Is it a lighter? Is it a multi-tool? A flashlight, fidget, emergency alarm or pepper spray? No, the device in my man purse is a DAC – the Oriveti Twin Revive, to be exact. We portable audiophiles sure have our share of audio dongles and it’s not easy to stick out. Having a unique shape is a good start. This compact and rigid CNC-machined “tri-prism” DAC wants to be your new daily companion. And it makes some strong points to conquer that spot.
BTW, I have featured Oriveti multiple times but the article that probably provides the deepest insight is my coverage of the Grand Oriveti Supremacy. If you are interested in the company or brand, I suggest starting there. I received the Twin Revive unexpectedly from Oriveti without requesting it and without any obligation to publish a review.
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Plug-and-Play
Let’s not start with the specifications but what really matters: the Oriveti Twin Revive is a true plug-and-play DAC with headphone amplifier. It doesn’t need charging but pulls the power from your connected device. Unlike my iBasso DAP that I occasionally discover to be discharged, the Twin Revive is always ready to play. The other major convenience is that it has no hardware buttons whatsoever. You plug it in, it turns on; you plug it out, it powers off. Volume is controlled through your source device and needs no additional fiddling in your pocket.
To mitigate large volume jumps, the Twin Revive adjusts its operating mode in the background based on the connected load. Effectively this allows low impedance IEMs to use a lower max volume and thus a more granular volume adjustment. Due to this feature, higher-impedance dynamic headphones can theoretically achieve the same volume at 50% as a more sensitive headphone at the same setting, which is a very user-friendly feature. But more on that later.
There is a tiny LED indicator next to the USB-C connection which turns on when the device is connected. It either glows red for SD audio or blue for HD audio.
To round it off, Oriveti blatantly copied the convenient Lepic DAC Pocket so you can attach the dongle to your iPhone or MagSafe compatible devices. In case your source does not support MagSafe, Oriveti even includes a magnetic ring to upgrade it in post. The attachment is most certainly made of faux leather, but it smells convincingly real – I like that detail.
Note for iOS users
When you plug in the Twin Revive for the first time, iOS will ask you whether the audio device is a headphone or another device. Even though the Twin Revive does not have independent volume controls, the only correct selection is “other device”. Selecting ‘Headphone’ allows iOS to apply its headphone safety processing, preventing bit-perfect playback. In case you accidentally pressed the wrong option, you can revert it via Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Headphone Safety.
Now with its full potential unlocked, how does this uniquely shaped dongle perform? Let’s set the expectations according to the price of 149 USD and comparable devices.
Comparing Specs and Price
The ES9281AC Pro in the Twin Revive is a tested and trusted all-in-one SoC that is very popular in the portable audio space. It operates in 32bit and supports up to 768 kHz PCM or DSD512. ESS advertises the SoC’s patented quad-DAC architecture and jitter eliminator. FiiO’s KA1 uses the ESS as an AIO solution for as low as 50 USD, but more sophisticated designs primarily use it for digital-to-analog conversion while relying on a substantially more capable external amplification stage. Some examples include the Astell&Kern AK HB1 and Questyle M15i at around 250 USD (MSRP) each.
Though not fully custom, Oriveti opted for RiCore RT6863C dual op-amps for the output stage. Apparently the RT6863D or -C is an op-amp that is frequently paired with ESS Sabre DACs in portable designs. This combination can also be found in the Hidizs DH80S (140 USD), which after thorough inspection received a recommendation from Amir at AudioScienceReview. It would be wrong to assume that using the same chips will result in the same sound, as the analog output stage – including the reconstruction filter following the DAC – requires careful circuit design. Managing power supply, shielding, and digital filters adds to that. However, ASR’s testing suggests the hardware platform is capable of excellent measured performance, although the final results depend entirely on the implementation.
The advertised 4.2 Vrms balanced are impressive and translate to over 500 mW at 32Ω, which puts it close to or directly next to the Questyle M15i, iBasso DC07 Pro, Luxury & Precision W4 or FiiO KA17. However, the Oriveti Twin Revive has a feature the others don’t have:
Smart Drive
According to Oriveti, Smart Drive automatically detects the connected headphone when it is plugged in and selects an appropriate amplifier operating mode. The company confirmed that this decision is made during connection rather than continuously while music is playing. While Oriveti has not disclosed the exact parameters being adjusted, the feature appears conceptually similar in principle to the automatic gain or output-mode selection found in devices such as Apple’s recent MacBooks and LG’s former Quad DAC smartphones.
