Xiaomi’s new OpenWear Stereo Pro is for those who are in their fitness and comfort era, looking for a new pair of earphones.
Equipped with an open-ear design, elegant looks, and tons of features, the latest in the Xiaomi OpenWear series could appeal to both fitness enthusiasts and those who just hate the irritating feeling of traditional earphones shoved to their ears.
But how well does it actually perform? How does it fare with existing alternatives like those from Shokz? Let’s find out in our Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro review.
Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro Specs
- 10mm leak-proof driver
- Hi-Res Wireless certified, LDAC support
- 32Ω, 20Hz-40kHz
- 5 EQ presets
- Touch controls
- IP54 dust and water resistant
- Bluetooth 5.4, LE, HFP, A2DP, AVRCP
- AAC, SBC, LDAC
- TUV SUD Five-Star Comfort certification
- IP54 splash resistant
- Xiaomi Earbuds app (Android, iOS)
- Material: ABS, Nickel-Titanium
- Dimensions: 50.8 x 34.9 x 16.7mm (per earbud) |
68 x 68 x 26.3mm (case) - Weight: 9.7g (per earbud) | 52.5g (case)
- Colors: Graphite Black, Titan Gray, Sand Gold
- Battery: 700mAh (case) | 56mAh (earbuds)
- USB-C charging
Design and Build Quality
Like the first OpenWear, the new OpenWear Stereo Pro has an ear-hook design but has been improved. It has what Xiaomi calls “memory titanium wire,” which they claim matches the ear’s natural curvature.
Fit can be very tricky on these kinds of earphones. Most people may find it a little loose and may fall out of their ears when doing an intense workout.
But as someone who primarily uses the Stereo Pro for runs and cycling — and someone who also wears prescription lenses — the fit is actually good. It never fell off my ears.
I was able to wear it for hours during a long bike ride with no fatigue or comfort issues. But then again, you’re mileage may vary, so I suggest doing a test fit before buying if you can.
Xiaomi prioritized elegance in terms of design, instead of the rugged appeal that Shokz and other open-ear earphones have.
The earbuds have a shiny, metal-like surface, but they definitely feel like plastic, which is a better choice than real metal, as it makes them really light.
Even the case exudes elegance. The pebble-shaped case has a plastic, leather-like lid. The faux suede bed for the buds is prone to dirt and grime, but is easily cleanable.
There’s a USB-C port on the back, together with the Harman branding on the hinge, and an LED indicator on the front that lights Green or Orange if the battery is low. The pairing button is on the right.
Like most earbuds, the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro is IP54 dust and splash-resistant. That’s enough to withstand rain and sweat during workouts.
Unfortunately, it’s definitely not made for heavier water exposure. We experienced running in the rain, and the buds started going crazy: ghost touches, muffled sound, and the right bud was disconnected.
The color variant we have is the Graphite Black. It is also available in Sand Gold and Titan Gray. Overall, we’re a fan of the design. The elegant look is a breath of fresh air from all the rugged earphones we’ve seen, all while retaining a splash and sweat-resistant build.
Interface and Features
The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro has Google Fast Pair support. Although not stated on the website, our tests show it also supports Microsoft Swift Pair. It can be controlled via the Xiaomi Earbuds app available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
There are a lot of things you can do with the app. One of them is for updating the buds, but the requirement to create or sign in to a Xiaomi account is a bit annoying.
There are also many gesture customizations available. You can assign the command for a single tap, double tap, triple tap, and press-and-hold on each of the two earbuds.
The tap gestures are fast and responsive — maybe too responsive, as I would get accidental taps from the straps of my bike helmet.
Adaptive Volume, which automatically adjusts the volume based on your surroundings, works fine, but we left it off.
Dimensional Audio with head tracking is also here. Plus, you can choose between five audio balance modes: Balanced Sound, Harman AudioEFX, Harman Master, Enhance Voice, and Enhance Treble. Sadly, there are no customizable EQs.
Dual Connection allows you to connect the buds to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously.
The Find your earphones feature works fine. It plays an extra-loud alarm to the earbuds so you can find them faster. Albeit the volume is only loud enough for finding it in your room, the couch, or inside your car.
