The Redmi Buds 5A comes with a traditional in-ear design and is available in three different ear tip size options.

The Redmi Buds 5A were launched in India alongside the Redmi Pad SE at Xiaomi’s “Smarter Living & More” launch event in April this year. The audio wearable comes with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Google Fast Pair support, an IPX4 rating, and a companion app. These truly wireless earbuds (TWS) are the cheapest wireless audio product the company has offered in India so far. After using them for about two weeks, I’ll tell you why this is a good choice if you’re on a budget and looking for an ANC TWS.

Redmi Buds 5A review: Design and Features

The Redmi Buds 5A features a traditional in-ear design and comes with three different ear tip size options. Inside the box, you get a pair of medium sized tips attached to the earbuds, as well as two pairs of silicone tips, small and large. Of these ear tips, the largest one fit me best. However, there is no charging cable included in the box. The only other item in the box is information/instructions.

Redmi Buds 5A Supports Google Fast Pair

The charging port is located at the bottom of the stem of the Redmi Buds 5A earphones, which does not come into direct contact with the skin, so there is no need to worry about metal allergies. The touch control area is located at the top of the stem.

The sleek and slim Redmi Buds 5A charging case has a “polished pebble” design, according to the company. Of course, it’s hard to mistake the oval case for cobblestones on a lakeside, but it’s small enough to stand up to the comparison, making it a convenient accessory to carry around. What makes it convenient to carry around is the weight, which is about 41.2g including two earbuds and the charging case. Each earbud weighs about 3.6g.

The Redmi Buds 5A charging case has a USB Type-C port at the bottom. A white light will be on next to the port when the case is charging and will turn off when fully charged. This light will also be on when the earbuds are powered on, i.e. when the case is open. When powered on, the earbuds will have two identical indicator white lights on the top.

Redmi Buds 5A Review: Apps and Specs

The Redmi Buds 5A comes with support for the Xiaomi Earbuds application, but the control features are few and far between. Once you connect the earbuds to your smartphone, you’ll be prompted to download the app. Once the app has been successfully installed and the earbuds are recognised, you’ll see a very simple and straightforward layout. Under the image of the earbuds in their case, the battery level for the left and right earbuds is displayed separately, as well as the battery level for the charging case. This last option disappears as soon as you close the case after taking out the individual earbuds.

Controls for the Redmi Buds 5A as seen in the Xiaomi Earbuds Android App

One of the controls the application offers is the ability to select the ANC mode (Transparent, Noise Cancellation, ANC Off). Once selected, the particular mode will be marked in blue. Just below the ANC controls is the “Additional Settings” option, which reveals a tab with three more features: At the bottom of the screen is the “Remove Earbuds” option, which allows users to remove the controls for the Redmi Buds 5A earbuds from the app.

There is also a “Rename Earbuds” option, which allows you to change the name of your TWS earbuds as it is recognized by connected devices. The third option is a toggle to turn on/off the “Low Latency” mode. The low latency mode is said to provide users with a smoother gaming and video watching experience, but we’ll discuss its effectiveness later.

However, the ANC and latency modes on the Redmi Buds 5A are accessible through simple touch controls, so the app isn’t important to me – some people may find it easier to control these features through the app, so it’s not completely redundant.

The Redmi Buds 5A features 12mm dynamic drivers, up to 25dB ANC, IPX4 rating for splash-proof earbuds, AI-assisted Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC), support for Google Fast Pair and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity. The earbuds only support the SBC codec and in this review, we will discuss how it impacts the user’s hearing experience.

The Redmi Buds 5A is said to offer up to 30 hours of battery life.

Redmi Buds 5A Review: Performance and Battery Life

Budget ANC-enabled TWS earphones are known for convenience. In a nutshell, that’s what Redmi Buds 5A offers. ANC for under Rs 1,500. Easy to carry and lasts all day. They’re made for casual use and convenience, and in these categories, they live up to expectations. Perfect when you want to drown out traffic noise or light noises and immerse yourself in your favorite podcast or music.

