Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro Headphones Review: Are They Worth Your Money?

Explore the premium sound and open design of Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro headphones in this in-depth review highlighting comfort, features, and battery life.

The open-wear stereo system (OWS) market has seen a significant boom over the past two years, with almost every brand rolling out their unique spin on this fresh approach to headphones. Unlike traditional earbuds that snugly fit inside your ear canal, OWS models rest right at the entrance, offering an open soundscape and much higher awareness of your surroundings due to the lack of passive noise isolation.

Personally, I find these headphones to be a labor of love by Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro — the OpenWear Stereo Pro aims to push past competitors while preserving that beloved open fit that keeps you connected to the world around you.

Design and Fit: A Thoughtful Embrace

What strikes me first about the OpenWear Stereo Pro is its premium build quality. The shiny metallic rims around the drivers catch the eye, paired with smooth thermoplastic polyurethane and a soft llama-fur panel on the back — yes, you read that right — giving the headphones a refined, thoughtful finish. Sure, fingerprints gather on the glossy surface, but that’s a minor quibble in an otherwise polished package.

The curved design gently hugs the upper ear, positioning the drivers just over the ear canal without intruding. This three-point support spreads the pressure evenly, making them comfortable to wear for hours on end. Each earbud weighs a featherlight 9.8 grams, and the carrying case tips the scales at 53 grams — combined, it’s a modest 73 grams with no sense of burden.

Inside the case, Xiaomi surprises with a suede-like lining under the lid, protecting the glossy earbud shells from scratches and enhancing the “delight of unboxing” moment. Though the case isn’t quite pocket-sized, its sleek shape and secure click closure inspire confidence.

Protection and Packaging

The headphones boast an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, but keep in mind that the case itself is vulnerable to moisture. The package includes the earbuds, a USB charging cable, and a user manual — all the essentials neatly bundled.

Features that Keep You Tuned In

The Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro headphones run on Bluetooth 5.4, supporting simultaneous pairing with two devices — perfect for seamlessly switching from your phone to laptop or tablet. A neat touch is the head tracking feature for immersive 360° spatial audio, which really shines when watching movies.

You won’t find active noise cancellation here — and that’s by design. The open construction prioritizes safety and situational awareness over isolating sound. Xiaomi claims to reduce sound leakage using drivers that emit phase-inverted waves; in practice, while some sound escapes nearby, it’s notably quieter than many other open-type models.

Controlling playback is a breeze with intuitive touch gestures — single, double, triple taps, and holds make managing music and calls effortless. There’s adaptive volume control, though in very noisy environments it sometimes struggles to keep pace. One quirky feature is the ability to record audio directly from the headphones — with 120 minutes available per earbud, it’s handy for quick memos, though don’t expect studio-level clarity.

Call quality during tests on Android, iOS, and macOS was rock solid with no dropouts or lagging.

Sound That Surprises

The driver setup is impressive: 18 × 13 mm dynamic drivers combined with piezoelectric ceramic tweeters and dual balanced armatures. Supported codecs include AAC, SBC, and LDAC, and the sound tuning was done by Harman — a big name in audio excellence.

Despite the usual OWS challenges with sound leakage and overly emphasized bass, I found the soundstage lively and detailed. The mids and highs come through cleanly, and the bass is surprisingly deep and rich for earbuds that don’t actually sit inside your ear canal. Even cranking the volume, the high frequencies remain unwarped — a rare feat among open headphones.

The equalizer presets (Harman Master, Harman AudioEFX, boosted highs, and voice mode) provide quick ways to tailor the sound to your mood or track. For me, Harman Master offered a wider stage and pleasing instrument clarity. While the microphones pick up voices confidently indoors, outdoor noise can reduce call quality — they’re not quite the best in their class for street chatter.

Battery Life That Goes the Distance

The promised 8.5 hours of playback was spot on during testing. The charging case provides about five full recharges, which is genuinely impressive. The earbuds pack 56 mAh each, while the case holds 700 mAh. A full charge takes just over two hours, but a quick 10-minute boost gives around two hours of listening — perfect for those mornings when you’re running late.

Final Thoughts: Who Should Buy the OpenWear Stereo Pro?

The OpenWear Stereo Pro is a mature, confident entry in the open-ear headphone arena. With premium build quality, comfort for long wear, lively sound, and remarkable battery life, it delivers a well-rounded experience. Sound leakage remains a natural downside of the open design, and noisy surroundings might push you to increase volume, but if you treasure awareness of your environment alongside comfort, these headphones are an excellent choice.

Pricing and Availability

The recommended price hovers around $190, delivering premium construction, full open-type functionality, and standout battery life. If booming bass and active noise cancellation are your priorities, in-ear TWS models with ANC are a sensible alternative, though they represent a completely different design philosophy.

In some markets, the OpenWear Stereo Pro comes bundled with the Xiaomi 15T Pro smartphone — a stylish gift combo for those wanting a smartphone and advanced headphones in one package.

“OpenWear Stereo Pro from Xiaomi strives to outshine competitors while maintaining that open fit so dear to those who stay connected to their surroundings.”

FAQ

• What makes open-wear stereo headphones different from traditional earbuds?
  Open-wear stereo headphones rest at the entrance of the ear canal rather than inside it, allowing ambient sounds in and providing a more natural listening experience.
• Do Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro headphones have active noise cancellation?
  No, these headphones intentionally avoid ANC to maintain situational awareness and safety with their open design.
• How comfortable are the OpenWear Stereo Pro for long listening sessions?
  Thanks to their lightweight design and three-point support system, they are comfortable to wear for hours without discomfort.
• What is the battery life on the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro?
  They offer around 8.5 hours of playtime per charge, with the charging case providing about five additional recharges.
• Can these headphones pair with multiple devices at once?
  Yes, they support Bluetooth 5.4 and can connect simultaneously to two devices for seamless switching.

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