We put Mivi’s budget wireless headset through its paces to see if it can hold its own in an increasingly competitive market
The wireless headphone market has boomed ever since headphone jacks started to conspicuously disappear from modern smartphones. Granted, certain major Android players like Samsung and OnePlus are still proudly holding on to this port, however, there’s no guarantee if these companies will continue offering it forever.
It’s a fantastic opportunity then for relatively new companies like Mivi to capitalise on this rather controversial market trend. You see, not everyone is willing to spend a five-figure amount on a pair of wireless headphones, and Mivi’s Saxo – at ₹ 2,999 – aims to target such customers.
Surprisingly well built
Mivi has done a rather fantastic job at constructing the Saxo – the overall build is solid, while the earpads and headband are wrapped in good quality synthetic leather.Even the audio control buttons feel very tactile. The only eyesore is the rather big Mivi logo on both ear cups, which looks out of place. A subtler branding exercise would have certainly helped here.
Sound signature & usage
Now let’s cut to the chase. Does the good-looking Saxo deliver on audio quality? Well, for the most part, yes. First, the Saxo has a surprisingly good level of noise isolation for on-ear style headphone. Then, the lows and mids are delivered in a rather clean fashion for a budget headphone. Even though the bass is a bit artificially amplified, it works very well with most genres of music.
However, that amplified bass also results in treble – and highs in general – getting muffled. Therefore, if you’re into rock music, this may not be the one to satisfy the rock buff in you. Moreover, amping up the volume to maximum isn’t particularly a good idea because there is quite a bit of sound leak, thanks to the on-ear design.
The headphones have audio controls on the right ear cup in the form of three buttons. The controls, being located on the circumference of the ear cup, take a bit of time getting used to, but it’s no deal breaker as such. There is also an in-built mic to receive calls which provides acceptable call quality, but as expected, the voice sounds a bit tinny.
Spectacular battery life
Mivi surely understands that no one likes their headphones dying in the middle of their favourite song, and the company has taken care of it very well. The company claims 17 hours of battery life after 2.5 – 3 hours of charging. But let me tell you this – I never fully charged the headphones during my testing. I charged them once for merely 15 minutes when the battery was completely dead, and – here comes the surprise – I did not have to charge them again for the next 8 days! So, Mivi’s 17-hour claim is quite believable. And while there’s also an on-board 3.5mm port, I think that you’ll sparsely use it.
Should you buy it?
The Mivi Saxo is a capable budget wireless headset that comes with fantastic battery life and high-quality construction. So, if you own a phone with no headphone jack or want to embrace the cordless life in general, all on a budget, then the Mivi Saxo makes for a compelling option.
However, as previously stated, if your music taste includes a fair amount of high notes, then you better look elsewhere.
| Pros • Fantastic battery life • High quality construction • Good noise isolation | Cons • Weak highs |
