Rolfstone Riva – Hardware Review
It’s only been a few weeks since we checked out Rolfstone’s Nova Sport, and we were very impressed by the quality of the device, especially considering it comes at a budget-friendly price. The pair of wireless earbuds proved to be very versatile and the Nova Sport truly shined when doing some intense workouts. Nonetheless, the audio quality was also very good for home entertainment purposes, such as watching your favorite movies and series. Now, we are taking a look at the Riva, which is the most affordable pair of wireless earbuds Rolfstone has on offer. Just like the Nova Sport, we were treated to a quality audio experience, albeit in a very modest package.
Design
The Riva sports a very sober but classy exterior. The case the earbuds come in is done in a sleek matte black coating, with the Rolfstone brand name featured on the front in a glossy black font. The case has one small LED in the front, to indicate its power level, or if you have opened the lid. The actual earbuds also come without any bells and whistles and only have a very tiny depiction of the Rolfstone logo on them. The simple design works and still gives the Riva a certain premium look. Sometimes less is more, especially for devices that come at a lower price tag. We often see ‘cheap’ wireless earbuds come with many flashy design touches, only for the overall quality to be inferior.
Comfort
With the Riva, we have a more standardized experience than that of the Nova Sport. The Riva is fairly straightforward, as you’ll just have a fairly simple design that makes the bodies of the earbuds rest fairly comfortably in your auricles, while the different ear-tips in the package will allow you to find the one that feels the most pleasant. The Riva comes with a smaller charging case, which makes it easy to carry the case around in your pockets. This adds a lot to the portability of the device, and it makes sure you can truly enjoy it on the go. For this model we also noticed that the earbuds don’t always snap in the case perfectly, so make sure you properly adjust them before closing the lid, as otherwise, they might not recharge when not in use. This is a fairly common issue for wireless earbuds, and we even see premium brands such as LG encounter this issue in their premium-priced wireless earbuds.
Specs
- IPX4 certified
- Up to 40 hours of playback time
- Hands-free calling
- USB-C
Overview
Honestly, there isn’t that much more to tell than what we stated above. The earpieces will connect easily to your desired device, and you’re good to go once you’re connected. When taking the earbuds out of their case, they will turn on (if they are charged) and you’ll be listening to your favorite music in seconds. As usual, tapping (or holding) the sides of the earbuds will allow you to skip tracks, pick up calls, raise or lower the volume, etc. The Riva is a perfect companion if you’re a casual music enthusiast that truly wants to zone out from time to time.
These earbuds offer 40 hours of listening pleasure; if the case is fully charged. When not in use, the case will hold several charges for the earbuds, making sure you don’t have to plug it in all the time. This small (and affordable) package will offer a great listening experience, but we do have to say that the audio quality was slightly less crisp than that of the Nova Sport. Don’t get us wrong, we loved what we were getting here, but our preference (as more avid music and entertainment enthusiasts) went more to the Nova Sport in terms of comfort, and audio quality. We find this a perfect entry-level device for those who want to see what wireless earbuds have to offer.
Conclusion
Rolfstone’s Riva earbuds are a perfect budget solution for casual use on the go or some home entertainment. We found the device fun and easy to work with, and it offered a crisp audio solution. We do find that you’re better off opting for the Nova Sport, if you’re going to intensively use a pair of wireless earbuds, as the Nova Sport feels more comfortable, and just better in terms of quality. Nonetheless, that remark aside, the Riva is still a great piece of hardware and might be perfect as your first pair of earbuds to see if you prefer this over a wireless headset.
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