However, there is also a potential limitation.
While impedance detection can help optimize amplifier operating modes, impedance alone is not a reliable indicator of how demanding a headphone is. Low-sensitivity headphones such the HiFiMAN HE-6 require comparatively high current despite their modest voltage requirements. On the other hand, the Softears Turii is very sensitive at 117 dB/Vrms but has comparably high impedance at 25 Ω. Ultimately, no amplifier can infer a headphone’s acoustic sensitivity from its electrical impedance alone.
Exceptions aside, Smart Drive is a great quality-of-life feature. My Sennheiser HD 650 (300 Ω) benefits from higher voltage swings. With a balanced cable the HD 650 can take advantage of the Twin Revive’s maximum available voltage, providing ample headroom for dynamic peaks. But when switching to ultra-sensitive IEMs like the Softears RSV-MKII (7Ω) the maximum output is reduced, lowering the noise floor and providing a higher resolution volume control. The latter is especially handy because the device does not have its own volume control but is adjusted by the source.
Note: When swapping directly from a full-size headphone to a highly sensitive IEM while leaving the Twin Revive connected and playing, Smart Drive briefly reconfigures the amplifier after detecting the new load. This results in a short burst at the previous gain level before the volume settles. Disconnecting the dongle before changing headphones – or simply stopping playback – avoids the behavior entirely, suggesting that the startup sequence performs the gain selection while the outputs are muted. So, I recommend not switching from power hungry headphones to sensitive IEMs while audio is playing!
Output Impedance
One specification that is missing from the official documentation is the output impedance. While I can’t measure it accurately myself, I can measure tonal changes with sensitive multi-BA IEMs between different devices. The Softears RSV reacts noticeably to higher output impedances, so I used this IEM to measure it repeatedly with various sources. Compared to the RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE (0.1 Ω OI), the Softears RSV shows 0.6 dB less bass when using the Twin Revive, suggesting a higher OI. Using the iFi iEMatch on High setting (2.5 Ω), the RSV drops 1.6 dB at 100Hz. But at Ultra (1Ω), the SPL curves match up nearly exactly. My guess is that the Twin Revive thus has a generally favorable low output impedance likely close to 1Ω.
Shutdown with a Pop
One small quirk I noticed during daily use concerns the shutdown behavior. Disconnecting the Twin Revive from the source while audio is still active produces a faint pop through the connected headphones. While considerably less pronounced than on some dongles I’ve used in the past, such as the Tempotec Sonata BHD Pro, it contrasts with the completely silent behavior of the Chord Mojo 2. Fortunately, the workaround is simple: stopping playback and waiting about a second allows the Twin Revive to enter standby – the cue is a very faint audible click –, after which it can be disconnected silently. Given the low intensity of the transient and its occurrence only during power-down, I don’t consider this a practical concern, but it’s worth being aware of.
Sound Performance & Pairings
Eminency
The Twin Revive is brand new and just released simultaneously with the Grand Oriveti Eminency. The latter high-end IEM is currently still in review-phase, so consider this a sneak peek or early impressions.
I would have been very surprised if this combo would not impress. Fortunately, it does. The Twin Revive offers black background, no hiss, no noise and plenty of headroom; the Eminency takes it from there. Unlike the Grand Oriveti Supremacy, Eminency has far less warmth – it sounds leaner and faster but has a strongly shelved sub-bass boost with great extension. While a strong low-end from a dynamic driver can provide a risk for a sloppy sound, it is very controlled and tight in this pairing. There are physicality, punch and oomph with good texture detail.
Eminency’s midrange is not completely re-tuned in the role of Supremacy’s younger sibling, but it has less warmth and a more neutral presentation. Eminency still has a dose of sweetness and richness compared to a neutral reference like the Softears RS10, but not quite the intimacy of its big brother. The Twin Revive ensures the midrange layers are well separated and detailed without any sibilance.
