Review: Acoustic Revive RR-77 Tweak


Category: Accessories

I consider myself a relatively sane and skeptical audiophile when it comes to devices that offer a higher level of performance with magical explanations of how they work. Well, I had read on Six Moons website a very postive review regarding the Acoustic Revive RR-77 room conditioner, yes room conditioner, but took it with a big grain of salt. Then my good friend and fellow GON member Ted Brady in a conversation tells me that he has not lost his mind, but the damn device worked wonders in his high end system. So, what the heck, it costs $400.00 and I can get one from Music Direct with a 30 day home audition and send it back if it does not work.

It's a very small box that you put behind your speakers at the height of five feet off the ground. It is a type of wave generater that puts into the room a subsonic frequency that either effects how you hear the system in the room or somehow effects the acoustic of the room it self. For alot more information regarding the theory regarding how it works you can go to Six Moons website for alot more details.

Well, I have no real idea how it produces the effects it does, but the damn thing works magic in the following areas:

1)A greater liquidity and oozyness in my system without a loss of PRAT or macrodynamics.

2)More dense images with greater air around each player in the soundstage.

3)A deeper/wider soundstage.

4)Everything sounds more relaxed and natural.

My girlfriend, who is a musician, heard it instantly when she walked in and asked me what did I do this time regarding a new piece of gear. So, I have no rational explanation how it works, but boy does it work in a significant postive way. So, if I have not lost my mind, I recommend you try one in your room. What the heck, you get a 30 day trial from Music Direct. Highly recommended!

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teajay
Hi Joe, I still use mine everyday and still believe it does everything stated in my review. Since I have had it,it it never is turned off, so that should answer your question regarding reliablity.

Remember, its suppose to be at least five feet off the floor, behind your speakers and in the middle of them, however my RR-77 is about four feet to the left of my left speaker and still works like a charm. I don't know if 15 feet away in the corner would work, but you could always return it Music Direct during your 30 day audition period.
Hello, another revival of this thread. I just bought a used one, and do need to follow up with Krell Man's question of how one knows it's working? Is there any physical signs from the unit itself (ie vibration and/or sound, other than the light) or do all of you know it's on because you just hear it's effect?

I have not found profound effects in my case, they are subtle, and I am not entirely convinced it's not even psychological. I have only had it for an evening so I will do more listening. At any rate, I put my hand on the unit and didn't feel anything. At least the light comes on when I turn it on.
Tholt, I just stumbled on this thread and saw your several-months-old query with no reply to date.

I have owned an RR-77 for well over a year now. While I saw that one person on this thread claims to be able to feel the energy coming off the Acoustic Revive when it is plugged in, I cannot. The only physical evidence I get that it is powered up is the blue light.

On the other hand, I can hear a definite improvement in the music when it is on, mostly involving a deeper, wider soundstage. For me it is perceptible and significant, but apparently not as dramatic as others have reported.

I believe the relative effectiveness of this tweak depends on the convergence of several variables: the room, the system, the source material, and the person who is listening. Listening to the same music in the same space through the same equipment, some people will hear a dramatic difference, some subtler improvements, while others will hear virtually nothing.

Experiment with different device placement and listening to different kinds of music at different times of day. If it doesn't do anything for you...well, it is what it is. Maybe it's not for you.
Hi Dnobel,

Thanks for your direct reply. I still have and use the unit and feel I do now understand its effects -- to sum up there is an ease about the music and it also seems more dimensional. Results have varied depending on placement, including height. IMO its a worthwhile tweak for the used price I paid. Not sure about spending $600 for one new based on what I'm hearing, however this is def a case of YMMV, and perhaps others who claim a 'profound' change are really getting their money's worth.