Why is the sound in Bluetooth headphones on Xiaomi disappointing?
Wireless headphones from Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO are often praised for their value for money, but even top-end models like Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro or Redmi Buds 5 can sound “flat” without the right setup. The problem is not with the headphones themselves — it’s about standard Bluetooth codec profiles (SBC, AAC, LDAC) and factory equalizer presets, which rarely take into account individual preferences.
MIUI (Xiaomi shell) has a built-in equalizer, but it is hidden deep in the settings, and its capabilities depend on the firmware version and smartphone model. For example, on Xiaomi 13 Ultra with MIUI 14, 10 adjustment bands are available, and on the budget Redmi Note 12 - only 5. In addition, many users do not know that the equalizer settings are reset when you connect new headphones or after you update the system. This article will help you understand how to avoid typical errors and achieve a perfect sound.
We'll look at this.
- 🔍 Where to find hidden equalizer settings in MIUI differentiation
- 🎛️ How to manually adjust frequencies for different genres of music
- 🔗 Why Bluetooth codec affects sound and how to change it
- 🚫 Common mistakes that spoil the sound
Where is the equalizer in MIUI: search for hidden settings
Depending on the version of MIUI, the path to the equalizer may differ. On new smartphones (2023-2026) with MIUI 14/15, the algorithm is as follows:
- Open the Settings. → Sound and vibration.
- Scroll down to the Sound Quality block and select the Equator.
- If there is no item, tap on the three points in the upper right corner and activate additional settings.
On older versions (e.g., MIUI 12 on Xiaomi Mi 10), the equalizer can be hidden in the Settings menu → Additional → Sound → Sound Effects. If it’s not there, check the settings of a particular application (e.g., Mi Music or Spotify), where sometimes duplicate audio profiles.
What to do if there is no Equalizer?
Important: Equalizer settings apply to all apps, but some services (like YouTube Music or Tidal) may ignore them because of their own audio processing algorithms, so you have to customize the sound separately in each application.
Step-by-step setting up the equalizer for different genres of music
Standard presets like Rock, Pop or Classic in MIUI often produce mediocre results. Better to adjust the bands manually, focusing on the features of the genre and your headphones. Below are basic recommendations for popular music styles (values are for a 10-band equalizer; for a 5-band combine neighboring frequencies).
| genre | 32 Hz | 64 Hz | 125 Hz | 250 Hz | 500 Hz | 1 kHz | 2 kHz | 4 kHz | 8 kHz | 16 kHz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip-hop/rap | +4 dB | +5 dB | +3 db | 0 dB | -1 dB | -2 dB | 0 dB | +1 dB | +2 dB | +1 dB |
| Electronics/EDM | +3 db | +4 dB | +2 dB | -1 dB | -2 dB | 0 dB | +1 dB | +3 db | +4 dB | +2 dB |
| Rock/Metal | +2 dB | +3 db | +1 dB | 0 dB | +1 dB | +2 dB | +3 db | +2 dB | +1 dB | 0 dB |
| Classics/Jazz | 0 dB | +1 dB | +2 dB | +1 dB | 0 dB | -1 dB | -2 dB | 0 dB | +1 dB | +2 dB |
Tip: After setting up, listen to a track with a wide dynamic range (for example, "Bohemian Rhapsody" from Queen or "Bassically" from TEEKS). If the bass "bubbles" or high frequencies cut the ear - reduce the corresponding bands by 1-2 dB. To check the average frequencies, a voice (for example, a podcast or an audio book) will suit.
Bass Test on a deep frequency track (e.g., "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes)
Listening to high frequencies (symbols, high-hats in electronic music)
Vocal testing (voice should sound natural, without naughtiness)
Comparison with the original preset (turn on/off equalizer for control)-->
The impact of Bluetooth codecs on sound: how to choose the best
Even a perfectly tuned equalizer won’t save you if your headphones use an outdated SBC codec (standard for most devices), which compresses sound very strongly, especially at high frequencies, which leads to loss of detail. In MIUI, you can manually switch to higher-quality codecs if they are supported by headphones.
How to check and change the codec:
- Connect the headphones and open the Settings → Bluetooth.
