyze noises that have passed the isolation filter. passive.
According to the Chinese company, this would allow them to give noise reduction of up to.43 dB with frequency reductions ranging from 30 to 3000 Hz. Of course, the company does not define the sound frequency at which this result of.43 dB is attained. Xiaomi, always one to hold back on boasts, claims that their headphones can block “up to 99.3% of ambient noise “.
You may as well not go overboard: the Redmi Buds 4 Pro’s noise reduction is underwhelming. We are certainly light years away from what recent high-end models such as the Bose QC Earbuds 2 or the Apple Airpods Pro 2 can offer, but even worse, Xiaomi’s headphones offer much less effective noise reduction than most headphones I’ve had the opportunity to test in the last two years – including models launched in the same price range.
The differences between the noise reduction mode, even when set to maximum, and the simple passive isolation provided by the pads are negligible. The active reduction merely muffles the most dangerous sub-bass frequencies. I didn’t notice a major difference in voices, treble, or bass while switching from passive to active noise reduction. The headphones, on the other hand, provide three levels of noise reduction: light, balanced, and deep. There is also a ” adaptive noise cancellation ” option, which automatically adjusts the ANC based on the degree of noise pollution. Even with Deep Mode enabled, I noticed little change with ANC turned off.
Dual Transparent Mode
The headphones include two transparent modes in addition to noise suppression. The first, more traditional option, simply restores the sound collected by the microphones in the headphones. The portrayal is quite excellent and natural-looking. A second setting, “improve speech,” reduces most ambient noise while restoring middle frequencies in the headphones.
This time, the depiction clearly lacks naturalness and can rapidly become uncomfortable when frequencies are lost, particularly near the bottom of the spectrum. On the other hand, it has the advantage of actually doing what it is designed to accomplish.
Audio
Headphones featuring dual-driver sound systems have become available in recent months. This was already the case with the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2, Honor Earbuds 3 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, and it is now the case with the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro.
As a refresher, this sound architecture will allow you to allocate some frequencies – often the treble – to a secondary loudspeaker, allowing you to FOCUS on the bass and middle. This technique, when properly processed, will generate a more detailed sound since each transducer may FOCUS on its own sound frequencies. Xiaomi has used a 10mm aluminum alloy primary driver for the bass and midrange, and a 6mm titanium driver for the treble.
The headphones are also Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified, owing to the inclusion of the LDAC codec alongside the standard SBC and AAC. As a result, they can reproduce data encoded up to 24 bits at 96 kHz.
The frequency response curve of Xiaomi’s headphones indicates a concentrate on the middle, with treble practically lost – with the exception of extremely high frequencies – and bass indented. When we listen, we actually hear a sound that is severely weak in foundation. The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have a fairly gaunt sound signature that emphasizes voices a lot.
This is the case with Billi Eilish’s Bad Guy, a title that generally gives the bass layer in the background center stage to accompany the singer’s vocals. In this case, it is Billie Elish’s voice that plainly has the upper hand.
Given the low depth of the headphones, this imbalance is already damaging, but it is made worse by the fact that the frequencies sent forward, between 1000 and 2500 Hz, are precisely those that are naturally amplified by the duct auditory. As a result, the sound is unpleasant, dry, and malnourished. Everything lacks width, and even on frantic electro titles like Phantom Pt. II of Justice, it’s difficult to detect anything other than mid-frequency saturation. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 suffers from a terrible lack of basis, with an utterly skeletal interpretation.
It is not enough to have two transducers per earphone; you must also tune them appropriately, and it is just here that the Redmi Buds 4 Pro fail. Fortunately, we can significantly modify the character of the headphones by enabling the “enhance the bass” audio effect in the Xiaomi Earbuds app, but, once again, in the lack of a genuine Band equalizer, we are unable to improve the rendering as we would want.
Also worth noting is Xiaomi’s ” immersive sound ” option, which is described as “compatible with diverse audio sources and playback devices ” and is intended to immerse you in spatial sound when viewing films. When tested on YouTube, Netflix, or Disney, including with Dolby Atmos content, this option does not provide much more value than the standard mode, therefore we will stick with it.
Micro
The Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro include three microphones for noise reduction and sound pickup during voice calls.