Touch controls on the Redmi Buds 5A are straightforward: double tap to play/pause or answer a call, triple tap to reject/end a call or change tracks. Users can switch between ANC modes by pressing and holding each for two seconds, while changing latency modes requires long pressing the touch zone on both earbuds simultaneously for 1.5 seconds. The lack of single-tap controls reduces the chance of accidentally entering commands when adjusting the fit of the earbuds or for long hair.

Considering the price, I don’t expect any soaring in terms of sound quality. When I played Stealers Wheel’s Stuck in the Middle With You on the Redmi Buds 5A, I didn’t expect to hear the details of the arrangement. I didn’t. It was what I expected. The bass-heavy sound still provided a good enough experience to enjoy the song. However, if you turn up the volume to 60-70 percent, it sounds muffled. Hozier’s Too Sweet, with more guitar and piano, at 50 percent, offers the same hidden overture. If you like the “lo-fi, Hozier playing in another room while you study” vibe, you’re in luck.

But at 70 to 80 percent volume, most tracks start to distort noticeably — not ideal, but not catastrophic.

Take the Kinks’ “Sunny Afternoon,” for example, and the slightly muffled bass sound does little to drown out Ray Davies’ lament about unfair tax rates. It even makes songs like Fall Out Boy’s “Immortals” and Gorillaz’s “Feel Good Inc.” feel lighter and more fun than the honking and screeching of city traffic.

The Redmi Buds 5A only supports the SBC Bluetooth codec, which compromises sound quality a bit. It provides a stable connection but degrades sound processing. It also doesn’t support the AAC codec, which is preferred by most iOS smartphones and tablets.

Even with 60ms latency, I still felt a fair amount of lag on the Redmi Buds 5A in games like Battlegrounds Mobile India, which is not unexpected – even with the low latency mode switched on it didn’t make much of a difference, however the latency was not noticeable during online or offline video playback, proving once again that it’s best suited only for casual use.

Redmi Buds 5A does not come with a charging cable

With ANC off, the Redmi Buds 5A earbuds are said to offer up to five hours of battery life on a single charge and up to 30 hours of total playback time with the storage case. With just the earbuds, ANC off and at 50 percent volume, I was able to listen for around five hours. For reference, that’s the first four episodes of Heeramandi, or four and a half episodes of The 8 Show.

However, turning on ANC drains the Redmi Buds 5A’s battery significantly faster. Using just the earbuds with ANC on only got me about three hours of use, even with the volume set to 50%. A 10-minute quick charge gave me another hour or so of use out of the earbuds at a similar volume and noise cancellation setting.

The Redmi Buds 5A charging case houses a 4.40mAh battery, while each earbud has a 34mAh battery. It takes about an hour and a half to fully charge the case using a 67W Redmi adapter and a USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable. It takes about 45 minutes to charge the earbuds from 0 to 100 in the case.

Finally, on the subject of phone calls. The AI-powered ENC on the Redmi Buds 5A does a good job of suppressing alleyway noise in residential areas, but not on busy roadsides. When you use these earbuds for calls, the microphone is as clear as the surrounding sounds. If you hate the idea of yelling your completely wrong ETA to your punctual and impatient friends in public, avoid using these earbuds for calls. Instead, get hands-on with your phone. But with a stable connection, the voice you hear on the other end of a call using these TWS wearables is clear enough, if characteristically muffled.

The charging point for the Redmi Buds 5A is located at the bottom of the stem.

Redmi Buds 5A: Verdict

If you are on a very tight budget and looking for a pair of ANC-enabled TWS earphones, then the Redmi Buds 5A at Rs 1,499 is a good choice. At this price, these earphones are perfect for everyday use. They don’t promise anything that they can’t deliver on. There is a clear lack of sound detail compared to mid-range TWS products or those with higher specs. But the power and bass these earphones offer make them worth the price. The lack of a charging cable in the box is not something to be concerned about as you can easily charge them using any old USB Type-C cable. Even a 60ms delay is barely noticeable if you’re not using them primarily for heavy mobile gaming.

