Since the launch of “Airpods” wireless headphones have gained a lot of prominence with many, betting on a world without cables. But it has been a while since there were wireless headphones on the market, and although they do not cost as much as Airpods, they are not cheap at all.
It is becoming easier to find quality Chinese alternatives to Apple’s expensive Airpods. And the leaders in this sector is Xiaomi.
Xiaomi has fully entered the world of Bluetooth headphones. It currently has four featured models which are considered the best Xiaomi AirDots, and they are:
- Xiaomi Redmi AirDots (also known as Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic)
- Xiaomi Mi AirDots ( also known as Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earbuds)
- Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro 2
While AirDots Pro is shaped like AirPods (elongated and hard), the cheapest models have smaller, button design.
From my point of view, the latter is more comfortable and, in addition, they are the most interesting for having a better value for money. But the question still remains; how do wireless earphones/headphones work? And how do you know which brand is good and better for you? In this guide, we would look at all these and also highlight 3 of the best Xiaomi AirDots that are mentioned above.
How do wireless Bluetooth headphones work?
The first thing you need to know is that it is a device that, as a general rule, can reach a great distance, much more than any other wired headset, even if they are more than 2 meters long and that is a great advantage since we do not want to hinder the passage to anyone who wants to pass in front of us.
Have the necessary transmitter and cables ready
The headphones you have chosen surely come with a transmitter where you must connect them with the power cable in an outlet. When you have done this step, you must connect the audio source to the transmitter at the headphone input. In your instructions, it may come as an “audio source”.
Make sure this charger battery 100%
The next step is to charge your headphones in case they come downloaded from the factory default. The only thing you have to do is insert the right batteries if your model is rechargeable the only thing you have to do is remove its base from the box where they came from, plug it into the power and leave your helmets until they are fully charged.
In order to know how long they need to be feeding, it is necessary to look at their instructions since charging hours can make you dizzy from 2 to 5 hours.
Turn on the headphones and adjust their functions
Once you have done the previous two steps, all you have to do is turn on the headphones where the power button is located and wait to see if a signal is obtained.
When you see that this is ready you will have to adjust the reception of the device and its volume so that when you put them in your ears your eardrums do not damage because the volume is too high. When you’re done, all you have to do is stay within the allowed distance of the headset connected to the device you’re going to pair with.
Device search for pairing
In the event that you want to connect it via Bluetooth to a television, mobile device or tablet or a PC, if these are modern or the latest generation, they will generally be automatically linked, otherwise, you will have to go to the options and/or settings, activate the Bluetooth and wait until the wireless headset model you want to use has been detected.
Benefits of Wireless Earphones
Advantages of wireless headphones
Comfort
- You won’t notice them! You can do sports, go shopping, ride a bike without being disturbed
- They offer great freedom of movement. Don’t be afraid of getting involved in something. They won’t fall off!
If you were used to taking your earphones out of your pocket and taking 15 minutes to unroll them, forget about it with wireless earphones.
More varied and easier controls
- They work with a simple touch. If you want to stop the song, go to the next or go back to the previous one, you only have to give a little touch to one of the headphones.
- In addition, many allow them to be used to carry a conversation on the phone.
Use Distance
Can you imagine a few years ago being able to listen to music with your mobile phone more than two meters away?
- With these wireless headphones, you can have a longer range of distance. Some reach 8-9 meters of radius of action.
- Thanks to its Bluetooth you can connect your wireless headphones to various devices without having to be plugging and unplugging them continuously.
Disadvantages of Bluetooth headphones
Quality
The quality is going to be worse in these earphones than with those with cables. Still, most of them offer good sound quality, quite similar to that of wired headphones.
We recommend that if you are looking for headphones for a music studio, the best choice is wired headphones. They have better sound quality and do not cause interference.
Interferences
As they work through Bluetooth and we live with a very high number of waves, the headphones may suffer small interferences.
It is a problem that does not have to happen, but it could arise. Even so, they will be small interferences that will be solved instantly.
The price
These headphones are currently more expensive than traditional wired headphones with a similar quality. Obviously this is due to the Bluetooth system, design, and extra features.
Charging
The vast majority of these headphones have a small box to store and charge them.
Remember to charge these earphones! If we are used to using the ones with cables, we will remember to charge them just when our favorite song plays and our battery runs out.
Things To Consider Before Buying A Wireless Earphone
Before spending, or wanting to save, any monetary amount in the purchase of wireless earphones, we must think carefully about the following ten aspects, or we want to make the following ten considerations.
1. How Long Will The Battery Last
The wireless earphone battery’s duration and the recharging system that the headphones carry is a major issue since we will not only use them to listen to music but also to walk on the street with them on in case we receive a call. Consequently, they will be active for a long time and away from a charging station, so they can surprise us at the most unexpected moment.
