Soundbars have cemented themselves as the go-to devices for those who want to elevate the audio experience from their TVs. Starting at a mere Rs 10,000 and going all the way up to the Nakamichi Dragon, which costs lakhs. Simply put, consumers are spoilt for choice when opting for a soundbar. Today, we have the Mivi Fort H880 soundbar with two subwoofers for double the bass. It also has two surround satellite speakers for an immersive experience. Does it deliver on all fronts?
Mivi Fort H880: Key Specs
Total Maximum Power: 880W
Audio Inputs: HDMI ARC, Optical, Coaxial, AUX, USB, Power, and Bluetooth.
HDMI Input: 0
HDMI Output (Audio Return Channel): 1
Subwoofers: 2
Subwoofer driver: 8-inch each
Surround speakers: 2
Surround speaker drivers: 2.25-inch each
Number of front bar drivers: 3
Front bar driver: 2.25-inch each
Table of Contents
Design and Build
The soundbar is a little thicker than I like, but that’s okay. It fits comfortably below my 55-inch TV and should do well for TVs ranging from 50-inches to 65-inches. The top has a glossy finish which can be a dust and fingerprint magnet. The front has a grill with the Mivi and Dolby Audio logos at the end of each side of the grill.
There are physical buttons on the right side, and all the connectivity options are on the back. Speaking of connectivity options, we have HDMI ARC, an optical port, a coaxial port, a 3.5mm aux input, a USB, and the power port. It also has Bluetooth connectivity. Fairly robust set of connectivity options.
The two subwoofers are minimal, with a wooden enclosure with side-firing drivers. These two connect to each other with a wire, but they connect to the soundbar wirelessly, giving you the flexibility to place them wherever you like in the room.
The surround speakers have a plastic build with a grill covering the driver. The surrounds connect to each other via a cable with the power source resting in the surround right speaker. They connect wirelessly to the soundbar, again, this gives good flexibility for their placement.
Overall, for the price, you get a host of connectivity options and a well-built soundbar. You also get an HDMI cable and AUX cable in the box, which is nice.
Setup
Setting up the soundbar is as simple as connecting all the components in their right position, powering them on and waiting for the blue light to stop blinking. If you are facing some issues with paring the speakers or subwoofer to the bar, Mivi has a handy video you can check out here. I faced no issues setting the bar on my own and my only recommendation is that for the best experience, place the surround speakers at ear height, facing you at a maximum distance of approx 3 feet.
Remote Control
‘Functional’ is the best way to describe the remote control. It has the standard set of controls, from changing the input to controlling the volume, a dedicated mute button, and also treble and bass controls. You also get control over the level of the center and surround channels which is a nice touch. There is also a button to help reduce the brightness of the display on the soundbar, which is nice, especially for those immersive movie nights.
Sound Performance
Let’s get the worst out of the way — every time you switch on the soundbar, the speaker screams “Power on” at full volume and announces the connected source. You also get a very loud “power off” every time you switch off the bar. It has to be one of the most annoying soundbar ‘on/off’ experiences I have ever had. As far as I can tell, there is no way to switch this announcement off.
As for the rest of the sound, it’s what you’d expect from a budget soundbar. I kept the centre channel and surround channel volume at maximum during this review. While I dabbled in some of the settings, I noted that resetting the EQ, putting the center and surround channels to the max, and controlling the bass a bit based on the content I was watching were the best options.
While the channel separation from the bar is good, there are times when the sound that is meant to come from the surround speaker only comes from the front channel as well. So in a movie like Top Gun: Maverick (the final aerial combat sequence) or Ready Player One (the race at the 11-minute mark), where there needs to be a smooth transition or even some dominance from the surround speakers, you can’t help but feel that the front left and right channels are compensating for their surrounds in some way. If you do not know what to look for, you may not notice it, but if you do, this is quite noticeable.
Bombastic is the best way to describe the speaker’s movie and music performance. Dialogues are clear, but the bass can get quite thumpy, especially at high volumes, giving you a ground-shaking experience. The soundbar can also get quite loud. In such cases, I wish there was a “night” mode that controlled some of the bombastic explosions while keeping the dialogues clear. However, its absence is only missed by those who use these features.
For gaming, I played many games on my Xbox Series X and PS5 connected to the TV, and the sound output is good overall, albeit with some lag. In Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, there is a bit of lag between you firing your webs and the sound coming from the speakers. However, this is the only game where it is noticeable. Playing games like Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Dirt 5, AstroBot, Doom Eternal, and even Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was a good experience, offering an immersive experience. The soundbar offered good clarity and deep bass for gaming. In a game like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, which is known for its immersive audio, once again, the front left and right channels were trying to compensate for the respective surround speakers.
Verdict
Priced at Rs 15,999, the Mivi Fort H880 isn’t for everyone. If you are rocking a budget 55-inch TV and looking to elevate the sound and like thumpy bass, then you can consider it. The surrounds connect to each other with a wire, but they connect to the bar wirelessly, offering a decent amount of freedom for placing the speakers. The same is the case with the subwoofer. The sound signature of the bar isn’t neutral, but it will appeal to those who want a bass-heavy rumble in their watching experience. The surround speakers are active most of the time the front channels are active, which isn’t the ideal representation of a true surround experience, but it will appeal to first-time soundbar buyers who will want to ensure each speaker is utilised as much as possible. Overall, if the above-mentioned features of the Mivi appeal to you, then you can consider it. If sound accuracy is more important to you and you don’t mind missing out on the surround speakers, then you will need to spend approximately Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 more and check out something like the Sony HT-S400, or the JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass. However, at 16K, the Mivi Fort H880 can be considered for first-time soundbar buyers.
Editor’s Rating: 7/10
Pros
- Ample connectivity options
- HDMI and AUX cable in the box
- Control over lots of settings
- 2 Subwoofers for added bass
- Loud sound output
Cons
- “Power on”, and “power off” announcements are annoying
- No night mode
- Biased sound signature
