Experimented with Huawei's FreeBuds 6 earphones and the audio quality rivals that of premium amplifiers.
You Forgot About the Huawei Freebuds 5, but Here's a Fresh Look at the Freebuds 6
Man, I completely forgot I reviewed the Huawei Freebuds 5 a couple of years back, so you can imagine my excitement when Huawei reached out about testing its latest noise-cancelling headphones – the Freebuds 6! After visiting their Shenzhen headquarters in China last month, let me tell ya, these new buds are nothing short of impressive.
At the event, we were given the chance to compare the Freebuds 6 sound quality with fancy-schmancy speakers set up in the briefing room. And wouldn't you know it? Both sounded almost identical, leaving me properly curious about these tiny pieces of audio wizardry.
Now, the Freebuds 5 weren't exactly mind-blowing, although the sound was clear. The fit, on the other hand, was a bit hit-or-miss due to the seamless curve design. On the ANC front, they left a bit to be desired. While open-ear headphones like the Apple AirPods 4 can offer some noise cancellation, the Freebuds line's ear canal exposure inevitably lets in more ambient noise.
Time to Get Your Listen On
Boy, oh boy, have the Freebuds 6 addressed those issues! The sound quality is dramatically improved, thanks to a nifty dual-driver setup featuring an 11mm dynamic bass driver and a planar diaphragm tweeter. Not only does this extend the frequency range from 14Hz to 48kHz, but it also provides a richer, more balanced sound.
The drivers are backed by Huawei's new Bass Turbo 2.0 and triple adaptive EQ tuning, all integrated within an open-fit design through a smart three-part internal structure. And get this - the Freebuds 6 are the first open-fit Huawei buds to support 2.3 Mbps lossless streaming via the L2HC 4.0 codec (HWA certified) when used with a compatible EMUI 15+ device (Huawei Audio app on a Samsung/Huawei smartphone). That's audiophile-grade sound, baby!
That Mic Drop Moment
On the calls and comfort front, the FreeBuds 6 are lighter (9%) and sleeker (12%) with shorter stems for extended wear. They also feature advanced open-fit ANC with three microphones and a spankin' new Voice Pickup Unit (VPU) that reduction noise up to 95dB and can handle wind speeds up to 8m/s.
Toss in 6 hours of battery life per bud (when ANC is off), up from 5 hours, 36 hours total with the case (up from 30 hours), and you've got a pair of headphones that can keep the tunes going all day. (Side note: A quick 5-minute charge gives you 2.5 hours of playback!)
ANC Just Not Cutting It
While the sound quality of the FreeBuds 6 is outstanding, the ANC performance is still sub-par. The ear canal exposure means a lot of ambient noise will seep in, no matter how sophisticated the algorithm. I gave it a shot on my train ride to the office and, my friends, it ain't gonna win any races with that noise-canceling feature.
Ramping up the volume helps somewhat, but it's not like having a powerful ANC that silences the world - it's like shouting over a rowdy crowd instead of just asking them to chill out.
The shape of the buds isn't as much of an issue this time around. The buds still boast that iconic curvy form factor, but it's been tweaked for improved comfort. The Freebuds 6 sit nicely in your ears, even when you're moving your head like a crazy person.
The call quality remains to be seen, but the three-mic setup fills me with confidence. As for the battery life, it seems spot-on - great news!
Will the Huawei Freebuds 6 dethrone the Apple AirPods Pro 2 in my ears? I'm not sure, but they might just be a fantastic alternative for office use. Stay tuned for the full review coming soon!
The improved sound quality of the Freebuds 6, thanks to a dual-driver setup, challenges the audio prowess of fancy-schmancy speakers.
Equipped with advanced features like lightweight design, sophisticated ANC, and impressive battery life, the Freebuds 6 could potentially serve as a strong contender in the realm of smartphone gadgets.
