Rev6 Signature Review

Review of the Rev6 Signature from Tejinderpal Singh Bhullar



Hello there TuneLand, I have been working on something very special recently well to be precise since the last 3 weeks. A chance to compare my reference speakers the Sonus Faber Guarneri and my new tunable reference speaker the Rev6 Signature.


first listen to a Rev6 Signature

I recieved a package from Michael it was his Rev 6 speakers   . I have been eagerly awaiting for his speaker for the past few months now. The first time I got hold of his speakers was last year and that was for a friend of mine who bought them. I tried them out on my system for only 2 days with my friends permission and was very impressed with the stage. It was bugging me on how well it layed out the stage and how easily I managed to get good sound out of them in such a short period which told me that I had to get them. So when they arrived I was super excited like a kid in a candy shop lol. First of all im very happy the boxes came in perfect condition and secondly Michael did a fantastic job packaging them so well. Unboxing them was not an easy task   .

The first thing I noticed once they were open was that smell, wow the smell of woodwork on the speaker was strong. Im not sure the smell is from the wood itself or from some special curing process that Michael did but I like the smell. Each part of the speaker and stand was carefully wrapped, it took me a while to unwrap them as I didn't want to cause any scrathes on the speaker box or damage the drivers. Once that was finally done I started installing the stand which was a breeze as Michael has already predrilled the post to place the top plate and base plate with its supplied screws given along with the package. On the plates (top and base) it had additional holes at 5 sides for base plate (3 back and 2 front) and 3 areas for top plate(2 front and 1 back).


top plate (Speaker Plate) made from cured Brazilian pine


bottom plate the same wood, and LTR (Low Tone Redwood) transfer post

These are the spikes to be inserted if needed to be used. It took me around 1. 5 hour to get the stands installed erected and speakers placed on the stand and hooked to my computer audio system in listening room 2.

I placed the speakers and its matching stand initially in my computer room and let it run in for around 25 hours before I got them in to my main audio room. On my initial listening impression from my computer rig I noticed right out of the box the rev 6 sounded slightly tipped up and bright and harsh on highs and midrange. Listening to the bass in that small computer room of mine was very respectable (45hz range). I kept the bolts open and let them run in overnight on the first day. On the second day that bright sounding highs was much lesser and vocals sounded richer and stage grew slightly. I kept them running in using moderate volume for another few days, that made the highs sounding soo much more smoother and rounded but midrange sounded slightly shouty and scratchy also forward sounding. But the stage grew bigger and was filling up the room to an extend that I felt the Rev 6 needed to be placed in a bigger room. Bass was sounding deep and there was more extension (40hz). I could tell the Rev Signatures were starting their break in. Michael says the Revs start sounding nice to him after about 3 months of good play time. He doesn't believe in short term HEA break in times and lets you know how the speaker is doing as you describe to him the sound. He's more like talking to Steinway & Sons than a speaker designer.

After some discussion with Michael he said there's lots of room for improvements since its just barely brought up to life and once I start tweaking them there's going to be big changes, initially I was not sure on what he meant by tweaking them but that will be described more at later stage   . So before I started tweaking the speakers I proceeded to get the Rev 6 up to my main audio room and repositioned by placing them at the same site as my previous speakers were at using its supplied spikes. Now my room is significantly bigger than my computer room so the bass responce was not as great as it was in previously. The MGA SW15 Sub is definately in need for my main room to get that lower octaves flowing. With some repositioning I managed to get them loading and activating those pressure zones this did help on the bass side but they are still bass shy as in comparison to the way I had them setup in my computer room. The room has been tuned to the Sonus Faber for a while now with the bass going low and you can hear the Rev6 wanting something different acoustically.





