Tanchjim REVO Review: Full Sounding Open Ear Buds That Actually Have Bass

 

General / Packaging / Build / Comfort Tanchjim has built its reputation on IEMs. So the REVO is a bit of a detour for them. This is their first open ear true wireless, and it sits at US$45.90 at Linsoul at the time of writing.

The driver is an 18 x 11mm racetrack shaped dynamic unit with an LCP dome and PU surround. That is a big diaphragm for an open ear bud. Impedance is 16Ω and it runs Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC, AAC and SBC support.

Packaging is simple, as expected at this price. Earbuds in the case, a short USB-C cable and the paperwork in the usual Tanchjim’s design, which is not bad by any means.

The design is clean. The buds are lightweight, roughly 9g per side, and the liquid silicone hooks are soft with a flexible wire inside. There is nothing going into the ear canal at all. So comfort is top notch, to my ears and based on my own ear anatomy. I forget I am wearing them after a few minutes and overall there are no weird protruding edges that will cause discomfort. IPX5 rating is a nice touch for sweaty sessions, fit is also very good in terms of the unit holding on to my ears, i have tried mountain biking with the Revo, doing CrossFit and Hyrox session with the Revo, with a bunch of jumps and sprint in between, it is holding up well, also, i get to enjoy my music at the same time, getting clear instructions from the coach.

Features

• Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC, AAC and SBC

• 9 band Parametric EQ through the Tanchjim app, with preset target curves

• Dual device connection

• Beamforming HD MEMS microphone

• Customizable touch controls through the app

• IPX5 splash resistance (buds only)

• Battery: ~9.5 hours + 29 hours with the case

The app is the usual Tanchjim experience, which is to say it is one of the better ones around. A proper 9 band PEQ on a US$46 pair of open buds is not something I expected. Most graphic EQs at this price only let you nudge a slider up or down. Here you can actually shape the sound. Battery life is also something that I like about the Revo, they seem to last forever because I rarely need to charge the case, but I rarely use the Revo for more than 4 hours at a go, so there’s that. 

Gears Used for This Review

• Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold - Revo connected to the phone via LDAC

• Xiaomi 17 Ultra - Revo connected to the phone via LDAC

• Tanchjim Revo

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone's ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far.

Sound Impression
The REVO ran through my burn-in rig for approximately 30-40 hours before any serious listening. Not a huge change, but the bass became slightly more controlled and the upper mids settled a little.

To my ears, the tuning is natural and on the warmer side. Full, and not thin sounding. That was the first thing that stood out, because most open ear buds I have tried lean out the moment there is no seal.

The REVO does not. It carries enough body to keep vocals sounding proper, and the bass response is honestly better than it has any right to be for this form factor. It is not a basshead pair. But for an open design, it does everything alright and then some.

Fit matters here, more than on any IEM. If the buds sit a few degrees off the right angle, the sound thins out a bit. Once they settle into a good position, the tonality stays consistent.

Bass

• Quantity is surprisingly good for an open ear design. There is real weight behind the notes.

• Most of the action is in the mid-bass. It has a decent thump, not as tight as a sealed IEM, but respectable.

• Sub-bass is limited. No seal means no deep rumble, so tracks like Billie Eilish Bad Guy lose some of the floor.

• It doesn't bleed into the mids at all. Bass stays controlled and doesn't turn muddy.

• Decay is on the quicker side, which keeps things tidy on Daft Punk style electronic tracks.

Mids

• Warmish and natural, with enough density to avoid a thin presentation.

• Female vocals such as Faye Wong sit around 3-4 steps in front of me. Clear and easy to follow, without any shout.

• Male vocals carry a decent body. Zhao Peng does not get quite the chesty weight a sealed IEM would give, but there is enough substance to sound believable.

• Upper mids are lifted just enough to keep vocals forward without getting fatiguing. Not shouty at all.

Treble

• Smooth and safe, with a tinge of sparkle to keep things engaging.

• No sibilance or harsh peaks, even at higher volumes.

• Extension is limited. This is not the pair to chase air and shimmer.

• Cymbals sound relaxed rather than splashy. Good for long sessions.

Soundstage / Imaging

• Staging is naturally out of head, since the drivers sit outside the ear.

• Width is good, with a nice sense of openness.

• Imaging is average. Enough to place instruments but nothing precise.

• Separation is decent, though busy tracks like Hans Zimmer Why So Serious can get a little crowded.

Comparison
vs Roseselsa OpenFree

Build first. The OpenFree uses a soft antibacterial silicone stem with a 10mm topological dynamic driver at 32Ω. The plastic shells feel lighter and less premium than the REVO. It has a bigger case battery, rated at 52 hours against the REVO's 29. Bluetooth 5.4 on the OpenFree, with LDAC, LHDC and LC3. The REVO goes Bluetooth 6.0 but drops LHDC, but personally, LDAC is fine and good enough for me, for Apple users, there’s AAC and SBC

The app is where the gap opens up. The OpenFree app only handles touch controls. No custom EQ. The REVO gives you a full 9 band PEQ.

Now the sound. The OpenFree runs thin. Really thin. It has decent detail and stage width, but the tonality leans bright and lean with very little body. Bass is close to absent. It is the kind of sound that gets tiring quickly. The REVO is fuller, warmer and more natural on every track I tried.

• Bass: REVO runs circle around the OpenFree. The OpenFree is almost bassless.

• Mids: REVO sounds natural and full. The OpenFree sounds thin and overly forward.

• Treble: OpenFree has more extension but it comes across as tizzy. REVO is smoother and easier to live with.

• Soundstage: Both are open and wide. Roughly on par.

I would personally go for the REVO. The OpenFree has better battery life and codec support, but if sound matters, the REVO is the better choice.

Final Thoughts
The Tanchjim REVO is a strong first attempt at an open ear TWS. To my ears it does the one thing most open buds fail at, which is sounding full and natural. Bass is far better than expected, comfort is top notch and the 9 band PEQ is a proper bonus for the asking price.

The downsides are minor. Volume is a little on the low side and needs 70-80% on my devices. Sound leakage is there if you crank it up. And the sub-bass simply cannot match a sealed IEM, but that is physics rather than a flaw.

Recommended? Yes! Definitely! If you want an open ear bud that sounds like an actual pair of earphones and not a tinny speaker, the REVO is the one to get at this price.

The REVO was sent over by Tanchjim for the purpose of this review. Big thanks to the Tanchjim team for the support and opportunity as always.

Head over to their store if you are interested in getting a pair:

• Tanchjim Official Product Page — Non Affiliated

• Linsoul — Non Affiliated

• Amazon.com — Non Affiliated