Xiaomi Buds 6: Snapdragon sound and Harman tuning arrive

Thursday, 25 December 2025 at 18:38

Xiaomi just threw a massive curveball at the "open-ear" market. While everyone was staring at the new 17 Ultra, the Xiaomi Buds 6 slipped onto the stage with a spec sheet that reads like a high-end audiophile wish list. These aren't your typical plastic clones. Weighing only 4.4g, these semi-in-ear buds are clearly aimed at people who want AirPods-style comfort without sacrificing the high-bitrate perks of the Android ecosystem.

The snapdragon sound advantage

The real story here is the Snapdragon Sound integration. We’re talking about aptX Lossless support that pushes a massive 2.1 Mbps bitrate. That is a huge jump over the standard codecs used by most competitors. To keep up with that data stream, Xiaomi stuffed in a triple-magnet driver unit backed by a 24K gold-plated diaphragm. Why gold? It supposedly increases high-frequency sensitivity by 30%, fighting the "muffled" sound that usually plagues buds without a silicone seal. It's a hardware-heavy approach to fixing a physics problem.

Xiaomi Buds 6 Specifications

Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity
Supported Codec:AAC / SBC / aptX Lossless / aptX Adaptive / LC3 (supported by some models)
Ssper-sensitive triple magnetic units inside and outside, Hi-Fi audio, Spatial Audio
Tuned by the Harman Golden Ear team
Special Harman Audio Modes: Harman Audio EFX mode, Harman Master Mode
Half-in-ear bionic design for precise comfort
Adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC)
3Mic + AI call noise reduction that can cut 12m/s wind noise and 95dB Ambient call noise
Other Features: Real-time recording transcription, Generate intelligent summaries with one click, Multi-scene recording, Three-pressure headphones/charging case, Multi-scenario translation
Support Apple Find My
Dynamic self-adaptive EQ
Dual-device smart connection
Dust and water resistant (IP54) for earbuds
Dimensions (Earbuds): 31.77×17.17×20.56mm; Weight: 4.4g
Dimensions (Case): 52.34×52.57×24mm; Weight:43.4g
35mAh battery in the buds offers 6h (ANC off) / 3.5h (ANC ON) battery life; 475mAh battery in the case offers 35h (ANC off) / 20h (ANC ON) battery life

Harman collaboration and smart features

Xiaomi didn't trust their own ears for the tuning; they called in HARMAN’s Golden Ear Team. This partnership unlocks specific modes like Harman Audio EFX, designed to artificially widen a soundstage that is physically cramped by the half-in-ear design. But the weirdest—and arguably best—feature? Apple Find My support. Xiaomi is playing both sides of the fence here, allowing iPhone users to track these buds just like an AirTag. Throw in adaptive ANC and AI-driven wind noise reduction (up to 12m/s), and the value proposition starts looking very dangerous for the competition.

Build, battery, and durability

Despite the lightweight "bionic" build, they didn't skimp on the ruggedness. An IP54 rating means they’ll handle rain and grit just fine. On a single charge, you get about 6.5 hours of juice (ANC off), but the case pushes that total to 35 hours. If you’re a power user constantly switching between a laptop and a phone, the dual-device smart connection handles those handoffs without the usual Bluetooth stutter. At roughly $99 (699 yuan), Xiaomi is essentially selling flagship audio tech at a mid-range price point.

lossless audio earbuds