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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.8 update for Headphones! Read the R&D Article to learn more.

Mpow X6 Truly Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Mar 22, 2021 at 09:36 am
Latest change: Writing modified Feb 15, 2022 at 09:29 pm
Mpow X6 Truly Wireless Picture
6.4
Neutral Sound
6.9
Commute/Travel
8.2
Sports/Fitness
6.5
Office
5.3
Wireless Gaming
5.2
Wired Gaming
6.0
Phone Calls

The Mpow X6 are truly wireless in-ears with a noise cancelling feature. They're compact, sturdily built, and quite comfortable. They also have an on-board low latency mode. While it can help bring latency within good values if you're using an iOS device, it doesn't really make much of an impact on audio lag when connected to your PC or Android devices. Their ANC system isn't very effective either, and their short continuous battery life could be a bit of a nuisance for some users. They also have a very bass-heavy sound profile that can't be adjusted out-of-the-box, which may not suit all listeners.

Our Verdict

6.4 Neutral Sound

The Mpow X6 are mediocre for neutral sound. They have a very bass-heavy sound profile that adds plenty of extra rumble and punch, but some users may find this overwhelming. In contrast, their mid and treble ranges are quite well-balanced, yielding clear and detailed vocals and lead instruments. Unfortunately, they lack any sort of sound customization features and have a small, closed-off soundstage, though the latter is normal for in-ears.

Pros
  • Comfortable, stable fit.
Cons
  • No sound customization features.
6.9 Commute/Travel

The Mpow X6 are decent for commuting and traveling. You can easily throw them in your pocket or a bag, and they feel sturdy enough to deal with a couple of drops and bumps. Using their low latency mode also helps to cut down on audio latency, which is good if you like to watch videos on your way into the office. Unfortunately, they do a poor job of filtering out background noise, so you're likely to hear the chatter of other commuters as well as the rumble of bus or truck engines. Also, their sub-four-hour continuous battery life likely isn't enough to last you throughout long overnight trips, though you can listen to audio while the other charges in its case.

Pros
  • Comfortable, stable fit.
  • Compact, sturdy construction.
Cons
  • Ineffective ANC system.
  • No sound customization features.
  • Short continuous battery life.
8.2 Sports/Fitness

The Mpow X6 are great for sports and fitness. They have a comfortable, stable fit and feel quite well-built, with a high-grade plastic construction that's rated IPX6 for water resistance, though we don't currently test for that. Their control scheme is also quite comprehensive and easy-to-use, allowing you to make a variety of adjustments without forcing you to pull your phone out.

Pros
  • Comfortable, stable fit.
  • Compact, sturdy construction.
  • Easy-to-use control scheme.
Cons
  • Short continuous battery life.
6.5 Office

The Mpow X6 aren't a bad option for office use. They have a comfortable fit and leak very little audio, so you can crank your music up without needing to worry about annoying nearby coworkers. Unfortunately, they aren't especially effective when it comes to isolating you from background chatter, and their sub-four-hour continuous runtime likely isn't enough to last you throughout your nine-to-five.

Pros
  • Comfortable, stable fit.
  • Low levels of audio leakage.
Cons
  • Ineffective ANC system.
  • Short continuous battery life.
  • No multi-device pairing capability.
5.3 Wireless Gaming

The Mpow X6 aren't suitable for wireless gaming. While they can connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs, their latency is likely to be too high for gaming, even with their low latency mode enabled.

5.2 Wired Gaming

The Mpow X6 are Bluetooth-only headphones and can't be used on a wired connection.

6.0 Phone Calls

The Mpow X6 are passable for making phone calls. Their integrated mic makes your voice sound natural and mostly distortion-free, though slightly thin and veiled. It also really struggles to isolate speech from even moderate background noise, so people on the other end of the line might have a hard time understanding what you're saying. They also do a poor job of blocking out background noise, which could make it difficult to hear what's being said on a call if you're in a loud or crowded environment.

