Mivi Duopods K1 Review: Are these affordable wireless earbuds really worth it?

Mivi Duopods K1 Review: Are these affordable wireless earbuds really worth it?
7 min read

We tested the Mivi Duopods K1 for a week, here is our comprehensive review.

Affordable TWS have come a long way in the last few years. The entry-level TWS segment is seeing a lot of activity, particularly from Indian brands that are able to cut down on a lot of costs by localising the production. Mivi has been one of the Indian players on the market, boasting a versatile catalogue of audio products. We got our hands on Mivi’s latest release, the Duopods K1 TWS. These wireless earbuds are currently listed on Flipkart at Rs 999. For those looking to buy their first TWS, this price is very hard to beat. But do these earbuds cover all the bases? Find out in our Mivi Duopods K1 review.

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Mivi Duopods K1 review: Design
Mivi Duopods K1 ship inside a compact square box. Inside, you will find the charging case with the earbuds inside, two pairs of extra ear tips, a micro USB charging cable, a warranty registration card, a user manual, and a welcome card. That’s correct, Mivi Duopods K1 does not offer USB Type-C charging. 

The charging case and earbuds are made entirely out of plastic. The case has a nice matte finish to it, which greatly elevates the in-hand feel of the device. Being egg-shaped, the case can easily fit inside any pocket. The indentation below the lid makes it easy to flip open the case with the thumb. There are four horizontally positioned LED lights on the case that act as the charge indicator.

The hinge at the back of the case works fine, but we have our reservations about its strength. While the build of the case is passable, the hinge seems a bit flimsy for our liking. The micro USB charging slot is housed right below the hinge. The bottom of the case is flattened in the middle, allowing it to rest on a desk without toppling.

The inside of the case has glossy housings for the earbuds. The buds are magnetically locked into position and do not fall out even when the case is open and turned upside down. Mivi has opted for the in-ear boxy design for the Duopods K1. This means that there is no stem on these earbuds. The touch-sensitive outer panel of the buds control the playback.

The glossy texture on the earbuds is a nice contrast to the matte texture of the case. Each earbud has a notification light that indicates the charge status. The ‘Mivi’ branding has been embossed on the touch-sensitive panels of both earbuds. The earbuds offer a comfortable fit. You can wear them for multiple hours without feeling any fatigue.

Rated IPX4 for dust and water resistance, you don’t have to worry about damage to the earbuds if you’re wearing them in rainfall or while working out. Even in sweaty conditions, the Duopods K1 work without any hiccups. However, the glossy inside panels of the earbuds tend to slip out easily when things get sweaty.

Mivi Duopods K1 review: Performance 
The Mivi Duopods K1 offer Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and support for SBC and AAC codecs. The operational range of these earbuds is 10 metres, which is pretty standard for TWS in this segment. While there isn’t any ANC on board, the Duopods K1 does offer ENC. Audio output is delivered via 10.5mm dynamic drivers on either earbud.

The sound profile of Mivi Duopods K1 is impressive for the price. The output is certainly bass-heavy, but other frequencies are also well-represented in the mix. The sound isn’t boxy at all, something that we were pleased to see as most entry-level TWS seem to have that glaring issue.

We would suggest keeping the volume level under 70% for an ideal listening experience. The sound distorts drastically as you increase the volume of the earbuds. We would also have preferred a little more overall clarity in the output. For those that do not want a bass-driven output, we’d suggest looking for other TWS products in Mivi’s catalogue.

The earbuds offer an average calling experience. While they work fine in a quiet indoor environment, you will need to switch to your phone if you are taking a call outdoors. The earbuds struggle with noise separation with the sound of heavy traffic coming in from all directions.

The touch controls on the earbuds work smoothly, but they are prone to a lot of accidental touches. Double tapping on either earbud skips the song, while a simple tap and press toggles the volume. Incoming calls can be answered with a single tap and hung up with another tap. The gaming mode can be activated with three taps on the left earbud. 

While it is nice to have a gaming mode on the Duopods K1, it isn’t exactly super helpful. We experienced frequent audio delays while playing Call of Duty Mobile. If you’re looking for gaming earbuds, Mivi’s Commando K9 would be a  good pick. On the bright side, we did not experience any delay in the audio while watching content on YouTube and Netflix.

There is no app support for Mivi Duopods K1. This means there is no way to customise the touch controls or access the equaliser to curate the mix. An app would have gone a long way and made the K1 more appealing to the audience.

Talking about the battery life, Mivi claims 42+ hours of total playback time on the K1. The earbuds pack 35mAh of battery while the case provides an extra 380mAh. It took us a week of heavy usage to completely deplete the battery on the charging case. This included listening to music for 3-4 hours every day with 20-30 minutes of gaming thrown in as well. With micro USB charging, it takes the case just over an hour to fully charge.

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Verdict
At Rs 999, Mivi Duopods K1 are a fine purchase for casual listening. The bass-focused output offers a nice listening experience, especially if you like punchiness to your music. However, no app support and micro USB charging are some glaring issues that Mivi should address in later releases. Voice calling in outdoor conditions could have been better as well, but that shouldn’t be a dealbreaker if listening to music is your major priority.

Mivi Duopods K1: Pros
Good sound output
Comfortable fit
Portable design
Mivi Duopods K1: Cons
No app support
Micro USB charging  

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