At the Xiaomi product launch on March 13, 2025, the company announced the Japanese release of flagship devices including the Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphone and 11.2-inch Xiaomi Pad 7 tablet.
Among these announcements, the product that quietly caught my attention as someone covering AV equipment was a slightly premium pair of true wireless earbuds: Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro.
This model comes in two versions: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi version supports audio transmission over Wi-Fi, and the sound quality turned out better than expected. It honestly got me excited. I felt like I could finally ask, “Is this the next breakthrough for wireless earbuds?” That experience is what I want to share here.
Currently, this feature only works when paired with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Xiaomi says compatible devices will gradually expand, making this worth watching through 2026.
Solid Hardware Specs, Including a 3-Way Driver and Recording Features
This is the Wi-Fi version of Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro. Instead of relying solely on Bluetooth, it can transmit music data using Wi-Fi.
While the full details are covered in the original news article, the core specifications of Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro (both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth versions) deserve summary. Active noise canceling is now expected, but this model clearly sits in the higher-end category. It features a configuration where three drivers are powered by two separate amplifiers-an approach that reflects real cost and care in audio design.
The earbuds use a proprietary three-way driver system. The three drivers are arranged coaxially in a concentric structure and powered by two amplifiers, resulting in notably elaborate internal design.
The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro lineup includes both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi versions, with differences in price and color options. The Wi-Fi model is available only in black.
There’s also an unusual feature that allows recording by pressing the case button three times. When paired with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, the earbuds support AI translation and voice transcription (scheduled for summer 2025). Xiaomi says support for additional smartphones will follow.
What Is Qualcomm XPAN, the Technology Enabling Wi-Fi Audio?
Now to the main topic: Wi-Fi connectivity. As introduced in a previous related article, this feature is made possible by Qualcomm XPAN.
According to earlier explanation, Qualcomm XPAN is a wireless audio technology designed to work with latest-generation smartphone SoCs and compatible wireless earbuds or headphones. It creates a wireless communication environment using Wi-Fi protocols while transmitting audio signals compressed with Bluetooth audio codecs.
The key advantage is support for lossless, uncompressed hi-resolution audio-from 96kHz/24bit today, potentially up to 192kHz/24bit in the future-while keeping latency minimal.
Qualcomm states this is the first time XPAN technology has been implemented in a consumer earbud product.
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro supports a wide bandwidth up to 4.2Mbps, enabling transmission of 96kHz/24bit high-resolution audio.
The Sound Is Completely Different When Connected via Wi-Fi
At the product launch venue, I connected the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro (Wi-Fi version) to a Xiaomi 15 Ultra and played some music.
While the listening session was limited to a small selection of tracks stored locally on the device, it was enough to clearly feel the sonic advantage of the Wi-Fi connection.
Even without Wi-Fi, the base sound quality of Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro can be described as clean and flat, without unnatural emphasis in specific frequency ranges. The earbuds deliver tight, well-controlled sound.
The track used for evaluation was “Stop Those Bells” by Sara.K, an acoustic live recording. The earbuds reproduced the lingering resonance of the live performance with convincing clarity and resolution.
That alone would already be impressive for earbuds in the ¥20,000 range, but what truly stood out was the comparison between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
Active noise canceling is on the stronger side, aggressively suppressing ambient sound across all frequency ranges. Personally, this type of ANC can feel uncomfortable, but for users prioritizing silence, the performance should satisfy.
The audio source was a 96kHz/24bit hi-resolution file from an HDTracks sampler featuring Sara.K’s “Stop Those Bells.”
I first listened using Bluetooth (AptX Adaptive), then switched on “Wi-Fi Mode.” The difference was not subtle. The most immediate surprise was the volume level.
With Bluetooth, I had to raise volume to around 80-90% for comfortable listening. With Wi-Fi, around 60% felt equivalent. This likely relates to increased thickness and weight of the sound, resulting in more engaging listening experience. The change was far greater than I expected from a simple transmission method shift.
Given that Qualcomm XPAN transmits Bluetooth-compressed audio over Wi-Fi, I hadn’t anticipated such dramatic difference. Whether compression method or audio processing pipeline differs internally is unclear, but it feels like there’s more at play than bandwidth alone. This is something I plan to investigate further.
Switching Between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Is Simple
First, connect the earbuds to the smartphone via standard Bluetooth settings, like any wireless earbuds.
Then, enable “Wi-Fi Mode” from the earbud settings. It can be turned off too, making it easy to compare Bluetooth (AptX Adaptive) and Wi-Fi playback.
Conclusion: Wireless Audio in 2026 Should Watch Qualcomm XPAN
Experiencing music playback over Wi-Fi using Qualcomm XPAN made it clear this technology has real potential to improve wireless audio quality. Beyond sound quality, further benefits like reduced latency are also expected, suggesting broader improvements to overall listening experience.
The main limitation now is compatibility. Currently, Wi-Fi audio only works with the combination of Xiaomi 15 Ultra and Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro. That said, support for additional smartphones and audio devices should grow.
Through 2026, Qualcomm XPAN is technology worth paying attention to. While support remains limited, Wi-Fi audio on devices like Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro shows clear potential as more compatible smartphones and earbuds reach global markets.
