Tech | Redmi SonicBass: A neckband wireless worth the money

Mi Nepal launched a neckband wireless earphone Redmi SonicBass in the country few months ago. It is now priced at Rs. 2,099 and is available in black.

I used the Redmi SoniceBass Wireless for a few days days, and here's what I experienced.

Redmi SonicBass Wireless highlights:

•        12 hours of playback time
•        Superior sound with pro bass
•        Environmental noise cancellation
•        IPX4 splash and sweat proof
•        Bluetooth 5.0
•        Voice control
•        Neckband design

Design       

Redmi SonicBass Wireless is a neckband style wireless earphone. As it is made of plastic, the material doesn't look premium. Furthermore, the matte finish doesn’t make it stand out among competitors.

The control module is on the right along with buttons for volume control and power. There's an LED to indicate charge status--it uses micro USB for charging.

The ear tips are fine and provide good isolation. But I didn't find the neckband comfortable as it didn't fit well. It is light but the neckband can fall out during intense cardio, especially when lying down facing upwards. But it does have an IPX4 rating which makes it usable under rain and humid conditions.

Audio quality

There isn’t any information as to what kind of a driver Redmi SonicBass uses. Redmi just mentions that it has a Pro Bass. So what does it sound like?

The bass is boosted. The lows are fine but the bass is not as strong as I had hoped. The mid-tones sound good and the vocals shine through other instruments. You will have a good time if you're listening to pop songs. I had a good time listening to rock numbers by Audioslave as well.

But you won't be pleased with its highs if you're listening to something like Mr.Brightside by The Killers. The highs lacked the details and sounded distorted.

Controls

There's a multi-function button that also functions as a power button and then there are volume buttons on the control module. The controls are as follows.

•        Multifunction Hold: Play/ Pause, Answer Call/ Reject Call
•        Volume Buttons Long Hold: Previous/Skip

The buttons do feel a bit flimsy but it's alright for earphones at this price range.

Connectivity

Redmi SonicBass uses Bluetooth V5.0 so it boasts the standard range of 10m. I didn't have any problem with its connectivity. I didn’t face any connection or audio drops within its range.

Surprisingly, it has a multipoint feature and can connect to up to two devices at a time. I really like this feature as I was able to seamlessly switch between my phone and my laptop.

Battery

Redmi SonicBass has a 120mAh battery. Xiaomi claims that it can last up to 12 hours. I tested it out and it gave me around 11 hours of playback on 100% volume. So, you could get 12 hours out of it if you use 80% volume.

Still, its battery life is impressive. It takes about 2 hours to fully charge the Redmi SonicBass as it uses 2.5W charging. However, you do not get any kind of charger in the box.

Should you buy it?

Redmi SonicBass is a decent wireless earphone for the price. For Rs. 2,099, it has satisfactory sound quality, comes with an IPX4 rating and has a multipoint feature.
It is lightweight but I was not convinced of its fit. The earphone would hang out of my neck when I moved quickly.

Also, I did not feel comfortable wearing it for a long time. On 100% volume, my ears felt uncomfortable.

However, I like what it is offering with the price tag.