Opting for planar drivers for the treble gives the Eminency a unique spin. I appreciate this choice because it sounds very natural and detailed to my ears, more coherent than the ESTs in the Supremacy at times. Aggressive frequencies are still disarmed by a dip in the lower treble, but the clarity and definition are nonetheless excellent.
While the resolution is very high, the soundstage is not particularly huge – at least with this pairing. However, that is not a final observation as I have not even started tip-rolling yet.
Other IEMs
I have worked through a decent portion of my IEM collection and can conclude that the Twin Revive is a good recommendation for the ultra-portable user. It has a mildly warm character to it, which I consider a positive. It’s not forward nor lean. The sound provides a decent body and physicality on top of a black background. I can also not ascribe anything special or unique to it, like an unexpectedly wide soundstage, extra treble details that I haven’t heard before or whatnot. It never became the limiting factor. I simply connected whichever IEM I wanted to use and enjoyed the music – which is exactly what a portable dongle should do.
Full-size Headphones
The Sennheiser HD 650 is a high-impedance headphone (300 Ω) that is considered fairly voltage hungry. I’m running it via single-ended 3.5mm connection and hover around 50% volume on the Twin Revive. The dynamics are actually very good, and the HD 650 shows excellent bass impact.
While explaining Smart Drive earlier, I already expected the HEDDphone TWO GT to hit the volume cap with its monstrous AMT driver (41 Ω, 88 dB/mW). While the sound doesn’t fall apart or shows heavy distortion, I actually end up on max volume with Classical music and around 90% with Pop. So while the available volume range is a tad limited, the performance is actually decent and very well usable.
Considerably easier to push, with the dynamic HEDDphone D1 I end up at 20-30% of the volume scale. The D1 is also a headphone that shows a device’s sound characteristic very well. Fortunately, the pairing is well-rounded, musical, never harsh and also does not add artificial warmth.
Of course, the Oriveti Twin Revive can’t replace a desktop amp with linear power supply and a discrete power output, but considering its portable advantage, I couldn’t ask for more.
Compared to the Questyle M15i
Coincidence or not, I remember showing the Questyle M15i in my Lepic DAC Pocket to Oriveti a while ago and here we are now with them surprise-dropping the Twin Revive with MagSafe holder. Huh.
I already mentioned that the ES9281AC Pro DAC SoC is being used by both, the Twin Revive and the Questyle M15i. They both rely on the source to control the volume, and both also rate the same max output of ~4.2 Vrms. However, the Oriveti costs considerably less than the Questyle.
To be fair, the Questyle has a more complex analog stage with four proprietary Current Mode Amplifiers. The glass top is a looker for nerds and allows to glance at the circuit design on a black PCB. It also has a manual gain switch which might or might not be more convenient depending on the pairing. Another difference I noticed is that the M15i doesn’t have the previously explained “pop” sound when the connection breaks. As sleek as the Twin Revive looks and feels, the Questyle does give me an oh so slightly more premium feeling all things consider.
Sound Performance
However, the M15i sounds particularly warm and full-bodied. I actually needed a lot of time to get my ears adjusted until I could appreciate or at least accept that tonal presentation. While I also rate the Twin Revive more warm than neutral, it doesn’t sound quite as bloated. I do feel like I get more bass texture, treble details and energy from my iBasso DX260 than either of these two dongles provide.
As for soundstage, the Oriveti is more “basic” – or phrased positively, “as expected”. The M15i has more intimacy but also more depth. It scales deeper and wider, which can sometimes be an enhancement and other times not, i.e. when the IEMs or headphones are already very intimate sounding. Neither are even close to the natural and effortless sound scape of the Chord Mojo 2, mind you, but I hope that wasn’t expected.
Considering the price, I can’t find any flaw with the Twin Revive and it can hold a candle to my trusted M15i.
Verdict
The Oriveti Twin Revive is a unique premium compact DAC/amp dongle with incredible value. It is excellently built, puts usability first and offers a warm and rich sound. It can handle sensitive IEMs and most full-sized headphones surprisingly well.
I know there are some users who have collected 20 dongles in the same price range and maybe they can work out differences on a micro level better than I can. But even then, the Tri-Prism body, Smart Drive feature and the included MagSafe holder will make the Twin Revive stand out. If your priority is a compact, thoughtfully designed dongle that disappears into daily use, the Twin Revive is an easy recommendation in its price class.