However, if you have a bit more room in your budget, you could consider the Noise Buds Venus TWS Earphones (Review), which are currently priced at Rs 1,699 in India and offer slightly better noise cancellation, lower latency, and longer battery life. For Rs 400 more than the Redmi Buds 5A, you can also get the Honor Choice Earbuds X5 TWS Earphones (Review), which were launched in India earlier this year and are IP54-rated for dust and water resistance, as well as equalizer controls in the accompanying app.

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Oppo’s Enco lineup of true wireless earphones has been a relatively quiet success for the company, and has received largely positive feedback from the community, including myself. While the premium Enco X2 headset is among the best that you can guy for around Rs. 10,000 or so, the Enco Air series is a bit more of a hit-or-miss situation. While the regular ‘Air’ variants haven’t quite matched up to the hype, the ‘Pro’ headsets have generally been good picks when it comes to features and performance for the price.

Following up on the somewhat ordinary Oppo Enco Air 3 (which was launched in early 2023) is the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro. The successor to the Enco Air 2 Pro is considerably more expensive at Rs. 4,999, but promises big improvements in the specifications sheet and performance to make up for the increase in pricing, including advanced Bluetooth codec support and bamboo-fibre diaphragms for the drivers. Is this enough to help the Enco Air 3 Pro retain Oppo’s perceptional leadership of the budget true wireless segment in India? Find out in this review.

The case of the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro has a USB Type-C port for charging

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro design and features

We don’t often see massive design changes in generational updates when it comes to true wireless earphones, and that’s indeed the case with the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro. Apart from minor changes, the Enco Air 3 Pro largely resembles the Enco Air 2 Pro to the point where it’s hard to tell the two apart. The newer earphones are available in a new green colour option which isn’t available on the Enco Air 2 Pro, though.

The earpieces of the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro have a stem design with rounded out sides all around, and distinct ‘L’ and ‘R’ indicators cut into the earpieces for easy visibility. Unlike the basic Enco Air earphones which have an outer-ear fit and no ANC, the Enco Air ‘Pro’ lineup features a proper in-canal fit, which allows for effective active noise cancellation. The earphones are light and comfortable, and come with a charging cable and three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes in the box.

As before the controls are touch sensitive, with lightly indicated areas near the top of each earpiece stem. It’s less than ideal, because the small size of the touch area makes it easy to make mistakes. You can set various gestures to control various functions of playback, noise cancellation, voice assistant, and volume, with different gestures capable of being mapped to different functions.

It’s a reasonably detailed set with plenty of room for customisation, but given the propensity for touch miscues, you might want to keep it a bit simple and deactivate certain gestures such as single-tap entirely. While I’m not entirely against touch controls, the zone definitely needs to be bigger than what’s on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro earphones.

Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro True Wireless Earphones Review

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro earphones are IP55 rated for dust and water resistance, so you’ll be able to use them for workouts safely, and even in somewhat wet conditions such as light rain. The charging case of the headset has the Oppo logo at the front, an indicator light just below the logo, the USB Type-C port for charging at the bottom, and no pairing button.

You can put the headset into pairing mode with a long-touch gesture on both earpieces at the same time. Additional features on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro include support for Google Fast Pair, app-based features such as Oppo Alive Audio (virtualised Spatial surround sound) and Golden Sound (customised frequency compensation based on the specific hearing of each user).

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro app and specifications

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro expectedly features app and feature customisation support, but how it appears and is accessed depends on the device you’re using. If you’re on a supported OnePlus or Oppo smartphone, you’ll see the ‘app’ appearing in the Bluetooth settings of the phone, making for easy access that visually matches the user interface completely. If you’re using other devices, the HeyMelody app offers access to the full feature set on both iOS and Android.

oppo enco air 3 pro review app Oppo

On some OnePlus and Oppo smartphones, app features for the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro appear within the Bluetooth settings menu

Within the app and settings, it’s possible to access various features and customisation options such as equaliser presets, ANC levels and personalisation, enable multi-point connectivity for up to two devices, locate the earbuds with a loud noise, and conduct a fit test. You can also go through the process and enable or disable Oppo Alive Audio (spatial surround sound virtualisation) and Golden Sound (tailored sound profile based on your specific hearing characteristics).