- Put the badge on. ⚙️ near the name of your headphones.
- Select Sound Quality or Audio Codec (some models call it a point). HD-audio).
- If there are several options available, choose a priority: 🎧 LDAC (Best quality but high battery consumption) 🔊 AAC (Balance between quality and stability) 📱 aptX HD (Good for Android, but requires support for headphones) ⚠️ SBC (universal, but the worst in quality)
⚠️ Attention: Codec LDAC It can cause stuttering if there is a lot of interference between the smartphone and the headphones (for example, in the subway or near the Wi-Fi router). AAC.
Important: Xiaomi Budget-series headphones (for example, Redmi Buds 3 Lite) often only support SBC, so the equalizer here will not change much - the sound will be limited by the capabilities of the codec.
Typical Equator Errors and How to Avoid Them
Many users wonder why the sound only gets worse after hours of tweaking, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to fix them:
- 🔇 Too much bass gain (below 100 Hz) leads to distortion ("walling") and overload of speakers.Solution: Raise the bass no more than by a single point. +4 dB and compensate for this by a decrease of 1-2 dB in the range of 200-500 Hz.
- 🎵 Ignoring the medium frequencies (500 Hz – 2 kHz) makes the sound "empty." Voice and instruments lose their naturalness. Solution: For vocal music, raise the band 1-2 kHz by 1-2 dB.
- 🔊 Excessively amplifying high frequencies (above 8kHz) tires hearing and adds hissing.Solution: For headphones with bright tops (e.g. Xiaomi Buds) 3T Pro) is sufficient +1–2 dB at 10–12 kHz.
- 🔄 Copying other people's presets without considering the headphone model. Even the same Redmi Buds 4 can sound different because of the individual characteristics of the hearing. Solution: Use other people's settings as a basis, but adjust to yourself.
Another common problem is that the left and right earphones are different, and MIUI doesn't have a separate stereo balance, but if you notice an imbalance, check:
- Clean speaker grid (clogging can mute sound).
- Availability settings (Settings → Special Opportunities → Audio Balance)
- Headphone firmware (for some Xiaomi models there is a proprietary Mi Earphones app for updating).
💡
If the sound is quieter after settings, check the volume limiter in Settings → Sound → Safe Volume Level. Turn it off or set the limit to maximum.
Additional applications for fine tuning of sound
The built-in MIUI equalizer is limited to 5-10 bands and does not allow you to save multiple profiles. If you need more flexibility, consider third-party solutions:
- 🎛️ Wavelet (free, with AutoEQ support) - automatically selects the settings for your headphone model from the database. ADB Full access to the system equalizer.
- 🔊 Poweramp Equalizer (paid) – 10-band equalizer with presets for popular headphones. Works only inside the Poweramp app.
- 🎧 Neutron Music Player (paid) - supports 32-bit audio processing and high-resolution codecs.
- 🛠️ ViPER4Android (Free, requires root) - the most powerful tool with support for surround effects and correction of the ASX. MIUI 14+.
Before installing third-party equalizers, turn off system in MIUI settings to avoid conflicts. Also remember that applications like Wavelet can drain the battery faster due to constant sound processing.
⚠️ Note: Applications with root access (e.g., root access, ViPER4Android) You can cause Bluetooth module to crash on some Xiaomi models. Before installing, back up your settings in Settings → System system → Backup.
How to save equalizer settings when connecting new devices
One of the most annoying things about MIUI is that it resets the equalizer when you connect new Bluetooth devices, and to avoid that, you know,
- Back up your current settings through Settings → System → Backup (select Sound Settings).
- Use apps like Wavelet that save profiles regardless of system settings.
- For headphones Xiaomi install branded application Mi Earphones (not available for all models) – it allows you to tie the equalizer to a specific device.
If the settings do reset, restore them from backup or manually. Remember that after the MIUI update, you may need to reconfigure some audio settings change along with the firmware.
💡
LDAC-enabled headphones (such as the Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro) allow high-resolution audio transmission, but for this, you need to manually select this codec in Bluetooth settings. By default, MIUI often uses AAC even for compatible devices.