Pros
  • Comfortable, stable fit.
  • Easy-to-use control scheme.
Cons
  • Ineffective ANC system.
  • Middling microphone noise handling capability.
  • 6.4 Neutral Sound
  • 6.9 Commute/Travel
  • 8.2 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.5 Office
  • 5.3 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.2 Wired Gaming
  • 6.0 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Jan 18, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  2. Updated Mar 22, 2021: Review published.
  3. Updated Mar 18, 2021: Early access published.
  4. Updated Mar 09, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  5. Updated Mar 05, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  6. Updated Feb 27, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Mpow X6 are available in two color variants: 'Dark Blue' and 'Purple'. We tested the 'Dark Blue' variant, and you can see its label here. We expect the other variant to perform similarly overall.

If you come across another variant, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Mpow X6 are noise cancelling truly wireless in-ears. They have a fairly premium look, feel solidly built, and have a comfortable, stable fit. Unfortunately, they have a shorter battery life than the Mpow X5 Truly Wireless and do a worse job of filtering out background noise.

If you're looking for alternatives, check out our lists of the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ear headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones under $100, and the best true wireless earbuds.

Mpow M30 Truly Wireless

The Mpow M30 Truly Wireless are better for most uses than the Mpow X6 Truly Wireless. The M30 have a more stable fit, superior passive noise isolation capability, and a slightly longer continuous battery life. They also have a less bass-heavy sound profile, which some listeners may prefer. 

Mpow X3 Truly Wireless

The Mpow X3 Truly Wireless are slightly more versatile than the Mpow X6 Truly Wireless. The X3 have a more stable fit, superior noise isolation capability, better overall mic performance, and a far more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also last longer on a single charge and have a standby mode to help conserve their charge. Conversely, the X6 have an easier-to-use control scheme.

Mpow X5 Truly Wireless

The Mpow X5 Truly Wireless are a better option for most use cases than the Mpow X6 Truly Wireless. The X5 have a better-balanced sound profile that some users will prefer, block out a lot more ambient noise, offer superior microphone recording quality, and supply roughly twice the runtime on a single charge, though their case only stores roughly two additional charges to the X6's four. The X6 also take less time to recharge and have a mic that isolates speech from background noise slightly more effectively.

TaoTronics SoundLiberty 94 Truly Wireless

The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 94 Truly Wireless are better headphones than the Mpow X6 Truly Wireless. The TaoTronics have a less bass-heavy sound profile, which some users may prefer, a far more effective ANC system, superior overall mic performance, and are equipped with an auto-off-timer to help conserve their charge when not in use. Despite lacking a low latency mode, their Bluetooth latency on mobile Android and iOS devices is noticeably lower. Meanwhile, the Mpow have a case that supplies a longer total runtime, deliver audio a little more consistently, and are more comfortable to wear.

TOZO NC9 Truly Wireless

The TOZO NC9 Truly Wireless are better overall in-ears than the Mpow X6 Truly Wireless. The TOZO do a far better job of blocking out ambient noise, offer superior microphone recording quality, and last a little longer on a single charge, though the Mpow have a case that supplies roughly one additional charge. The Mpow deliver audio a little more consistently and have a more comfortable fit.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic

The Mpow X6 have a somewhat premium look, mostly as a result of their dark color scheme, which is available in either dark blue or purple, and lighter contrast accents. However, their overall shape and size isn't entirely dissimilar to that of the Mpow X5 Truly Wireless.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

The Mpow X6 are comfortable. They don't exert too much pressure on the inside of your ear canals and have a fairly shallow fit. Since their controls are touch-sensitive, making an input also doesn't force them any deeper into your ears. However, their selection of ear tip sizes is somewhat limited.

7.6
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Decent
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control On/Off
Talk-Through
On/Off
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

These in-ears have a good control scheme that works very similarly to that of the Mpow X5 Truly Wireless. A double-tap on either bud pauses and plays media. A single tap on the right earbud increases volume, a triple tap skips forward, and holding it for two-seconds turns on your phone's voice assistant. Four taps on the right bud turns on their low latency mode, which is meant to reduce their Bluetooth audio latency. You can decrease media volume with a single tap of the left bud, while a triple-tap skips your track backward, and a two-second hold cycles through the ANC on/talk-through/ANC off settings. Using single taps to adjust volume could be a little annoying, as stepping the volume up by multiple increments could be interpreted as a double or triple tap. It's also impossible to put these headphones into Bluetooth pairing mode without first disconnecting them manually from the last device they were paired to.

