Today we will look at a rather obscure earphone from an underground hyped company call REVONEXT.
RevoNext audio designer team are based in Stockholm (Sweden) and have for goal to ”do things differently” and create high fidelity audio product at affordable price. They have already 6 iem models to their active wich include dual dynamic drivers and triple and quad hybrid iem.
I get interested in this company because of multiple good reviews I read about the QT2 Dual Dynamics plus Balanced armature drivers like the one I read on Audiobudget site.
For this reason, while I was buying the Senfer DT6 from AK Audio store, I decide to try a Revonext model nobody review, because the housing construction look different….and very strange…this 30$ iem is call the RX6. In exchange of my review I got a big discount that will change nothing about my subjective hearing and honnest soul.
At 30$, my expectation about this Single dynamic plus balanced Hybrid are rather low, I was expacting big soundstage due to big housing and ackward fitting. Was wrong about soundstage but not the fit. Let’s see why in this review.
CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & ACCESSORIES:
Unboxing experience is rather minimalist, you get the basic-eartips, nice quality braided cable Without earhook- AND lot of ears FIN. This was a little disconcerting and make me wonder even more about the skill we need to make those RX6 fit our ears with this silicone fish FIN.
CONSTRUCTION is quite nice for this price range, the housing is all hard metal and quite seriously Big! I don’t know how much drivers they could have stock in there but Revonext decide to put only 2. My theory is that it have an enourmous back air chamber, but that this chamber lack window to make the air flow properly, still, it have a little window at its side.
As seen in this graphic, the dynamic driver look quite thick, and balanced armature is in front nozzle, so we can already imagine the type of sound it will give. The fact it use a crossover is something to be noted too.
DESIGN in another hand is perhaps too audacious, and to be honnest with you: i do not use the FIN (earhook) as I find it uncomfortable and bothersome, like if an insect was dancing around my ears. Strangely, it can hold still without this earhook and do not change anything about microphonic cable sound it make, because yes, it have some minimal one.
All in all, we have a sturdy high quality built for a little price here, but a housing design that will be polarizing.
SOUND:
Overall sound impressions is rather mixed, the RX6 being a very fowards V shape iem, if you don’t find the right ear tips, it can be too bright and agressive, but once I find the right one the sound became more balanced and enjoyable. Its still V shape, with emphasis on lower end, soft punch and upper mids push, but the level of details is above average and overall sound is energic and resolved.
SOUNDSIGNATURE is U shape but not boomy, perhaps hardcore basshead will not even find the RX6 enough bassy, but it sure have a whole dynamic driver dedicated for the bass and nothing else. Balance feel quit right too.
SOUNDSTAGE is average wide but have good deepnest, its not particularly airy but offer precise layering.
BASS is sub centric, not particularly weighty and even a little dry, it have a fast punchy presentation and good attack but timbre lack thickness. Still, this move air and can have some rumble, and rarely bleed on (recessed) lower mids, so if it was thicker sounding it would be very problematic, but the overall thin texture and upper bass drop avoid muddiness. Separation in bass department is still above average for price range.
MIDS are slightly recessed but bright, wich is something very typical with chifi multi drivers (from Sweden?) iem, where treble curve give a push in mids section to compensate bass expansion. So, yeah, there is sibilance and typical balanced armature coldness wich can make the vocal artificial sounding and opaque. For example, piano note lack weight and resolution and sound quite dull.
TREBLE is very extended and have lot of sharpness, especially in lower and upper high. Percussion can sound agressive and even splashy, but I have heard worst in this price range. You have plenty of microdetails, but sparkle lack, its still quite crisp but you will not find lot of decay to your guitar or harpsichord. Presentation is fast and accurate, wich is impressive for 30$, as well, level of details retreival is above average.
NOTE:
LOWER BASS: 7/10
MID BASS: 7.5/10
MIDS: 7/10
TREBLE:8.5/10
TIMBRE: 7/10
COMPARAISONS:
VS TIN AUDIO T2 (50$):
T2 have a more balanced sound with a bigger deeper airier more around your head soundstage. Bass have more punch, little less sub but of better timbre and do not bleed on mids, where the RX6 feel dry and boomy. MIDS of T2 are from another league here, it have more presence and even if upper mids are little harsh its nothing like the RX6, vocal feel wider and more detailed with better transparency to let background instrument sound lively, here, the RX6 mids feel thick and fowards and unpleasant. TREBLE is more fowards with the RX6, but do not deliver more details, just more harshness, where the T2 extended slightly above 15khz and have a smoother approach with better layering of highs, wich sound more sparkly and have better more realist decay. Construction of both is quite impressive, but cable of T2 is a fancy SPC one, so, he win here too.
VS TRN V80 (30$):
SOUNDSTAGE of both are quite similar and feel inside your head but the RX6 feel deeper.
BASS of V80 is tigher and less sub emphased, it is more punchy and fowards and have better control than RX6 wich have a slower lower end that tend to lack definition.
MIDS of V80 are more shouty and brighter in upper mids wich give them a metallic flavor and nasal rendering for vocal, while the RX6 isn’t perfect in this range, it still sound more balanced and less agressive due perhaps to extra bass warmnest. Both are slightly recessed but still very clear and present.
TREBLE of V80 is sharper and offer wider dynamic with more microdetails and layering, as well, highs are more sparkly and offer better resolution with complex tracks even if presentation is quite frontal, the RX6 can struggle with too much instrument and have crunchy highs that feel more natural even if it lack brillance sometime, V80 percussion can be splashy and have strange metallic timbre, the RX6 again feel more balanced here.
I would conclude that both are similar U shape iem, V80 being more energic, punchy and detailed while RX6 being more laid back and bassy.
CONCLUSION:
The RX6 deliver an impressively energic sound with plenty of details and an overall good balance for such low price. While construction is top notch, the design will not please everyone, including ”sporty” people that are aim to. As well, the sound being on the trebly side, the RX6 will sound better with a warm audio source. All in all, Revonext RX6 offer decent audio performance and price value.
CONSTRUCION: 8.5/10
DESIGN: 6/10
SOUND: 7/10
VALUE: 7,5/10
No Borders Audiophile 