GoKawiilOn the back of the soundbar, there’s one HDMI port for an eARC connection to a television. I ran a Belkin 8K HDMI 2.1 Ultra cable to the TV, and it was up and running in five minutes. There’s also an optical-in, an Ethernet port for wired streaming, and RCA jacks to connect a subwoofer. After testing the Mu-so Hekla for several days using HDMI and the Focal app, I decided to skip the other ports. I don’t own any audio gear that uses an optical connection, and my Wi-Fi runs at a stable 600 Mbps, plus the speaker doesn't really need a sub.
Photograph: John Brandon
There’s no remote, but that’s a perk. I used the Bravia remote to control the volume while watching movies and playing games. For hi-res audio, I used the Tidal app on my phone or the Focal app, which is easy to use. You can’t connect the Mu-so Hekla to any other speakers other than a sub since it’s an all-in-one soundbar. Sony, Samsung, LG, and many other brands make soundbars that connect to side and rear speakers and a subwoofer. I didn’t mind—I liked the straightforward setup with just one speaker for music, games, and movies.
Music Playback Is Thunderous and Distinct
It’s easy to see why the Mu-so Hekla can handle deep guttural bass, warm guitars, and even the mesmerizing operatic vocals of an artist like Rosalía. There are three woofers, two tweeters, two midrange drivers, and eight additional drivers (for 15 total). The speaker supports Dolby Atmos Music, which is a big plus. The Mu-so Hekla supports Tidal for hi-res audio, but only if you use Tidal Connect and play music through the Focal app. I also played around with the EQ settings and room calibration, which both helped improve music playback.
I’m a major music fan, so one of my goals was to compare the Mu-so Hekla to several recent soundbars. I also measured it against the Cambridge Audio Evo One, which is more for music playback. I played an obscure song by a band called Ex-Vöid, “So Neurotic,” because there’s a wall of guitars that turns most speakers to mush. The Sonos Arc Ultra sounded excellent, but the song is more distinct on the Mu-so Hekla. On “Want Want” by the artist Maggie Rogers, I felt the room shake a little when the guitars, drums, and bass finally filled the room. It’s worth noting that the Cambridge Audio Evo One does a better job of rattling the foundations of your house, though.