Founded by Rikki Far, a sound legend who notably collaborated for many years with rock references such as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Who… RIVA is an American company based in Fountain Valley, California, which seeks to stand out by providing a range of products that generate the purest possible sound.

I was lucky enough to be contacted by the Californian company to test their latest product: the RIVA S Bluetooth speaker. Not being a sound professional and not having any tools other than my two ears to judge the sound, this test is therefore based entirely on my feelings and habits.

Unpacking and design

In recent years, the care taken in packaging high-tech products has increased significantly, probably driven by Apple. The RIVA S speaker is no exception to the rule and comes in very high-quality rigid cardboard packaging.

When you open this case, the first thing you see is a thick, sturdy nylon carrying case with a carabiner. RIVA makes it clear right away: the RIVA S is a portable speaker that you can take anywhere!

Inside the cover, we finally discover the RIVA S speaker. In terms of design, we discover a product that is both elegant and modern, but with a certain vintage touch undoubtedly coming from the grille that goes all the way around its base.

In the box we then find a separator containing in particular the product manual. Below this cardboard separator come all the accessories supplied with the speaker, namely:

• the charger
• 4 types of plugs allowing the speaker to be used worldwide
• 1 x 3.5mm jack to 3.5mm jack cable
• 1 x 3.5mm jack to RCA output red/white cable

Negative point, the carrying case, although very practical, does not allow you to store anything other than the speaker. We would have liked to see the charger and other cables stored in it. Too bad!

Getting Started and Features

Getting started with the RIVA S speaker is very simple and can be done in a few seconds. Simply plug it into the mains or turn the BATT switch to green (which will put the speaker on battery mode... it is also pre-charged), press the Power button for 1 second until you hear the start-up tone, then search for the RIVA S speaker in the Bluetooth connection settings of the device you want to pair. Pairing is almost immediate and really does not pose any problems!

On its top, the RIVA S speaker has 6 touch buttons that light up in a pretty electric blue: Power, Surround, Bluetooth, Mute, – and +. In addition to their logical use, these buttons have additional functions when you combine them. The speaker also comes with a small guide to the different possible shortcuts. For example, if you press Mute and – at the same time, this allows you to lock all the keys…

Equipped with a noise-canceling microphone, this speaker will also allow you to take calls received on a smartphone connected via Bluetooth. This feature is ideal for conference calls or simply for answering calls by the pool (or even in your shower).

Indeed, you won't have to worry about taking it everywhere since the RIVA S is IPX4 certified, which means that it can withstand significant splashes and even immersion up to 1m deep. However, you will need to protect the connectors on the back of the device using a rubber cover stored under the speaker.

While it is possible to connect to the speaker via Bluetooth, there is also an auxiliary input for 3.5mm jacks which allows you to connect any device that does not have Bluetooth, such as a TV, computer, games console, etc.

Another significant advantage is that on the back of the device there is also a USB output dedicated to charging all your portable devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.). Practical for taking advantage of your speaker's battery or freeing up a wall outlet by connecting directly to the RIVA S for charging. This USB port also allows you to connect the speaker to a computer to play music from that computer.

Also on the back, the battery level can be estimated using a diode that lights up green (60-100% charge), orange (30-60%) or red (less than 30%). A more precise indicator would have been welcome.

Finally, there is a RIVA app on iOS and Android dedicated to controlling the speaker, but it is very simplistic and does not bring much in terms of controlling the device. On iOS, it does not bring much compared to the controls of the "Music" application which are enough to control everything. Only the possibility of turning on the speaker remotely or activating the surround sound cannot be done otherwise from the iPhone.

Audio quality

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I am not a sound professional and I do not have any sound measurement tools. But that does not prevent me from appreciating a pure and well-reproduced sound. And that is precisely what this RIVA S speaker offers.

Although portable and weighing only 700 grams, the RIVA S speaker has a lot under the hood. Indeed, it is equipped with 3 full-range speakers, 4 radiators and a 3-channel amplifier, equipped with ADX Trillium technology to provide quality 300° surround sound reproducing music as faithfully as possible. To me, all this is a bit of a fuss, but to the ear there is no doubt, the speaker sends a really good quality sound even when pushing the volume to the maximum.

The instruments are well reproduced, the sound is crystal clear, the bass is present and the voices really stand out from the music. In short, the sound is really good and this is felt from the start tone which almost gives chills so much it seems deep!

Characteristics

• Speakers: 3 ADX 40mm full-range speakers + 4 ADX radiators + 1 ADX 3-channel amplifier
• Power : 30 watts
• Surround sound
• Bluetooth range: 10m
• Autonomy: 13h at 73dB (5h at full volume)
• Weight: 700 gr.
• Dimensions: 19 x 6.5 x 6.8 cm
• integrated microphone (noise reduction and echo limitation)
• Connectivity:
  • 3.5mm jack input
  • USB output for charging portable devices (smartphone, tablet, etc.)
  • Mini-USB input for firmware update
• IPX4 water resistance (Protected against water splashes from all directions)
• Colors: matte black and metallic gray, matte white and silver, matte white and gold

In conclusion, with a list price of €249, the RIVA S is clearly positioned in the high-end of portable Bluetooth speakers. Moreover, it has all the advantages of a portable speaker: waterproof, carrying case, modest weight and reduced size... but for all that, it does not compromise on sound quality. Quite the contrary! The sound it diffuses is really well above average with deep bass and crystal clear treble, even at high volumes.

To try it is to adopt it !