What is required is a good autonomy or they earphone would abruptly switch off while we are conversing with a friend or when listening to our favorite song. So while buying ensure that it has a portable charging station, easy to carry and recharge, or that they are equipped with sensors that disconnect them from the mobile when we do not use them, to save energy.
2. Will I take it down the street?
If the answer is yes, we are interested in providing a good fit to the ear with this guide. For example, AirPods prioritize aesthetics over safety, and although they have good support, the fact of putting on or taking off a sweater can cause us to lose one of them, something that we will not notice if we have them inactive. Without a doubt aesthetics and support run in an inverse proportion.
3. What size do I want them?
If we think of headphones to listen to some cool music when we at home, the best option might be a headphone, very large and circumaural, and also anti-noise in that it isolates us from any environmental intrusion.
Now, the logical thing, unless we are very modern and alternative, is that if we want wireless headphones to go down the street, we look for discretion and good portability. Consequently, surely the earphones will be the most suitable.
4. They must be comfortable
Are we willing to pay more than 100 dollars for an earphone? We better try them before to see how they adapt to our ear. It is important to see if they bother us, if the anatomy of our ear allows perfect isolation, etc. Keep in mind that each person is different morphologically.
5. Do I want great sound quality?
If we are going to listen to music, whether at home or on the street, the sound quality is essential. It is important to see how the bass and treble modulate so that a high volume is not bothersome to our ears; if they do it themselves or you have to resort to the mobile software or the stereo chain. In any case, quality is usually included in the price of the device.
6. With or without a microphone?
Will we use headphones to talk on the phone? In such a case they must have a microphone. Be careful that many models focused on home listening do not incorporate it.
7. Do I want to be able to get away from the sound source?
The most widespread Bluetooth tech reaches a maximum of 0.03km, and in many cases, due to the interference of metallic objects, sometimes a dozen meters are enough for the stability of the connection to be lost.
There are alternatives with a range of more than 0.10km but these need to be incorporated with a broadcast station as the source. On the other hand, with the current Bluetooth 5.0 technology a range of 0.12km is achieved, but few devices incorporate it.
8. Do I want them more or less pretty?
It is known that a lot of earphone users would love their earphones to be aesthetically pleasing since we will surely wear them on the street and consequently they will add to our ensemble. If they are indoors, this consideration may have less weight.
Top 3 Wireless Earphones In The Market
1. Xiaomi Redmi AirDots
Redmi AirDots are AirPods type Bluetooth headphones that cost about $23.99 on Amazon and get good marks in almost everything. The design is elegant, they are light and comfortable. The sound quality, while not exceptional, is on par with other similar headphones that are double their price. In addition, the connection is very stable and they hardly suffer cuts. The autonomy of the headphones is about 3 and a half hours; they can be charged about 3 times with the battery in the box. So in the end, we have a total autonomy of about 14 hours.
Design
- Smaller than other models
Redmi AirDots have a very simple aesthetic that, from my point of view, is quite elegant. The carrying case is very compact and the AirDots are smaller than I thought.
Although their shape is very generic, with a pill shape and rounded edges, they are noticeably smaller than much of the competition. Something that I appreciate because I like that they are as discreet as possible.
In addition, being so small they have another advantage, they are very light (about 4 grams, although with a more accurate scale perhaps they are closer to 3 grams). In fact, they are light enough that you forget you are wearing them.
A negative point of being so light is that they give the feeling of being a little hollow, so the quality feeling is not so good.
Even so, they have the IPX4 resistance certificate, making them resistant to sweat and splashes. You will not have problems if you exercise with them, but they are not good for bathing either.
Audio
- Sound that meets, but will not excite anyone
The sound is not exceptional, far from it, but for the price they have, and what these earphones offer, it is quite good.
Don’t get me wrong, they sound good. They have decent basses, though they lack a bit more detail. The mids are very nice, and the highs are crisp and clear. But it is a sound that lacks many details and nuances in all frequencies. The separation of instruments is not good and the sound scene is scarce, but it is appropriate for the $, you can not ask for more.
In addition, they perform very well in the most important thing. The sound is clean, has little hiss, and hardly suffers signal cuts (even getting far away from the phone).
Although they use the SBC codec, the latency is quite good and they serve perfectly to watch movies or series (Netflix, YouTube, etc.) without problems of synchronization between the image and the sound. The maximum volume is pretty good too and I’ve never needed to crank them up.