Playing them in my main room was a real shocker as I was seriouly stomped on how big the stage is. I kid you not on the stage this is by far the biggest stage im hearing as of now in my room. The size of Rev 6 simply doesn't justify at all on how big it can produces a stage. It sounds more like a floorstander rather than a bookshelf minus the bass of a floorstander lol!. Now all this sounds amazing but upon my initial time with the Rev 6 I had some issues with them. Something I must understand this is not a regular loudspeaker the Rev reacts more like a guitar. Firstly as I increased the volume there was some scratchy and cracking sound this got me worried that I might have pushed them too hard and blew the tweeters but luckily it turned out to be just the tuning bolts and bar inside the box that was vibrating against the side wall of the cabinet. So after I tightened them all those sound artifacts was gone. But by tightening them the stage size became slightly smaller than before. Also I found that now size/girth of each instruments were slightly smaller and sounded shouty, etchy and hollow(reminds of some horn setup that I have heard   ). However even though they shrunk and sounded as such each of those instrument notes were filling up my room more than my Guarneri did. But they were not at the same level of density, tone saturation that I did like it to be. Although bass response and extensions is there but they are lesser than my Guarneris that I have been accustomed to for a long time. Well maybe this might be me being bias towards my Guarneris since I have been listening to them for around 5 years now but wish I could get more meat on the bones with the Rev 6. I must remind myself 3 weeks old. What speaker breaks in in 3 weeks? My Sonus took several months to fully break in. Am I asking too much too soon out of the Rev.

Time to talk to Michael and see where I am at in the process. So after some discussions with Michael he told me to remove those spikes that I initially installed on the top plate and let them vibrate freely drianing via the stands and on to my floor (spikes can be seen front pic above). So that's what I did by removing those spikes from the top plate. After giving a day of rest I then revisited them and wow what a big difference the sound is. Removing those spikes brought out that body and resolution in spades   . Im hearing a completely different speaker now. Usually you will hear people describing more on improvements using spikes on a stand but here its a total opposite where the improvements are more of everything without spikes. I get it that it has got to do with resonance and letting them vibrate freely but the improvements removing those spikes was astounding. Knowing this I proceeded to remove the other set of spikes that was installed on the base plate. The main reason why I installed those spikes was to give them height so that it would present a good stage based on my experience with my previous speakers but this turned out to be tottaly wrong with Rev 6. Not only the stage height was perfect but yet another level of improvement was heard especially on tonality with much more fleshed out body. I'm starting to get it, these really are musical instruments. With my Sonus I was thinking one way but with the Rev Signatures it's the reverse. The Sonus as good as they sound are locked into their mass voicing specifically. With the MGA speakers you choose how they mate with the system and room.  


picture without the spikes


front view of the Rev6 Signature without spikes

As of now it has been almost 3 weeks since I got them up and running, I was planning to post my initial impressions here on tuneland but I didn't do so since they were breaking in my computer room which sounded way different than my actual room and also because they keep changing (growing) in sound that I felt it was better to let them settle down and have a more constant tune and signature sound before I start posting. For now Michael's Rev 6 speaker has totally transformed to a stage monster in my room with beautiful tone, instrumental separation/space and dynamics. It is still bass shy and theres still some bright sounding notes but it is not bothering me in any way and im in no hurry to go back to my Guarneri   .

To put my thoughts into perspective comparing the break in of the Guarneri and the Rev 6 Signature the Rev 6 is the winner hands down. You might think because the Rev is different and variable that it might be more difficult to setup. The opposite is true with the Rev I can't wait to start tuning in the best sound I've ever had. Even after 3 weeks I can see the potential and the many ways the Rev 6 has already passed my reference. The Rev 6 is wanting to work with my room and that's the difference between these and other speakers. The Sonus Faber Guarneri is a world class reference speaker that ranks up there with the very best at any price range. The Rev 6 however is a different animal that takes a stage beyond what HEA offers. I don't know how far beyond yet but I'm going to find out. I've never been so excited about a speaker breaking in and what this means for the rest of my system and my listening. More reports coming soon.

part two



How do I write this next post let me start with seriously the Rev 6 has entered to a different level today thats 100% !!!! To be honest I never like to brag about my sound being better than others but seriously this is the best sound I have ever heard at any price in this country!!! And I'm being 100% honest here Its sooooooo clear spaced out well imaging is off the charts, gorgeous highs, details is sooooo easily heard, presence and lifelike sounding!!! And I have to admit the weakness now is on the bass side and thats all. I will go on a mission to tune the pressure zone that will give the bass I had in the other room but for now I have to listen and take it all in.