Best Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) Headphones and Earphones in India

Multi-point connectivity worked well on an iPhone and Android device simultaneously. Bluetooth codec selection maxed out on both devices and pleasantly allowed LDAC support on the Android smartphone, unlike on many other similar headsets which limit the codec to AAC when connecting two devices simultaneously. Connectivity was stable on the whole even with this enabled.

Notably, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro uses a bamboo fibre diaphragm for the drivers, unlike the typically metal diaphragms used on most earphones. The headset has 12.4mm dynamic drivers, a frequency response range of 20-40,000Hz, and a sensitivity rating of 107dB. For connectivity, the earphones use Bluetooth 5.3, with support for the SBC, AAC, and LDAC Bluetooth codecs.

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro performance and battery life

While Oppo’s budget lineup has typically been device agnostic in terms of performance, the Enco Air 3 Pro takes a big step in setting itself up as made for certain devices. Support for the LDAC Bluetooth codec is fairly wide across Android devices, and this ensures a considerably different sound quality experience when using the earphones with an Android smartphone. Although the sound isn’t bad with the AAC codec (on iOS), there’s an audible difference here.

Understanding Bluetooth Codecs on Wireless Headphones and Earphones

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro’s bamboo fibre drivers are touted as a major factor in improving the sound quality on the earphones, but I didn’t really perceive this as being the reason for the improvement in performance. Sound quality with the AAC codec and software enhancements switched off seemed largely on par with what I’ve heard on similarly-priced true wireless headsets.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro has bamboo fibre diaphragms for the drivers, along with support for the LDAC Bluetooth codec

Instead, it all comes down to the software implementations, in my opinion; LDAC Bluetooth codec support and the Golden Sound customised profile seemed to make a more notable difference in improving the sound quality, as compared to the competition. Indeed, there aren’t too many options with LDAC support at under Rs. 5,000, so the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro stands out in this regard.

Oppo Enco Air 3 True Wireless Earphones Review

Coming to the sound quality and performance itself, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro uses its software tricks and codec support to deliver a reasonably balanced and detailed sound that is admittedly rare in the budget space for true wireless earphones. Competing products typically use a reasonable level of tuning alone to make a compelling pitch (heavy bass and the like), making Oppo’s approach a bit more unique.

The detail levels come as a result of the obviously superior bandwidth handling capabilities of the advanced Bluetooth codec, combined with a rather good soundstage that provides a decent amount of spatial virtualisation. Listening to Dua Lipa’s Dance the Night with the LDAC Bluetooth codec in operation, the sound felt spacious and enjoyable, never pushing too hard even at high volumes. Instead, the sound was encouraging, almost as if it was getting me to try and pick out the elements.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro is IP55 rated for dust and water resistance

This cheerful disco-inspired track from Barbie sounded neither too aggressive, nor to forward, instead striking the right balance between drive and comfort. The lows didn’t hit too hard, but this was only a good thing in a segment that is dominated by earphones that come with typically punchy and attacking bass.

Much of this detail is helped along by the Golden Sound enhancement, which conducts a listening test to tailor the sound for specific hearing characteristics of the wearer. Once completed, the sound changes a bit with the profile enabled; it sounded a fair bit more luxurious and open-feeling when enabled, and I usually kept it on after that.

Switching up to the slower but more hard-hitting Am I Dreaming by Metro Boomin’ from the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro was able to adapt and deliver a bit more rumble when needed. However, it also highlighted the very audible U-shaped sonic signature, with the mid-range considerably lower in response than the lows and highs.

