As someone who has recently returned to running, my continuously aching legs definitely despised me for agreeing to try the Mixx StreamBuds Sports Charge 2 wireless earphones.
Bespokely made for use while playing sports, all you really need in a cheap set of earbuds is a comfortable fit and a lengthy battery life, in case you forget to charge them. A good set of touch controls would be greatly welcomed.
Considering their low price of $40, the StreamBuds Sports Charge 2 Earbuds certainly deliver, however with one big drawback that may deter many from purchasing them.
Designed for sports, but also compatible with Game Pass.
Taking these bad boys out of their case, it’s evident how they’re advertised as sports buds. The buds themselves are quite basic, with a silicon tip put into the ear and a pair of Small, Medium, and Large tips included in the box for modification. The buds are attached to a flexible rubber loop that is meant to go over the outside of the ear, ensuring a secure fit that will not be disturbed regardless of the intensity of your exercise. Mixx have done an excellent job in this department; even the most ardent heavy metal head-bangers or powerful runners will struggle to remove the StreamBuds from their ears. A significant check for one of the most important criterion for exercise earphones.
What about battery life? Mixx has earned another A+ here. With 8 hours of wireless play time and an additional 24 hours of charge wrapped up in the case, there’s no reason for the StreamBuds to die on you halfway through a 10K, or even at the end of your Game Pass gaming marathon when used for Cloud-based gaming.
This is especially true as a quick 15-minute charge is enough to provide the buds an extra couple of hours of battery life, which is ideal for the day’s workout. I should remark that the earphones have gone mute on me a few times while in use, despite being fully charged, but returning them to their case and pulling them out again has always resolved the issue.
The case itself highlights the StreamBuds’ low price. It’s bulky, measuring 70mm x 70mm x 35mm (for comparison, my Google Pixel Buds A-Series case measures 65mm x 50mm x 25mm), and the extra bulk is noticeable in your shorts, especially while jogging around. The casing is also composed of cheap plastic, but it includes a useful LED indication that displays the case’s current charge. Speaking of charging, if you have a Qi wireless charging surface at home, this case is suitable; otherwise, it can be charged via USB-C.
Sitting inside the case
Because of the flexible loop that extends from the buds, it can be difficult to place the buds back in the case so that they can charge. Especially obnoxious at the end of a workout when my hands are saturated in sweat, a couple times I believed I had correctly reinserted the buds but discovered later that they were not charging. This is generally realized when I return to my daily driving earphones, only to discover that they have been demoted in the Bluetooth pecking order by the StreamBuds, who are grinning away in their plasticky surroundings. Having said that, pairing the StreamBuds to a Bluetooth device was simple at the beginning and throughout.
You may be asking why I haven’t mentioned the Mixx StreamBuds Sports Charge 2’s key feature: how they sound. The answer is ‘not very good’. Again, it must be noted that these cost $40, whereas most daily driver earbuds with great audio cost at least $100, however the music outputted by the StreamBuds is extremely tinny. There’s very little bass output, which isn’t helped by the addition of a Bass Boost EQ mode alongside Voice Mode and Music Mode. While they may be altered on the fly with a triple tap of the right bud, you might as well not bother because there’s no discernible difference. You will not have any volume concerns, though: I enjoy my music loud, and I just needed to turn these up to around 40% volume.
All of the useful touch controls are available, which is especially important when you’re wearing it and don’t want to dig into your pocket for your phone. Tapping the big sensors on the left or right bud will lower or raise the volume, accordingly; a long tap on either will pause or play your media, and a double tap will skip / rewind through your tunes. A triple tap on the left bud will activate your preferred voice assistant, ie. Google Assistant or Siri, which can then be spoken to normally. The quick response of the touch controls is a welcome surprise; the StreamBuds outperform many of the big boys in this department!
Tinny, but otherwise quite excellent.
Another pleasant surprise with the StreamBuds is the extremely low (if any) latency when watching videos or playing your favorite games via Game Pass on mobile. When watching YouTube videos, there is no apparent lag between speech and lip movement, and the same holds true for inputs and aural feedback when gaming with these buds. Finally, I can do 100 squats and play Vampire Survivors at the same time! Yay for multitasking!
So, when it comes to the Mixx StreamBuds Sports Charge 2, it’s all about the budget. For the modest price of $40, you receive a decent set of earbuds developed exclusively for use when exercising. To this point, they succeed: a terrific fit (customizable with different sized tips), helpful and responsive touch controls, and an excellent battery life. However, be aware that sacrifices have been made, particularly in the audio domain, as well as the case’s bulkiness and shoddy feel.
Finally, we must praise Mixx for their efforts to market their newest earphones at such a low price. These are for runners, not people searching for the best-sounding earphones to pair with their remote gaming setup.