As someone recently back on the whole running grind, my constantly aching legs probably resented me for agreeing to check out the Mixx StreamBuds Sports Charge 2 wireless earbuds.
Bespokely designed for wearing whilst out and about playing sports, all you really need in a cheap pair of earbuds is a good fit and long battery life, in the inevitability of forgetting to charge them up. A good set of touch controls would also be much appreciated.Â
Keeping in mind that they cost just a mere £40, the StreamBuds Sports Charge 2 Earbuds certainly satisfy, albeit with one pretty major issue that could put off many from picking these up.
Upon taking these bad boys out of their case, it quickly becomes clear how these are marketed as buds for sport. The buds themselves are pretty conventional, with a silicon tip inserted into the ear, and a set of Small, Medium and Large tips as standard in the box for customisation. The buds are connected to a flexible rubber loop, which is designed to fit over the outside of the ear, ensuring a snug fit that will not be disturbed regardless of the intensity of exercise you are completing. Mixx have succeeded greatly in this department – even the most dedicated of heavy metal head-bangers or powerful of runners will struggle to dislodge the StreamBuds from their ears. A big, big tick for one of the main criteria of exercise earbuds.
As for battery life? It has to be said that Mixx have got another A+ grade here. Boasting 8 hours of wireless play time with an additional 24 hours of charge wrapped up in the case, there’s no reason for the StreamBuds to die on you when you are halfway through a 10K, or indeed coming to the end of your Game Pass gaming marathon when using them for Cloud-based gaming.
This is especially true given that a quick 15 minute charge is sufficient to give the buds an extra couple of hours of battery life, perfect for the day’s workout. I need to mention the few times where the earbuds have just gone silent on me during use despite being of adequate charge, but returning them to their case and bringing them out again has solved this issue every time.Â
The case itself is where the budget price of the StreamBuds shines through the most. It’s bulky, coming in at 70mm x 70mm x 35mm (for reference my Google Pixel Buds A-Series case stands at a smaller 65mm x 50mm x 25mm), and the added bulk is felt in your shorts, especially when running around the place. The case is also made of pretty cheap plastic, but does come with a helpful LED indicator displaying the current charge of the case itself. Talking about charging, if you have a Qi wireless charging surface at home, this case is compatible, otherwise it can be charged through simple USB-C.
Owing to the flexible loop that extends out of the buds themselves, it can be pretty tricky to house the buds back in the case so that they actually start charging. Especially egregious at the end of a workout where my hands are drenched in sweat, a good few times I thought I had placed the buds back correctly, but found out later that they weren’t charging. This is typically realised when I go back to my daily driver earbuds, only to find they’ve been kicked down in the Bluetooth pecking order by the StreamBuds, smirking away in their plasticky home. That being said, pairing the StreamBuds to a Bluetooth device was easy in the first and all subsequent instances.
You may be wondering why I haven’t touched on the core element of the Mixx StreamBuds Sports Charge 2 – how they actually sound. Well, the answer is ‘not very good’. Again, it must be put in the context of these costing £40, with most daily driver earbuds with decent audio costing you £100 minimum, but the audio being outputted by the StreamBuds is incredibly tinny. There’s very little bass being thrown out, and this isn’t helped much by the inclusion of a Bass Boost EQ mode alongside Voice Mode and Music Mode. Whilst these can be changed on the fly through a triple tap of the right bud, you may as well not bother – there’s no huge audible difference. You won’t have any issues with volume, mind you: I like my tunes loud, yet only needed to ramp these up to about 40% volume.
All the helpful touch controls are ready and present, which is a major thing especially when you are sporting it up, unwilling to reach into your pocket for your phone. Tapping the large sensors on either the left or right bud will decrease or increase volume respectively, a prolonged tap on either will pause or play your media, and a double tap will skip / rewind through your songs. A triple tap of the left bud will activate your go-to Voice Assistant ie. Google Assistant or Siri, which can then be talked to like normal. The fast responsiveness of the touch controls is a pleasant surprise – the StreamBuds beat many of the big boys in this department!
An additional positive surprise to come out of the StreamBuds is the incredibly low (if any) latency when watching videos or indeed playing your favourite games via Game Pass on mobile. There’s no noticeable lag between speech and the movement of lips when it comes to YouTube videos, and the same can be said for inputs and audio feedback when using these buds for gaming. Finally, now I can pull off 100 squats and play Vampire Survivors at the same time – hooray for multitasking!
So, when it comes to the Mixx StreamBuds Sports Charge 2, it all comes down to a matter of budget. For the low, low price of £40, what you get here is a capable set of earbuds designed specifically for use during exercise. To this extent, they succeed – a great fit (customised by the inclusion of different sized tips), helpful and responsive touch controls, and a very good battery life. However, know that sacrifices have been made, especially in the audio department and with the bulkiness and cheap feel of the case.
Ultimately, we must commend Mixx for what they’ve put together to sell their newest earbuds so cheaply. These are for all the runners out there, but not those looking for the best-sounding earbuds to complement their remote gaming setup.
Huge thanks go out to Mixx for providing us with the StreamBuds Sports Charge 2 Earbuds for review. You can hit up Mixx direct to grab some for yourself.