A unique feature of the buds is the built-in recorder. You can record with the left or right earphones by triple-tapping your chosen bud. Each bud can record up to 120 minutes. It can be used even with the case closed, perfect for impromptu recording or voice memos.
Oh, and by the way, you get free 3 months of Spotify Premium when you get the buds. The redemption code can be claimed from the app.
For connectivity, it has Bluetooth 5.4 with support for Bluetooth Low Energy, HFP, A2DP, and AVRCP. It also supports AAC, SBC, and LDAC codecs. Plus, a communication range of 10m.
After using it for more than a month, we haven’t experienced any significant connection issues. No sync issues when watching videos or playing games, too.
The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro has an intuitive interface that’s heavy in customizability and has a built-in recorder that’s nice to have.
Sound Quality
The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro has 18 x 13mm dynamic drivers, dual balanced armatures, a piezoelectric ceramic tweeter, and a dedicated sound leakage reduction driver that’s a highlight feature.
Audio quality is great, but not the best. I compared it with the Shokz OpenFit Air (SRP Php7,500), and the difference in quality is noticeable, primarily because the competition had better bass.
The lows are still audible, but not as thumping. On the upside, the treble and mids are very clean. I was able to enjoy different genres of music, from Rock to Hip-Hop and R&B. Podcasts sound well on this, too.
To get the best audio quality, make sure you play with the audio effects in the settings. I found the Harman AudioEFX preset gives a better experience with brighter highs and warmer lows.
Despite the open-ear design, the volume is very loud. It’s no match to loud vehicles when you’re running or cycling outdoors, hence the purpose of being open-ear.
What really impressed us was the quality of the microphones. You can take calls even in loud and busy streets, and the person on the line can still hear you loud and clear. No need to pull out your phone.
The anti-sound leakage tech also works very well. If you’re sitting in a very quiet room, the person next to you would still hear a quiet buzz, but wouldn’t be able to make out what you’re listening to or talking about.
Battery and Charging
The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro has a 56mAh battery for each bud and 700mAh on the case. It charges via USB-C but lacks wireless charging support.
According to Xiaomi, each bud can last for up to 8.5 hours or a total of 45 hours with the charging case. That’s if you’re listening at 50% volume with Bluetooth AAC connection and other settings set at default.
Those figures are close to our test results. We did three different continuous listening tests under different circumstances. See the results below:
- 50% volume, LDAC Off: ~6 hours
- 75% volume LDAC On: ~4 hours and 43 minutes
- Full volume, LDAC On: ~4 hours
The charging case then provided 5 full and one 30 percent charge in our tests. Quickly returning the buds to the case provides a 0-35% charge in just 10 minutes, 20 minutes in and it’s at 65%, 30 minutes at 85%, with a full charge taking just 36 minutes.
We’re really impressed with the battery life we got from the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro. As a long-distance cyclist and aspiring marathoner, I was able to train for hours without worrying about my music dying.
Verdict
I definitely liked my time with the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro, and will continue to do so as I continue to use it for running and cycling.
While it’s good, it’s far from perfect. The fit and comfort, which worked well for me, may not be for you so it’s important to test it out or at least see it in person. Also, if audio quality is your top and only priority, then you might be better off with something else — something like the Shokz OpenFit Air under a similar price tag.
While it may not be the best-sounding one, it still provided an outstanding audio quality. Plus, it makes up for it by having extra features like a built-in voice recorder and a dedicated anti-sound leakage driver that not everyone has.
There’s also the elegant design that stands out during fun runs and, of course, a very reliable battery life.
The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro is an excellent buy for the price, just make sure it fits your ears well.
Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro pricing and availability
The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro has an SRP of Php7,699 in the Philippines. You can get it at Xiaomi physical stores and online channels nationwide.
Pros
- Elegant looks, splash and sweat resistant
- Outstanding audio quality
- Clear mic for calls
- Dedicated anti-sound leakage driver
- Long battery life
- Spatial audio with head tracking
- Built-in voice recorder
Cons
- Not for running in the rain
- Fit can be tricky for some people
- Bass could be better