Speaking of the highs, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro seems to push these frequencies a bit too much. I didn’t tend to notice it much at low volumes, but the sharpness was a bit tiresome at high volume levels. This largely depends on what you’re listening to — Dance the Night revealed this, while Am I Dreaming didn’t quite sound as harsh because of the track’s nature.

Active noise cancellation on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro is fairly basic, and suitable primarily for indoor use to cancel out basic household sounds and make listening just a bit easier. It’s helped along by reasonably effective noise isolation through the in-canal fit, and customisable ANC modes also help in optimising the performance for specific settings. I found the mild mode to be the most balanced and effective indoors; the other modes didn’t particularly help in noisy outdoor scenarios.

Call quality is decent indoors and satisfactory outdoors, but I didn’t find the voice and microphone quality good enough to want to use the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro for very long calls or online meetings.

Battery life is acceptable enough for a headset in this price segment; I got around 4 hours of listening on the earpieces and a little over three charges from the case, when using ANC and the LDAC Bluetooth codec, with the volume at around the 50-60 percent level. This translated to a total run time of around 17-18 hours of listening per charge cycle — not exceptional, but not too bad either.

Verdict

Oppo is among the best in the budget true wireless segment right now, and the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro largely lives up to the reputation created by the brand’s wide range of affordable TWS products. That said, at Rs. 4,999, it’s a fair bit more expensive than earlier products in this segment, and only just about classifies as a budget product based on reasonable definitions and price segmentation. The performance and features on offer do justify the pricing, so it’s worth a recommendation.

While you do get a fair bit more on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro than what competing products offer for the price, I wouldn’t go as far as to call it revolutionary or exceptional. Nonetheless, it’s easily my pick for the best pair of true wireless earphones for Rs. 5,000, although I’d be more inclined to suggest options such as the Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro and OnePlus Nord Buds 2, which offer a bit more bang for your buck.

The post Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro Review: Same, but Different (In the Right Ways) appeared first on Review Products.

Noise, an Indian personal audio brand, is one of the top brands in its market, mainly because of its affordable prices and capacity to offer features that aren’t frequently found on low-cost goods. It’s a clever strategy that Noise has employed to solidify its position in some of the most well-liked and quickly evolving gadget categories, such as headphones and smartwatches. The most recent product follows this recipe for success by providing a feature generally seen on more expensive goods for less than Rs. 2,000.

The Noise Buds Venus genuine wireless headphones with active noise cancellation are priced at Rs. 1,899, making the once-expensive feature much more widely available. The Noise Buds Venus are among the most cost-effective true wireless earphones with ANC available right now, and they offer many benefits. Does this mean the Venus is the most incredible wireless headset you can get right now for less than Rs. 2,000? Learn more from this review.

Water resistance for the Noise Buds Venus earpieces is rated at IPX5.

Design, characteristics, and specifications of Noise Buds Venus

Most true wireless earphones on the market today have a very generic appearance. However, the Noise Buds Venus has a distinctive appearance that aligns with the brand’s artistic philosophy. The earpieces offer an intriguing mix of shiny and matte surfaces that complement the charging case’s design. The earbuds stand out compared to most of those in this price range, which often have an expensive appearance.

The Noise Buds Venus’ earpieces have touch-sensitive controls and an in-canal fit that guarantees effective noise isolation to support active noise cancellation. Although bulky and protruding, they weigh only 3.5g apiece and don’t seem particularly cumbersome when worn. Even with the standard, medium-sized ear tips, I found the fit comfortable, but additional pairs — a total of three — are included in the box for some fitting customization. A USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable and an instruction booklet are also included in the package, which you’ll need to get used to the controls.

trangely, no accompanying app supports the Noise Buds Venus’ more expensive capabilities, including active noise reduction and low-latency gaming mode. Environmental noise cancellation is also available, and the headset’s quad-microphone technology enables voice communications, ANC, and ENC.

Given the lack of app compatibility, the Noise Buds Venus controls are pretty straightforward and cannot be modified. Still, you may control all of these features directly from the earpieces themselves, for which you will require the instruction manual. The controls are simple enough to understand and rely on different combinations of taps to control everything, including playback, volume, ANC, and gaming mode. Eventually, you’ll become accustomed to them.