Since I have had the Rev 6 Signature I have been dying to start tuning. I thought these would be good but nothing prepares you for this. Michael tries to explain that the difference in quality as these "mature" from new to broken in can be big but experiencing this is far bigger than you are told. The difference a day made from yesterday till today has the hairs standing on my arm. I've never owned or heard a speaker that sounds so much like the musical instruments they are playing. My Sonus sounded great but they still sounded like speakers compared to the Rev 6. Looking at the size I wonder how can this be here it is though the biggest and most believable stage. Im now listening at low vol and damm they sound detail and clear I might have to change the name from Rev 6 speakers to Ultimate Rev Signature speaker series. Its that good!!! I start to turn them up a little at a time and you can hear the room adjusting as the Revs do. Now a little tuning bolt tuning. I'm now tuning loosening one side of the cabinet only and keepin the other side tight I'm shocked at how nice the bloom is with more body. I can turn the tuning bolt and the whole room responds with sound. After loosening the inner bolts on both sides it now sounds very very nice, rounded edges on highs perfect details unbelievable soundstage. I feel like I can make any sound I want I'm going crazy here with everything these speakers can do. This is the way speakers should be made.

Here's more description on how much the rev 6 is doing than any other speakers. Now im listening to few reference songs of mine and the vocals that surround me are full and clear. Yesterday it sounded like a faint voices but today its powerful and expressive all around me. With one adjustment I'm able to change the perspective of the vocals front to back side to side and up and down. I'm not talking a distorted signal either it's plain to hear that all of this is part of the recording with me now in control of the size and tonality.

To Michael. Oh god just gorgeous im truly amazed Michael this is no joke world class sounding. No way the Sonus is able to get this good!!! Nor any other type of speaker but hearing this is a must because just making the claim doesn't do this justice. I'm having continious goose bumps !!!!! Lol!!!! I have finally found what I have been looking for and their not leaving. Not only do the Rev 6 Signature sound great but they allow me to explore any part of any recording I wish. They are super easy to setup to begin with an incredibly intuitive once you start tuning them. It's hard to imagine using non tunable speakers after experiencing these. You have created a new hobby.

part three

A small report here on the Rev 6 signature, it has been slightly over a month and im seriously shocked on how they are performing. Bass has finally kicked in and it sounds much fuller than before. Not only they are moving some serious air in my room but that life like presentation and finesse is truly off the charts



I can literally hear all those subtle nuances and details in those recordings that I am familiar with more than what my SF Guarneirs were giving me before. I love my Guarneris to death and will have them with me till the end of my life but the Rev 6 signature is seriously inhibiting me from listening back to them lol I'm presented with a huge sound stage with amazing resolution. What gets me going is the ability for the Rev's to blend in so well to my room. There are at times when I have them perfectly balanced and I will move them to another position and work on that spot. It takes less than an hour and again I get that gorgeous stage and fantastic imaging. The Rev's works so well in any spot I pace them. All i need, is to adjust the bolts on the sides and get them balanced to my sitting position and SAM wall.

Initially I mentioned in my previous post on Michael saying theres more tweak to do on the Rev's when the time is right. Well I did a small tweak on them and that is to slightly unscrew the back binding post on one of the 4 screws. Just a tad, that brought out a much fuller sound with more girth on instruments. After 5 minutes I could hear them sounding more relaxed, effortless and life like sized instruments placed around me its like the speaker is telling me it needs to be tweaked. I get it now on what Michael meant about the speaker will let me know how they want to be worked on. Im impressed on how they are sounding after that small tweak it is very sensitive and powerful giving you the ability to dial in any type of recordings to suit your listening preference. It is also telling me I need to becareful and not to overly tweak them as just by making such small tweak the changes made are quite profound.

Now on to bass the lower registries is telling me it is sounding around 45-50hz. But that kick which i was getting from my Guarneris is not there yet. A sub is definitely needed here to augment the Rev 6 lower notes. No doubt I will get Michaels sub but for now Im truly happy with what the Rev 6 sig is doing in my room.

More good tunes ahead

Note 04/09/2019

Bass continuing to drop.