The Huawei FreeBuds 6i headphones come in the 6th generation and still maintain the elegant appearance and functionality of sophisticated in-ear headphones at an affordable price.
The shape of the charging case and headphones is based on the predecessor FreeBuds 5i, nothing has changed in appearance. Unfortunately, the inconvenient placement of the headphones in the charging case has also been preserved, they are stored with the tips facing outwards and must be turned 180 degrees after removal. It’s nothing tragic, but it’s impractical and there’s a risk that you’ll drop the handset when you’re handling it, which is uncomfortable outdoors or in public transport. However, the biggest news happened inside. The electronics are completely new, the old 10 mm drivers have been replaced by dynamic quadruple magnetic drivers with a diaphragm diameter of 11 mm. This increases the weight to 5.4 grams per handset. The charging case is now a uniform color and the FreeBuds 6i are available in three color options: white, purple and black. The technical specifications of the FreeBuds 6i promise a frequency response from 14 Hz to 40 kHz, they communicate via the latest bluetooth 5.3 and support bluetooth SBC, AAC, LDAC and L2HC 2.0 codecs, which means they can also play HiRes music. The headphones contain a noise filtering chamber that works as a Helmholtz resonator and is most effective in the range between 1kHz and 3kHz, preventing external noise from penetrating and promoting active noise cancellation.
Due to the controversial US sanctions, Huawei does not have access to Google services, so you have to install the AI Live application through the official Huawei website. However, this gives you control over almost all of the headphone’s functions. The app offers access to four noise reduction algorithms – dynamic and ultra have moderate background noise, while dynamic selects the appropriate setting from 34 noise scenarios within 2.6 microseconds. The balanced and low algorithms were much quieter, but the noise cancellation was also more subtle. ANC can also be completely disabled so that the headphones only provide passive attenuation. You can also choose a transparency mode, in which the three integrated microphones amplify external sound. It works great, except for a slight background noise that would sometimes turn off unexpectedly and then turn on again. The manufacturer for the FreeBuds 6i states a frequency range from 14 Hz to 40 kHz. In practice, this had no audible effect, as this band is already beyond the range of human hearing. Factory settings for the headphones showed a slight emphasis on the midrange, which ensured good speech intelligibility for podcasts and phone calls, but made dance and hip-hop music less enjoyable to listen to. This was caused by the preset Hi-Fi Live equalizer mode. By using the app to switch between standard or symphony modes or, even better, creating your own equalizer, the FreeBuds 6i offer much more bass and treble. Thanks to the three-microphone system, calls were also of high quality. The charging case has the shape of a narrowed oval and is very easy to carry in a pocket. With a capacity of 510 mAh, it can handle four full charges of the headphones, giving you up to eight hours of playback without ANC and five hours with ANC.
The novelty from Huawei is definitely worth trying. For an interesting price, it will offer high-quality sound, excellent noise suppression and decent durability.
PROS, CONS:
+ Sound quality even during calls, battery life, case shaping, adjustment options, calibration according to ear
– Rotated placement of the headphones in the case
PARAMETERS:
Model: Huawei FreeBuds 6i, bluetooth version 5.3, supported codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC and L2HC 2.0, transducer: dynamic four-magnet 11 mm, frequency range 14 Hz – 40 kHz, HiRes support, hands-free function with active noise cancellation, 3 microphones, charging: USB-C, playback time 35 h, fast charging in 10 min – 4 h of listening, connection to two devices, IP54 protection
Cena: 99,90 EUR
Source: www.nextech.sk