Autonomy
- About 3 or 3.5 hours of autonomy, depending on the volume
- The box gives to charge the headphones about 3 times
The Redmi AirDots’ autonomy is just as good as the competitive headphones that cost twice as much. The headphones have a range of about 3 hours at medium volumes. Being able to squeeze them half an hour more if we use them at low volume.
The box has 300 mAh capacity and can charge both headphones about three times. So, in theory, we would have a total autonomy of about 10 hours, approximately. There are other models of headphones that have 3,000 mAh of charge in the box, although, of course, they are much larger and heavier.
Detailed Specifications
- Weight: each earphone weighs 4 grams, set with box 35 grams
- Power: 7.2mm driver
- Autonomy: 3-3.5 hours at medium volume, about 10-12 hours with the 300 mAh in the box
- Battery charging time: just under 2 hours
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, hands-free microphone, micro USB connection (charge only)
- Technologies: passive noise cancellation, A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
- Others: IPX4 water resistance, SBC codec
Pros
- Price-performance ratio
- Fairly decent sound quality
- Small and light
- Discrete
Cons
- Physical buttons can be uncomfortable
- Unable to know the battery charge level of the box
FAQ
How do I connect them to the mobile?
The first time I connected the headphones to the mobile it took me a couple of minutes. My advice is to first remove the plastic that protects the charging pins of the two headphones. Next, put the two headphones in the box and wait for the two to start charging (each LED lights up on each earphone). Once this is done, take out the right earbud (it’s the master earbud for the connection), just the right earbud, and wait for the white light to come on. Now, search the mobile for the headset and pair it. Once this is done, you can now remove the left earbud and it will automatically sync with the right earbud.
If any of the steps fail, put the handset in the box and take it out again.
Can I skip songs or control volume with headphones?
Yes, with the Dotdroid app.
The application allows you to check the battery information of the headphones and customize the controls (skip a song, rewind and fast forward; and volume control).
They don’t work, how do I re-sync them?
To do this, the headphones must be reset. The steps are the following:
- We put the AirDots in the box.
- We delete the AirDots from the mobile
- We take the AirDots out of the box.
- We hold the button down for 5 seconds and turn them off. You will see a red light
- Now we are going to press them again, but this will be seen for about 20 seconds. In this way we will make two resets that are seen by the red LEDs that flash. We have to see them twice. First at 10 seconds. The first reset clears the devices stored in the AirDots memory and then the second reset that is after 20 seconds and restarts the connection between the two headphones.
- We turn on the AirDots, we can do it by putting them in and out of the box or pressing the button for 5 seconds.
If it went well, we will see that the white light flashes in the right earpiece, but not in the left. Now we can pair them with the mobile. Remember that the master earpiece is the right one. So pair it with the one that puts the R on the right.
My Review – Redmi AirDots
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Although the Xiaomi Redmi AirDots is not perfect, for the price they have you can barely get “buts.”
They meet in all sections the same or better than other similar headphones that are double their price. For the $ they cost, I expected much less. And it is something that does not usually happen, that a manufacturer surprises me for good by offering a quality product so below the price of the competition.
2. Xiaomi Mi AirDots
The Xiaomi Mi AirDots are highly recommended Bluetooth headphones. For about $45.99 on Amazon, they offer touch controls, good sound, stable connection, and a more than decent autonomy. In addition, they are extremely comfortable and light and can be used for sports because they are resistant to sweat and splashes. The touch buttons could improve and serve to control the volume, and the box could have some LEDs to indicate the battery level. Anyway, you can not ask much more for such complete headphones for such a contained price.
Design
- Light
- Very comfortable
The Mi AirDots are completely white: box, headphones, earbuds, and micro USB charging cable. And they are only available in that color, so if you don’t like it, go looking at other models.
The headphones are very light and with only 4 grams of weight (each one), they are very comfortable. The rounded line design fits most ears very well and the headphones fit snugly.
Sound quality
- Sound of battle that meets
- Power to spare
The Mi AirDots have a 7.2mm driver that produces a fairly nice overall sound.
The sound is balanced in all frequencies, although it is not very detailed. They have enough bass, the mids have a very good texture, and the treble is quite clean and harmonious. Of course, the sound is not too spectacular, but they are amply fine-tuned for both music and podcasts.
Autonomy
- About 3 hours of battery power at medium volume
- The box can charge the headphones 3 times
Each earphone has an internal 40 mAh battery that allows music to be played at medium volume for about 3 hours. If we listen at a very low volume we can extend its autonomy up to about 3.5 hours.