During calls, though, Xiaomi’s headphones fail to pick up your speech. It will be significantly impacted if it lingers much above the surrounding sounds. The person on the other end of the line will be easily distracted by the sounds surrounding you, and the discussion will rapidly become frustrating for him. Even in a calmer environment, the headphones will tend to ring plosives, that is, noises beginning with ” t “, ” p “, ” b “, or ” b”.
As a result, we don’t have a sufficiently believable call experience here, and the noise reduction will be too inefficient to truly suppress ambient sounds while also being too disruptive for recording the voice.
Autonomy
Xiaomi claims up to 9 hours of battery life with the headphones alone – without defining the codec or noise reduction – and up to 36 hours, or three extra charges, with the case.
To put the Redmi Buds 4 Pro’s battery life to the test, I started playing music by connecting the headphones to a smartphone in LDAC and setting the volume to 75%. Under these conditions, the headphones were well short of the advertised nine hours of battery life. After 3h16, the left earphone ran out of power. After 3:20, the right earphone arrived four minutes later. We’re familiar to discrepancies between the autonomy stated by manufacturers and the measures performed, but one of this scale is bound to disappoint.
Xiaomi promises two hours of readings retrieved in five minutes while charging the headphones in the case. I was able to see a full charge on my side in approximately an hour.
The case can only be charged through the USB-C port. Xiaomi also includes a short USB-A to USB-C connection but no power adapter. The Redmi Buds 4 Pro case is also incompatible with Qi wireless charging by induction.
Price and Release Date
Since the beginning of October 2022, the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro have been available in white or black. They cost 99.99 dollars each.
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro, Redmi Buds 4 Wireless Earbuds Launched With ANC, Bluetooth 5.3: Specifications, Price
Alongside the Redmi Note 11T series smartphones, Xiaomi Mi Band 7, and the RedmiBook Pro 2022 Ryzen Edition, Redmi has also launched the Redmi Buds 4 and the Redmi Buds 4 Pro in China today. The Redmi Buds 4 Pro comes as a successor to last year’s Redmi Buds 3 Pro and is introduced as a more premium and feature-rich pair of earbuds among the two. On the other hand, the Redmi Buds 4 is offered as a more affordable device.
Let us take a look at the pricing, features, and specifications of the newly launched Redmi Buds 4 Pro and Redmi Buds 4.
Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4 Pro, Redmi Buds 4 Pricing, Availability
The Redmi Buds 4 Pro is priced at CNY369 (US 55/ ₹4,300), while the Buds 4 can be bought for CNY199 (US29.9/ ₹2,315). Both earbuds are available for pre order and will go on sale in China starting from May 31. The Redmi Buds 4 Pro is available in two colour options—Mirror White and Black.
Redmi Buds 4 Pro Specifications, Features
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The Redmi Buds 4 Pro comes equipped with 10mm aluminium-magnesium alloy diaphragm for bass and 6mm titanium diaphragm for treble. It offers active noise cancellation up to 43dB, compared to 35dB in its predecessor. The Redmi Buds 4 Pro supports Bluetooth 5.3 and dual-device connectivity.
The Redmi Buds 4 Pro is said to offer up to 9 hours of standalone and 36 hours of total battery life with the case. However, the pair of earbuds does not support wireless charging, much like the previous model. The Redmi Buds 4 Pro also comes with an IP54 dust and waterproof rating.
Redmi Buds 4 Specifications, Features
The Redmi Buds 4 packs in 10mm drivers and offers Active Noise Cancellation up to 35dB. There is also support for dual transparency mode on the earbuds. The pair of Redmi Buds 4 is said to offer up to 30 hours of battery life along with the charging case. According to the brand, a mere five minutes of charging will offer one hour of music playback.
The standard Buds 4 supports Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and AAC codec. It also features touch controls for music playback and to launch voice assistants. The Redmi Buds 4 comes with an IPX4 water resistance rating.
The main difference between the two TWS is that the Pro variant gets support for HiFi sound quality and virtual stereo sound. The Redmi Buds 4 Pro also get a higher 43dB noise cancellation as compared to 35dB on the Redmi Buds 4.
What are your thoughts on the Redmi Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro? Do let us know in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев section below.
