Sound Performance
I find the R6P2 quite well balanced, with a slightly U-shaped presentation though not so coloured as to prevent it pairing well with most IEMs.
Sonically the first thing I notice about the R6P2 is its’ deep, powerful bass which feels slightly elevated above neutral yet tastefully so. Bass also possesses fantastic texture, with plenty of slam and bite you can sink your teeth into. This is dangerously close to flagship-DAP level bass performance, which right off the bat gives you some notion of why the R6P2 is so impressive.
The R6P2’s midrange is very capable, with vocal performances delivered with a satisfying sense of gravitas and scale, though I find this is an area where the tonality of the IEM itself has a larger influence on what we end up hearing. Voices & instruments in general on budget DAPs often have a way of sounding smaller, but I find that’s not the case here at all.
In terms of tonality the R6P2 doesn’t quite deliver the sense of refinement of flagship players, which is to say there isn’t the same luxuriousness or effortlessness you’ll find on Astell & Kern’s more expensive DAPs for instance, though the R6P2 isn’t far off.
The difference is fairly negligible – to the point where careful A/Bing may be required to pick up tiny differences, but I do find flagship players can sound just that touch more analogue with greater liquidity, as opposed to the more jagged digital overtones we often associate with cheaper players, particularly those with ESS DACs. I do want to emphasise however – the R6P2 is very, very close, and is certainly not what I’d describe as excessively bright or “digital” sounding…. however that final 1% of organic richness and body to each note is absent.
The story is similar when it comes to treble, where the R6P2 again performs spectacularly given its’ pricetag and accomplishes a level of capability I feel satisfied listening to, yet if you’re willing to spend far more you’ll find flagship players inject just a little more sweetness and sparkle into each violin note, though we’re talking about very incremental improvements.
Technical Performance
The R6P2 is very spacious sounding player with a wide soundstage that has really impressed me – even by flagship DAP standards. Stage depth isn’t as strong as I’ve heard from TOTL DAPs but is acceptably close, and not something I’d cite as a problem.
Dynamics are a real strength of the R6P2 and are almost as good as I’ve heard from any player, absolutely performing at flagship levels. If this is a characteristic you value highly it’ll go a long way towards convincing you of the R6P2’s sonic merits.
Imaging is very solid, but doesn’t jump out as overwhelming strong. This is an area I feel the IEM itself does more of the heavy lifting, though adding an external amp or using a beefy 8 wire cable can help.
Resolution is excellent – right up there with flagship players, although nuances aren’t presented quite as effortlessly or with the same sense of refinement, but the differences are marginal. With price factored into account the R6P2 is outstanding in this regard.
If you’re interested in adding a portable or desktop amplifier to your chain, it’s worth noting the R6P2 features dedicated 4.4mm & 3.5mm Line Out jacks with variable output – meaning you can still use the R6P2 to increase or decrease volume while in LO mode. I’ve found the 4.4mm R6P2 LO to be spectacularly good, pairing superbly with my Mass Kobo 475 amplifier.
Page 1 – Introduction, Tech Specs & Battery Life, Ergonomics & Usability
Page 2 – Sound Performance & Technical Performance
Page 3 – Source Comparisons
Page 4 – More Source Comparisons
Page 5 – Conclusion
Great review as always Nick and I agree with so much of what you said. Looking forward to hearing it with my Mass Kobo 475 when it arrives 👍
Thank you Armstrj2! I honestly don’t think anyone can go wrong with the R6P2 unless they absolute insist on owning a smaller player. Definitely the best sonic bang for the buck of any player I’ve tried and good enough to satisfy anyone accustomed to flagship-level sound.
Great review! I’ve been on the fence about getting one of these myself..this review may tip the scale. Appreciate it Nick.
Thank you jeremy, I was skeptical to believe the R6P2 hype myself but it is absolutely the real deal.
Hi, can you a little more about the R6 Pro II + Mass Kobo 475 combination? What exactly is improved and how much ? And how this combo compares, to let’s say, the SP3000 which would be about the same price considering the price of the combo ?
I have a R6 Pro II and I love it, so I’m strongly considering adding the 475 to my chain.
Fantastic review as always ! Thank you!
Marcelo the short answer is – pretty much everything.
Mass Kobo 475 has been my best audio purchase this year. It is simply the best sounding portable amp money can buy, of those I’ve heard anyway, but I’ve heard almost all the good ones.
It expands the stage in all directions, deepens bass, improves resolution significantly, and massively improves control during busy passages – that last benefit is HUGE if you love fast, complex music like I do.
I would take the R6P2 + 475 combo over the SP3000 in a heartbeat, absolutely no contest. Make sure you buy Tamiya Neochamp AA’s – they’re the best sounding brand of batteries we’ve found for the 475, yes there is a sonic difference believe it or not.
Nice, thank you for the answer. I think I will be grabbing one next year then.
Just one more question, how’s the hiss/background noise of the 475 on high sensitivity IEMs ? I have a SoundRhyme SR8 thats like 5 OHMs and the R6 Pro II is the only device I round that is able to handle it without ANY hiss. Did you tried high sensitivity IEMs with the 475 ? If so, is there too much hiss?
Marcelo the 475 on low-gain is almost dead silent, one of the quietest if not the quietest portable amps I’ve owned.
On high-gain the noise floor will go up but I find low-gain is perfectly adequate for IEMs, even those like Storm that are difficult to drive, and use mine in low-gain mode exclusively.