9.2
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 0.8 °C

Like most truly wireless in-ears, the Mpow X6 are exceptionally breathable. They trap very little heat and allow your ears to breathe. You shouldn't sweat that much more than usual while wearing them or notice much of a temperature difference.

9.5
Design
Portability
L 1.4" (3.6 cm)
W 1.1" (2.8 cm)
H 0.9" (2.3 cm)
Volume 1.40 in³ (22.94 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The Mpow X6 are exceptionally portable. They can be easily stored in your pocket or a bag, and their carrying case doesn't take up all that much room either.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 2.4" (6.1 cm)
W 1.1" (2.8 cm)
H 1.5" (3.8 cm)
Volume 4.00 in³ (65.55 cm³)

The Mpow X6 have a good charging case. It's shorter in length than the TOZO NC9 Truly Wireless' case, though a little taller. Its lid is magnetized, allowing it to stay tightly shut, and it's made of fairly high-grade plastic. There are two LED lights on its front that provide a rough estimate of the remaining battery life.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The Mpow X6 are well-built. The buds are made of solid-feeling plastic and are rated IPX6 for water resistance, though we don't currently test for that. Their case also feels quite sturdy. However, their silicone ear tips feel as though they could tear fairly easily.

7.5
Design
Stability

These in-ears have a stable fit. They should have no trouble staying in place while you're out and about or during light-intensity workouts, though vigorous head shakes could cause them to move around a bit.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Mpow X6 in-ears
  • Charging case
  • 3x ear tips
  • USB-A to USB-C charging cable
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
8.56 dB
Treble Amount
-1.74 dB

The Mpow X6 have a very bass-heavy sound profile. This may please some fans of genres like EDM or hip-hop, though others may perceive this exaggerated bass response as being very overwhelming, as it can slightly muddy and clutter vocals and lead instruments. Thankfully, their well-balanced treble range means that most mixes aren't too dark. Unfortunately, these in-ears lack any sort of sound customization features.

9.6
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.09 dB

Like most in-ears, the Mpow X6 offer superb frequency response consistency. Once you achieve an airtight fit with the included ear tips, audio should be delivered consistently on separate re-seats.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
4.5
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
8.95 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
13.61 dB
Mid-Bass
9.51 dB
High-Bass
6.56 dB

The Mpow X6 have poor bass accuracy. It's heavily overemphasized across the range, resulting in excess rumble, punch, and boom. This may please some bass-hungry listeners, though others may perceive it as being overly boomy and muddy.

8.5
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.01 dB
Low-Mid
1.82 dB
Mid-Mid
-2.27 dB
High-Mid
-0.01 dB

These headphones have excellent mid accuracy. While the overemphasized bass response does carry over into the low-mids, slightly muddying vocals and lead instruments, the rest of the range is quite well-balanced, yielding good clarity and detail. A slight dip in the mid-mids can nudge vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix, but this shouldn't be too noticeable.

8.1
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.82 dB
Low-Treble
2.53 dB
Mid-Treble
-0.76 dB
High-Treble
-5.24 dB

The Mpow X6 have very good treble accuracy. A small rise in the low-treble range can give a slightly harsh quality to some vocals and lead instruments, though this shouldn't be too noticeable overall.

7.7
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.44 dB
Dips
1.26 dB

The Mpow X6 have good peaks and dips performance. A dip in the mid-mids pushes vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix while a sharp rise in the low-treble range can give them a somewhat harsh quality. A smaller dip in the mid-treble can dull sibilants, like S and T sounds, to a minor degree.

8.9
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.14
Weighted Phase Mismatch
1.43
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.24
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
0.93

The Mpow X6 have excellent stereo imaging performance. Their weighted group delay falls entirely beneath the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and transparent treble. The L/R drivers are also well-matched in regards to phase, amplitude, and frequency response, so objects like voices and footsteps should be accurately placed within the stereo image. That said, these results are only valid for our test unit, and your experience may vary in the real world.