The Noise Buds Venus’ charging case is the perfect size—neither too big nor too small—and features a USB Type-C connection at the bottom and an indication light next to the company name. It is convenient enough to provide a reasonable amount of additional charges to the earpieces and supports fast charging. More on that later. It will fit conveniently in your pocket. The headset comes in four color options: black, brown, green, and ivory. In my opinion, all of these alternatives look good.

A USB Type-C port is located on the Noise Buds Venus charging case.

The Noise Buds Venus’ technical specs include 10mm dynamic speakers, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, and SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs support. The earpieces’ water resistance rating is IPX5, meaning they can easily withstand small water splashes and sweat. Additionally, voice help is supported by calling the built-in voice assistant on the associated smartphone.

Battery life and performance of Noise Buds Venus

The Noise Buds Venus are true wireless headphones with active noise cancellation for less than Rs. 2,000, which is already a very astounding claim. However, it is even better that they perform pretty well. The earphones have been adjusted quite well for the budget, but some of it is also supported by technically sound specifications, including compatibility with the AAC Bluetooth codec and Bluetooth 5.3.

Good tuning is already half the battle won for the Noise Buds Venus, considering that most inexpensive wireless earphones tend to fall short here. I was taken aback by the straightforward and uncomplicated sound, maintaining a solid balance between nailing the sonic character and allowing for a reasonable amount of detail.

Friendly Fires’ “Paris (Aeroplane Remix)” sounded great when played moderately because it had just the proper amount of low-end assault and high-end shimmer. It pleasantly engaging listening experience that let me concentrate on the music without abrupt outside disturbances. Budget wireless earphones serve that purpose, and the Noise Buds Venus accomplishes this without exerting excessive effort.

Fortunately, there is no ‘target zone’ for volume where the Noise Buds Venus functions at its finest, and volume variations don’t influence the sound quality more than you’d expect. This was helpful since it allowed me to adjust the volume of the music I listened to based on how I felt or how calm the environment was. However, a book of 60 percent was generally sufficient for indoor listening, and I would increase it to about 70 percent for outdoor listening.

Review of the Venus noise buds Noise

Although the Noise Buds Venus lacks an app and offers active noise reduction, this is not a significant issue because all features can be accessed through the earpieces.

If necessary, the Noise Buds Venus can be pretty loud. However, I could hear some grit after the volume reached 90%. You won’t need to go that loud in everyday use because the Noise Buds Venus mainly keeps up with contemporary genres at even modest volumes. The Noise Buds Venus struggled a little with voice calls in noisy locations, but call quality is sufficient for most usage cases.

Indian market’s top active Noise-canceling (ANC) headphones and earphones

Given the high price of earbuds, active noise cancellation on the Noise Buds Venus is relatively simple and only slightly reduces ambient Noise, failing to cancel it out entirely. With ANC enabled, even basic indoor noises like a ceiling fan’s whirling could still be heard, while outdoor sounds were even less affected.

Nevertheless, even at low volumes, it makes music easier to listen to, so it’s not entirely without use. Consider ANC on this a bonus rather than a USP of the Noise Buds Venus, as it falls short of the performance level you obtain with even the comparably priced Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro.

For the price, the Noise Buds Venus has a respectable battery life. With ANC activated and the volume set to 60%, the earphones lasted about 5 hours per charge, and the charging case gave them an extra four charges. With mixed-use, you may still reach the amount of listening time I could obtain during testing, which amounted to about 25 hours every charge cycle. The casing supports quick charging; a 10-minute charge is expected to provide roughly 2 hours of listening time.

Verdict

Budget-friendly active noise cancellation True wireless headsets are typically quite simple, particularly for entry-level products. This is true even of the Noise Buds Venus, which offers a very rudimentary ANC experience that only improves the entire experience a little but is still great. The Venus is a decent set of earphones for the price, except for one minor drawback—the absence of an app.

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