Mifo S TWS Earbuds Review – A Mofo from Mifo?
Out of the gate, $140 seemed like an ambitious ask for a diminutive TWS with limited features (no app, wireless charging or AptX) and little brand recognition. Certainly nothing in the initial presentation of the Mifo S screams Buy Me–build is (very) solid but not premium; battery life of 4-6 hours is subpar and touch control scheme is unintuitive (3 clicks to advance a track?), while garish, incomprehensible skatepunk graphics on the buds and case are offputing to all but methheads. However, the light weight and ergonomic shape provides for very good comfort and seal even with ANC off (note that the Mifo’s ANC improves isolation only marginally).
So the Mifo would really have to sound good to justify the tariff, in which regard the Mifo are decidedly a mixed bag. Signature is generally mid-centric, with limited extension at both extremes (there’s some subbass thump, but midbass is conspicuously lacking in depth and quantity), with a narrow stage that tends to place the performers towards the center. Timbre is slightly anemic but quite accurate—guitars and voices are well-articulated and there’s no high-end sharpness or glare.
But (and this is a big but), the output on the Mifo is wholly inadequate—you need to max out the volume to get any sort of presence, and even then these lack snap and energy. Much cheaper buds like Lypertek Tevi or Soundpeats H1 sound a little more processed, but are otherwise more impactful, louder and far more engaging, while a comparably-priced mainstream piece like the Galaxy Buds isn’t necessarily better tonally, but has much better bass quality, much more high end detail and far superior UI.
TBH, I don’t get who Mifo is targeting with the S—they’re too pricey for kids, too feature-less for technophiles and, despite the pleasing tonality, are neither tuned for consumers nor for audiophiles. It does seem that Mifo’s prior releases have garnered some praise, and I’d hope that future iterations enhance the bass, widen the soundstage and, above all, crank up the volume. For now, though, these are a hard pass.
Disclaimer: sent free for review purposes by Mifo.
Product Page: Mifo S
