While the brand-new Softears RSV MKII has yet to see a global release, I was fortunate enough to secure a first-run unit from the Project Gotham store in China.
Quick Navigation
A Personal History with Softears
My journey with Softears has deep roots, beginning in 2018 when I had the opportunity to be the first to officially review a Moondrop product for a Western audience. My ability to converse in Chinese allowed for interesting discussions with the founder himself, and we found common ground in our appreciation for a neutral tuning target. While the anime-centric branding wasn’t to my personal taste, it was impossible to ignore the engineering talent. So, when that same expertise was channeled into launching the premium Softears brand in 2019/2020, my interest was immediately piqued.
This connection culminated in early 2021 when I was given the opportunity to introduce Softears‘ groundbreaking work to a wider international audience. (Their initial 2020 releases, RS10 and Cerberus, had a more focused, domestic launch.) Receiving the Turii and RSV for review was a genuine revelation. The sonic quality was not just good; they were exceptionally impressive on a fundamental level. I concluded then, and my opinion hasn’t changed, that the original RSV possessed one of the best and coherent tunings on the market. It set a new benchmark.
In fact, the experience was so compelling that I added the Turii, RSV, and a custom RS10 to my personal collection. This significantly raised my bar for what I considered review-worthy. It inspired me to shift my focus from covering the sheer volume of new releases — many of which chased the shrill-sounding Harman tuning — to engaging more deeply with the community behind-the-scenes.
It was surprising, then, that the RSV didn’t become the benchmark in the sub-$1000 tier that I felt it deserved to be. It seems its philosophy was simply ahead of its time. It’s been rewarding to see a growing appreciation for its design philosophy in the years since, with some voices in the community now echoing the praise it first received years ago. This context makes the arrival of its successor all the more exciting.
Why a MKII? Refining a Classic
If the original was so acclaimed, why would it need a refresh? Even a reference monitor can be improved. Based on my extensive time with the RSV, my personal wishlist for improvements included:
Comfort: The fully sealed shell created significant ear pressure with silicone tips, leading to listening fatigue. (My personal solution was DIY foam tips for a custom-like seal).
Nozzle design: The wide, flat nozzle was less compatible with some third-party tips, which could sometimes slide off.
Aesthetics: While striking, the original’s carbon fiber faceplate with gold flakes leaned more towards “luxury” than “professional tool,” which its “Reference Sound” name suggested. Furthermore, the black resin shell exhibited a blue tint in direct sunlight, which created a visual mismatch.
Fortunately, Softears has addressed every one of these points.
Most intriguingly, they’ve also changed the sound, advertised with an improved low-end. While I found the original’s bass quantity perfect for all-day listening on low-impedance sources, it could flatten out on balanced outputs and may have been perceived as lean by some. The MKII claims to respond to the community feedback.
Features of the New MK2
The Softears RSV-MKII (or MK2 or RSV-II) retains the acclaimed 5-balanced armature design but now implements a 4-way crossover for the existing drivers and adds a sixth, passive radiator BA (a technology featured in the flagship RS10) to enhance bass performance.
Although I’m currently 7,500 km from my measurement rig, initial listening confirms a perceptible low-end boost, bringing it more in line with modern, popular tunings. Softears redesigned the tubes and airflow to optimize pressure and acoustic effects, including a newly designed split-tube for the bass.
The other improvements include:
Vented shell: A new vent drastically reduces ear pressure, greatly improving long-term comfort.
Redesigned nozzle: A slimmer nozzle with a lip ensures a secure fit with a wider range of ear tips.
New aesthetics: The shell features a new form factor with a sleek, CNC-machined faceplate. The carbon fiber element is preserved as a sharp, edge-to-edge “V,” but the overall all-black, resin-based design now unequivocally says “professional reference monitor.”
Upgraded accessories: The package includes improved ear tips and a new high-purity copper cable terminating in a 4.4mm balanced plug, complete with a 3.5mm single-ended adapter.
Preview
On paper, RSV-II is the ultimate evolution of the RSV. Yet the new tuning is a lot warmer than I expected. Is this release truly a refined RSV or something new entirely? A full review with detailed measurements, in-depth listening notes, and proper photography will come later.
In the meantime, I’ll be sharing more thoughts in the Softears Discussion & Appreciation Thread on Head-Fi. Stay tuned for the complete breakdown.
Thank you for this first article. Having the RS10 and Turii ti, I admit that it’s more the new RS10 that would interest me! But the presentation of the brand with more bass scares me a little.