Losing a set of wireless earbuds is as easy as losing one’s sense of time rewatching Seinfeld the umpteenth time. It may fall during vigorous exercising, slip away during plane journeys or simply couldn’t be found after rearranging the home office space. This is when one hopes to pick up an inexpensive pair of wireless earbuds without making too many compromises on sound quality.
It’s a tough market but Redmi continues to come out on top with its TWS earbuds and the latest, Redmi Buds 4 Active, is no exception. One may even wonder as to how Redmi has kept pricing to a mere Rs 1,399 (cheaper if limited-time pricing is considered). There is simply nothing wrong with the wireless earbuds.
Familiar design and connectivity
Though it looks like the many earbuds we have seen before and it comes in a case that we have seen so many times before but the device itself has a good build quality. Pop it into your ears and it stays there even if you shake your head vigorously. There are a couple of extra eartips in the box to get a good seal but the default option should work for most people.
Since the device supports Google’s Fast Pair technology, it’s easy to get it to work with any Android phone. All you need to do is turn on the Bluetooth on your phone and bring the case containing the sound cans near it; open the case and that’s it.
Sound appreciation
Being inexpensive doesn’t mean huge compromises on the sound. You won’t get the extravagant features that Nothing Ear 2 or Samsung Galaxy Buds2 offers but make no mistake, there is ample to enjoy in terms of sound.
It features a 12mm dynamic driver that offers just about enough bass but, more importantly, a better overall soundstage. The bass doesn’t overpower the vocals and the sound pattern is meant to please a wide range of listeners. On these earbuds, I enjoyed listening to Bruce Springsteen’s album Born in the U.S.A. as much as I did Lana Del Rey’s Lust for Life. Two very different albums but they sounded quite good on the earbuds. I didn’t get the magic touch of a Samsung earbud or of Sony but look at the price one is paying.
Where the sound cans impressed me more is with call quality. Each earbud comes with a high-sensitivity microphone that can handle ambient background noise interruptions, meaning most of the unwanted noises get tackled. You will be able to listen to people clearly on the other end of the call and your voice won’t come across as muffled or distorted.
Should you buy it?
There are a few extra things I like about these earbuds and one thing I don’t. I like the IPX4 sweat and splash proof rating. It means you don’t have to worry about a light drizzle or sweat. Second, it comes with Bluetooth 5.3 or a stable connection. Even if your phone is some distance away, the music should sound good. There is 28-30 hours of battery life with the charging case. It all depends on the volume at which you are listening to music. In case you have turned up the volume to 80 per cent, expect a little less battery life. And 10 minutes of charging can give you 90-110 minutes of listening time. What I don’t like is the absence of in-ear sensors, that is, when the earbuds are taken out of the ears, the music doesn’t pause automatically. Otherwise, Redmi Buds 4 Active offers rock solid connectivity and is a perfect gift for anyone looking for decent wireless earbuds.
Mathures Paul
At a glance
Device: Redmi Buds 4 Active
Price: Rs 1,399 (without discounts)
High notes
Good soundstage
Excellent battery life
Stable connectivity
Muffled note
No in-ear sensor