It’s a bad time to be launching premium over-ear headphones. Xiaomi has just announced an affordable pair, the Redmi Headphones Neo, for various markets. South Africa isn’t confirmed for this launch (yet), but we dearly hope they make it over here.
And not just for the price, either. International pricing puts these at around R850, which translates to a price point closer to R1,000 here in SA. Based purely on looks, the Redmi Headphones Neo will outstrip what you’re paying for them. After a closer look at these cans, it’s obvious in other ways, too.
Redmi Headphones Neo logistics
The design is an obvious highlight. Xiaomi has taken tips from various premium lineups to create these. Whether the build and materials match up remains to be seen. If they come even slightly close, the folks sending R10k+ headphones out are liable to get a little worried. Internally, the specs are also an attractive proposition.
Xiaomi’s new cans are supposed to feature 72 hours of battery life on a charge. That number is with the Redmi Headphones Neo eschewing active noise cancelling (and the volume set to 50%), but it’s still impressive. 40mm dynamic drivers provide the audio itself. If the Neo falters significantly, it’ll be here… but we’re not convinced that the Chinese brand will make that misstep.
ANC is included, with up to 42dB being suppressed with noise cancelling on. Bluetooth 5.4 is supported, as are lossless audio formats. Standard Bluetooth range applies, but it seems users will also be able to connect these cans via the USB-C charging port. If they do, frequency response will improve from 20Hz–20kHz (Bluetooth) to 20Hz–40kHz (USB).
The Redmi Headphones Neo aren’t technically official yet, with a proper announcement taking place tomorrow in Vienna. They are currently listed on Xiaomi’s Japanese website, though. Hopefully, South Africans will see a similar listing soon after the reveal.
