Xiaomi 3 Pro True wireless noise cancelling in-ear headphones unveiled

We have just published the review of the Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro, and Xiaomi already launches the next ANC in-ear. The headphones not only look similar, but also deliver similar technical specifications.

Xiaomi wants to know!

Xiaomi is not getting tired in the audio sector at the moment, quite the contrary. Statistics from the last year show that the company’s headphones could easily compete with Apple’s market share. The Xiaomi headquarters probably even dream of being the market leader in this field.

Accordingly, Xiaomi is now throwing new headphone models around wildly. True to the motto that a lot helps a lot, they simply flood the market with EVEN MORE headphones, similar to what they do with smartphones.

Among other things, the following headphones were launched in China in the last few months.

• Redmi AirDots 3
• Redmi AirDots 3 Pro (Redmi Buds 3 Pro Global)
• Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro
• Redmi Buds 3

and will also release all of them as a global version, if not already done. In addition, the Xiaomi Air 2 Pro from last year also belatedly appeared as a global version a few days ago.

Now follow the (literally translated) “Xiaomi true-wireless noise-canceling headphones 3 Pro”, whose eternally long name I do not want to accept and call them instead simply Xiaomi 3 Pro in-ear headphones. Whether these will also appear globally is not yet known, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

Xiaomi 3 Pro ANC In-Ear with AirPods Pro Design

The design of the new Xiaomi 3 Pro headphones is reminiscent of Apple’s AirPods Pro, just like the design of the FlipBuds Pro. In addition to the standard white and black colors, there is also a green variant that I like a lot.

Again with single driver

Like all Xiaomi wireless in-ear headphones, the new Xiaomi 3 Pro ANC in-ears come with a dynamic single driver.

Thus, Xiaomi again gives away the chance for serious sound development, because I am of the opinion that such a single driver can never come close to the frequency spectrum of a hybrid driver in-ear. However, Xiaomi has also proven with the Redmi AirDots 3 that hybrid-driver headphones do not necessarily have to sound better than single-drivers.

Anyway, Xiaomi promises hi-fi sound with very low distortion. As always, everything sounds great on paper, but I would rather wait and see how the headphones sound in the ear. However, the surround sound function sounds interesting, where the headphones perceive 360° head movements and modify the sound image accordingly.

Active noise cancelling & LHDC codec

In terms of noise cancelling, Xiaomi also sets the standard, at least for the Pro headphone range. Up to 40 dB noise reduction is said to be achieved thanks to Hybrid ANC. The value of 40 dB can also be found in many other manufacturers, as well as in the Xiaomi Air 2 Pro and the Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro.

Furthermore, the headphones are supposed to be one of the first to support the LHDC codec in version 4.0. Basically, this is a good codec, but it is unfortunately less common outside of China than the aptX or LDAC codec.

Otherwise, the Xiaomi 3 Pro headphones sound like any Pro model from Xiaomi. Solid battery life with wireless charging, IP55 protection from liquid and dust, and MIUI system integration with pop-up connection and customization options.

Assessment

There is no question in my mind that this model was probably not really needed. However, the recently released Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro were not really convincing in terms of sound, so I would currently rather go for the older Xiaomi Air 2 Pro.

Hopefully, the new Xiaomi 3 Pro ANC in-ear headphones will make a technical leap compared to the Xiaomi Air 2 Pro, otherwise we can also put these headphones on file without paying attention. The price is 699 yuan, which is already a hefty 90€ (~$110).