Greetings fam and welcome to another review. Today we’re checking out the RevoNext QT5 earphone with 1 dynamic driver and one balanced armature driver. I’m not going to beat around the bush, this IEM offers amazing performance for very little cost. Just go ahead and buy one now or read on to find out why I’m liking it so much.

This sample was provided for the purpose of an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own based on my experience with the product.

RevoNext QT5 Review

Package and Accessories

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I was surprised to see the QT5 arrive in a different style of packaging this time around. Gone is the vanilla white box and instead we were greeted by a black box with red trim and an image of the earphones on the front.

The rear of the box is similarly black with a list of specifications. Once you open it up, you’re presented with the IEMs in the familiar foam insert. It was at this stage of the unboxing when I just stopped what I was doing and had a bit of a wow moment. This does not look like your average ultra-budget IEM. But I digress and we’ll cover the looks in the section below. For now, let’s take a look at the contents of the box.

• RevoNext QT5 earphones
• 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S, M, L)
• User manual and warranty card

Yep, that’s all you get but I can’t be mad because I’ve seen and heard these earphones already. I’m getting ahead of myself again. Let’s jump to the next section first…

Build Quality and Design

The QT5 has fantastic, stylish metal housings. It comes in 2 colours, gunmetal grey and copper. The earpieces feel super solid and substantial without being heavy. On the faceplate, there are 3 screws attaching it to the main body of the shell. A horizontal channel runs through the centre where there is a circular silver-coloured metal grill. There is also an L or R denoting the left and right sides.

To me, it has this unique sort of steampunk style which I think looks really fantastic. Just near those L and R markings are the 2-pin sockets. Coincidentally, those marking match up perfectly with the L and R markings on the cable connectors.

There is a single pinhole vent near the base of the nozzle. One thing I found very unusual about the nozzles is that they are made of a translucent plastic as opposed to being metal like the rest of the housings. I have no idea why this is but it really makes no difference as you can only see them with the eartips removed.

A solid ridge rings the end of the nozzle and firmly holds the eartips in place. As is expected, there is a metal grill covering the nozzle opening. Overall the build quality is exceptional and really nicely done.

Comfort and Noise Isolation

Thanks to some clever shaping of the inner shells, the QT5 is a very comfortable earphone. All of the edges are smooth and rounded and the medium length nozzles provide a secure fit without causing any discomfort. I can happily wear this in-ear monitor all day long and the overall comfort is very good.

Noise isolation is slightly above average and you won’t hear much outside of the music. Likewise, there is practically no noise leak either, making the QT5 suitable for just about any scenario.

Cable

The provided cable is made up of 4 twisted strands with a transparent TPU sheath. It is fairly pliable and has little microphonics but is quite thin above the Y-split. At the top are the black plastic 2-pin connectors, followed by some pre-formed ear guides.

The small rubber Y-split is lightweight and you barely notice its there. A matching black rubber chin slider is present too which is a nice addition. The cable terminates in an L-shaped 3.5 mm plug. Overall, the quality of the cable is good but because of how thin it is above the Y-split and the hooks at the top the cable is very prone to tangling. Of course, it is detachable though so you can upgrade it if desired.

Sound

Gear used for testing includes the iBasso DX120 and FiiO M6 as portable sources. On the desktop, once again it was the FiiO K3 connected via USB to my PC using MusicBee to playback FLAC files.

The QT5 has a clear, vibrant sound with a slight V-shape. It has great instrument separation, clarity and punchy, satisfying bass. The QT5 is suitable for all different types of music genres and punches above its price point when it comes to sound quality.

Bass

The bass is fast and punchy on the QT5. It has depth, weight and control that more expensive IEMs would be proud to reproduce. It has a medium speed decay that gives bass notes thickness and realism but theyr’e extremely well-controlled without any boominess or loose resonance.

The sub-bass reaches deep with a palpable rumble that makes you take notice and feel the full impact of those 808 kicks. In Rick Ross’ “Aston Martin Music” the underlying bass synth can be felt in your ears but it doesn’t mask the midrange in the least.

Mids

In the midrange, the QT5 has a full-bodied yet clear presentation. Its timbre sounds very natural for a budget phone and gives a very pleasing experience. There is no noticeable bass bleed, letting instruments and vocals breathe uninhibited.

Male and female vocals sound great on the QT5 but it’s male vocals in particular that really shine. An upper midrange boost gives vocals presence and guitars loads of texture. I found string instruments sound really nice in songs like “Grey Cloud Lullaby” by Slow Meadow.

Treble

The high frequencies are detailed and crisp and for the most part, very well executed. There is a peak at around 7kHz, however, that can be a little sharp. It doesn’t cause sibilance but it doesn’t help to attenuate any if its in the recording. This is really the only criticism I have of the QT5 sound. Otherwise, treble notes have good density and provide detail and clarity.

Soundstage

The QT5’s stage is natural and rounded. It has surprising depth and an average width. Instrument separation is very good for a budget earphone which is a big part of what make this one special. Imaging is average and while it’s not razor sharp it gives pretty good positional cues.

Comparisons

KZ ZS4 ($18)

The ZS4 (review here) has a touch more bass than the QT5 with a slightly quicker decay. Its midrange is more recessed, making vocals sound a little more distant and further back in the mix. Midrange notes have slightly less body.

The ZS4 is less prone to sibilance because of more attenuation around the 7kHz mark. Its treble sounds a bit drier compared to the QT5 with less density but more air. The ZS4’s stage feels a bit bigger, mostly due its more recessed mids.

While both have good build quality, the QT5’s metal shells definitely feels more premium compared to the plastic ZS4. Noise isolation is superior on the ZS4

KZ ZSN ($22)

The KZ ZSN (review here) is a remarkable budget IEM and it’s also remarkably close to the QT5, as you can see from my measurements. Both of these earphones have a near identical bass but the ZSN has a splash more sub-bass but there’s very little difference.

We see astounding similarities again in the midrange and the two IEMs are difficult to separate here. The biggest difference is that the ZSN has a touch of grain in the upper midrange and the QT5 is a little smoother.

The earphones mimic each other in the treble too but the ZSN is just a bit more even, especially in that 7kHz area and it falls off more slowly in the uppermost treble which is mostly inaudible harmonics that only your dog is likely to appreciate.

Both of these earphones have great build quality and are very comfortable. The QT5 cable is only slightly less annoying than the KZ one and they both offer the same minimal accessories.

Conclusion

Well, it looks like RevoNext has made another great earphone. I really love the materials and styling of the QT5 and think it looks fantastic. The one area that the company seems to struggle with is peaks in the treble area.

If they could just get a smoother response up top their products would be almost unbeatable. Regardless of that though, the RevoNext QT5 is a remarkable budget offering that deserves a place on our Best Universal IEMs list.