1.4
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
5.3
Acoustic Space Excitation
1.0

The Mpow X6 have a terrible passive soundstage. This isn't uncommon for in-ear headphones that bypass any sort of interaction with the outer-ear, which is crucial in creating an out-of-head listening experience. Their closed-back enclosure also contributes to their closed-off soundstage, and sound is likely to be perceived as coming from inside your head rather than all around you.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App
7.7
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.247
WHD @ 100
0.140

These in-ears have good weighted harmonic distortion performance. Aside from a bit of distortion in the mid-treble range at moderate and high listening volumes, the rest of the frequency range falls within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
Unknown
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 5.0
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
On
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
Integrated

These are the settings used to test the Mpow X6. Our results are only valid in this configuration.

Isolation
4.2
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-10.38 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
1 dB
Mid
-9.25 dB
Treble
-23.82 dB

The Mpow X6 do a poor job of filtering out ambient noise. Their ANC system isn't especially effective, and the headphones do a poor job of filtering out bass-range ambient noise, like the rumble of bus or plane engines, and aren't that much better when it comes to isolating you from background chatter. Thankfully, they block out a decent amount of high-pitched ambient noise.

Note: Our subjective assessment of the ANC system's performance is better than the results would indicate, though its overall performance doesn't seem especially impressive. In an attempt to achieve a more representative result, we turned the headphones on and off, re-seated them, restarted the test PC, re-paired them, and did a full factory reset, but none of these measures improved their performance in this respect. This issue may be unique to our unit. That said, if you do experience a similar issue, let us know in the discussions below.

9.2
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
26.18 dB

The Mpow X6 have superb audio leakage performance. Even if you're in a fairly quiet environment, you should still be able to listen to your music at high volumes without worrying about annoying people nearby.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
6.8
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
302.04 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3.74 dB
HFE
7,136.96 Hz
Weighted THD
0.773
Gain
-7.47 dB

The integrated mic delivers okay recording quality. Recorded speech should sound natural and be mostly free of distortion, but also slightly thin and muffled.

5.3
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
7.2 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
5.5
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
5.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The integrated mic does a middling job of isolating speech from ambient noise. Those on the other end of a phone call may have a hard time understanding you if you call from a noisy or crowded environment.

Active Features
5.7
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
3.8 hrs
Additional Charges
4.0
Total Battery Life
19 hrs
Charge Time
1.3 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

These headphones have disappointing battery performance. Their continuous battery life of under four hours with ANC turned on is far less the seven-hour-plus continuous runtime offered by the Mpow X5 Truly Wireless. That said, power consumption can vary drastically depending on your usage habits, and these in-ears get very close to the advertised battery life of four hours. Their case supplies roughly four extra charges, which is handy, and you can listen to audio from one bud while the other recharges in its cradle. Unfortunately, they don't have any power-saving measures like a standby mode or an auto-off timer.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No
Connectivity
7.0
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.1
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
284.00 ft (86.56 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
272 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
194 ms
Android Latency
220 ms

Update 02/16/2022: These headphones were updated to Test Bench 1.5 and their latency values have changed. The previous Test Bench 1.4 measurements reported the gaming latency on PCs at 152 ms, 103 ms on iOS, and 83 ms on Android. However, the new test bench uses an average of three measurements instead of one. When using the 'Gaming Mode', there's 268 ms of latency on PC, 147 ms on iOS, and 208 ms on Android. As a result, the text has been updated to better reflect test bench 1.5 measurements.

The Mpow X6 have decent Bluetooth connectivity. They support Bluetooth 5.1 but no NFC or multi-device pairing, so you can't stream audio off your phone while staying connected to your computer. Their latency on PCs is quite high, which could be somewhat disruptive while streaming video, though they perform better on mobile iOS and Android devices. That said, although they have a 'Gaming Mode' which can help reduce audio lag, their latency is still fairly high at 268 ms on PC, 147 ms on iOS, and 208 ms on Android. That said, different apps and devices compensate to varying degrees for latency, so your user experience may differ in the real world.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection
No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

The Mpow X6 don't support any wired connections. They come with a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging their case.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
2.2
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Charging Case
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Power Supply
USB-C

These in-ears come with a charging case that supplies roughly four additional charges. It can be recharged wirelessly or via USB-C.