Detailed Specifications
- Weight: each earphone weighs 4 grams, set with box 38 grams
- Power: 7.2mm driver
- Autonomy: 3-3.5 hours at medium volume, about 10-12 hours with the 300 mAh in the box
- Battery charging time: just under 2 hours
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, hands-free microphone, micro USB connection (charge only)
- Technologies: passive noise cancellation, A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
- Others: IPX5 water resistance, AAC and SBC codecs
Pros
- Price-performance ratio
- Small and light
Cons
- Can’t control volume from headphones
- Unable to know the battery charge level of the box
My Review – Xiaomi Mi AirDots
⭐⭐⭐⭐
With the Mi AirDots, Xiaomi has followed its most successful recipe: to make a good, beautiful and cheap product that, although it does not outperform the competition, competes with it for a fraction of the price.
The Mi AirDots are great Bluetooth headsets that have hardly any major flaws.
From my point of view, the only important thing is that you cannot control the volume from the headphones themselves (officially), but even so, you will not regret if you buy them. Construction, sound quality, and autonomy are on par with other much more expensive headphones.
3. Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro 2
The Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro 2 are very complete headphones. They have new 14.2 mm drivers that produce a very good sound, the box is smaller than the previous model and the autonomy has increased.
With a price of $45.99 on Amazon, they are headphones a little ahead of their time and we will have to see how their firmware and the applications to control them evolve, as well as their compatibility with the new LHDC codec.
Design
- Lots of technologies (infrared, LDHC …)
- Good materials
At first glance, it can be seen that the build quality is better than that of its little brothers. The plastics are better, the box closes better … Everything seems more premium.
As for the headphones themselves, for my taste, they have a slightly thick ear. Not that it is uncomfortable, but for me, it is somewhat overwhelming. Also, as it is white, it attracts a lot of attention.
Audio
- New 14.2mm drivers
- Better bass than the previous model
- Very good media
Each headphone features a dynamic 14.2mm driver. Pretty big. To give you an idea, most similar headphones have 7-9 mm drivers in size.
Thanks to the new drivers, the AirDots Pro 2 has a much-improved sound quality in all frequencies, although where it is most noticeable is in the bass.
Autonomy
- 4 hours of autonomy of the headphones
- 12 hours of autonomy with the charging case
Finally, they have an autonomy of 4 hours for continued use after 1 hour of charging. Its case with USB Type C and fast charge acts as a charging base and will allow us to carry out up to 2 and a half charges, thus increasing autonomy up to a total of 12 hours.
Detailed Specifications
- Weight: each earphone weighs 4.5 grams, set with box 50 grams
- Power: 14.2mm driver
- Autonomy: 4 hours at medium volume, about 14 hours with the 300 mAh in the box
- Battery charging time: 1 hour
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, hands-free microphone, USB-C connection (charge only)
- Technologies: passive noise cancellation, A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
- Others: SBC, AAC, and LHDC codecs.
Pros
- Pause playback by removing the headset
- Good sound quality
- Advanced functions with MIUI 11
- LHDC codecs supported
- Good autonomy
Cons
- Some functions very oriented to the Chinese market
- They are somewhat big
FAQ
Do they have noise cancellation?
No, they do not have active noise cancellation (ANC).
How do I update the firmware
You can update the firmware of the headphones with the official Xiao Ai app ( download ). Of course, it is in Chinese.
How to reset AirDots Pro 2
- To pair the AirDots Pro 2 via Bluetooth, simply insert them in their case and press the side button for 2 seconds. The front led of the case will flash white to indicate that they are in synchronization mode.
- In case of experiencing any problem during pairing, we can reset them by pressing the button on the case for 10 seconds. In this case, the front led will flash red and white.
My Review – Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro 2
⭐⭐⭐
The Xiaomi Mi AirDots Pro 2 are very advanced headphones, but they cover more than they can, and logically, for the price they have, they cannot do everything well.
- The box, although it has reduced its size and increased its autonomy, is still larger and has less autonomy than its rivals.
- The advanced functionalities (Xiaomi assistant) are very oriented to the Chinese market.
- The touch buttons work frequently and you cannot change songs or control the volume with them.
- LHDC codec support is lousy today.
- And the most important thing is that they are giving firmware failures to many users
In addition, many users have expressed frustration when using the earphones and some complain that it has stopped working and there is no way to recover it.
So, in short, the Mi AirDots Pro 2 are very good headphones, when they work, but if we consider that they cost more than double than other very good and easily damaged models, you might be interested in a better option.
Conclusion
Wireless earphones are vital for relaxation and reduce the presence of too many wires. It makes it easy for you to be able to listen to music or answer calls without worrying about if the cables are inserted properly. It’s aesthetic and design is a plus for your outfit. With Xiaomi Airdots you get the best wireless earphones at a price affordable for you no matter your budget. We hope this guide has been able to help you in making wise decisions next time you feel like buying a Xiaomi Airdot or any type of wireless earphones.
