Amp and Sub Recommendation - Revel F208

[MIchi]

Me too. That just isn’t going to ever happen unless you want buy them all and compare. Objectively the Benchmark sets the bar ridiculously high. They are proven, and spectacular In pretty much every way. Stereophile reviewers who I trust are making them their reference. I find the NAD offerings interesting mostly because of the convenience of HDMI. They are the most AVR like. Rotel is a bit like NAD. They give you a more traditional design, great features but I really find them a few hundred bucks high. Id buy any of these before an overpriced Parasound. All this said, I bet it would be tough in a blind listening test to tell much difference let alone a preference. My money, I’d get the Benchmark. Or maybe the NAD if I just wanted a clean 2.1 system where I skew towards movies over music. Same with the subs. If you like REL they are fine. Probably not a lot of REL lovers on ASR cause of their marketing and silly high pass crossover thing they claim, but they look nice. I’d save a few bucks and look elsewhere, but a box with a woofer is what it is. This is a pretty “un-ASR“ like response. There’s really no science behind it. But we are splitting hairs with some of the things you are considering.

I was looking at subs this weekend and came across this quote from Home Theater Hi-Fi as they were reviewing the REL212/SX sub. "Per the REL website: “We do not recommend the use of a single REL with ANY brand of monoblock amplifier as it is possible to observe slight channel-to-channel dc offset that can result in mild oscillation. For any monoblock, we recommend the use of stereo pairs of the appropriate model of REL sub.”

REL 212/SX Subwoofer Review - HomeTheaterHifi.com

The REL 212/SX subwoofer simply offers an entirely new level of bass reproduction in both 2-channel and home theater applications, and I have 2 of them in my media room for review!

hometheaterhifi.com

Is this the above comment true in the article for just REL subs or all subs? The review's default system spares no expense. Had he purchased two of those subs which he reviewd, that's $10K .

Rythmik G22s with the Hypex amp looks like a more viable option.

 

[NTK]

"Per the REL website: “We do not recommend the use of a single REL with ANY brand of monoblock amplifier as it is possible to observe slight channel-to-channel dc offset that can result in mild oscillation. For any monoblock, we recommend the use of stereo pairs of the appropriate model of REL sub.”

Sounds like a problem unique to REL.

The REL 212/SX, at $5k a piece, is far too expensive for what it offers (2 x 12"). And I will quote Dr. Toole (but please note that his 4 subs are "sound-field managed", which means one will need MSO optimization if one doesn't have a JBL Synthesis AV processor):

Yes, there is a substantial efficiency gain when using multiple subs. Many people end up with more sound power than they actually need. I'll take four modest subs over the single most grandiose sub any day. ...

 

[ahofer]

I use the F208’s succesor (F228be) with a March Audio p252 amp. In a very large room. There’s plenty of power. I think the F208 is similarly easy to drive ~92db?

Hypex Ncore NC252MP market overview

I was trying to buy a NC252MP module to give Class D a try, but couldn't order it by itself anywhere. Hypex forbids the sale of the modules to DIY tinkerers such as me. So i took some time and collected the OEMs that use that specific module in their amps. Every single one of them would have...

audiosciencereview.com

You can get this module pretty cheap now second hand (as demonstrated in the top link).

Hypex NC252MP OEM amplifier module with on-board SMPS

NC252MP is a class D NCORE® amplifier with on-board SMPS suited for many high-end audio applications. Output power: 2Ω: 2x 180W, 4Ω: 2x 250W, 8Ω: 2x 150W

www.hypex.nl

 

[MIchi]

I use the F208’s succesor (F228be) with a March Audio p252 amp. In a very large room. There’s plenty of power. I think the F208 is similarly easy to drive ~92db?

Hypex Ncore NC252MP market overview

I was trying to buy a NC252MP module to give Class D a try, but couldn't order it by itself anywhere. Hypex forbids the sale of the modules to DIY tinkerers such as me. So i took some time and collected the OEMs that use that specific module in their amps. Every single one of them would have...

audiosciencereview.com

You can get this module pretty cheap now second hand (as demonstrated in the top link).

Hypex NC252MP OEM amplifier module with on-board SMPS

NC252MP is a class D NCORE® amplifier with on-board SMPS suited for many high-end audio applications. Output power: 2Ω: 2x 180W, 4Ω: 2x 250W, 8Ω: 2x 150W

www.hypex.nl

I think the F208s are 87-88 dB. Your F228's are a bit easier to drive.

 

[Laserjock]

I think the F208s are 87-88 dB. Your F228's are a bit easier to drive.

From @amirm review and @MZKM score calculation

Preference Rating
SCORE: 6.6
SCORE w/ sub: 7.7

Sensitivity: 88.2dB (300Hz-3kHz; spec: 88.5dB)
Frequency response: +/-2.7dB 80Hz-20kHz

 

[Steven Holt]

You're in luck I'm reading this post, because I'm gonna reccomend an amp that will give you stellar sound, last yr lifetime, and save you a ton of money. Most of our other members know what I'm going to say, so here it is : buy the Yamaha AS801. That's all you need to do. As far as a sub, ask one of our HT people, we have several excellent ones. And do me a favor : take a small part of the savings from buying that 801 and send it in to ASR. I'm sure it would be appreciated and put to good use!

 

[MIchi]

From @amirm review and @MZKM score calculation

Preference Rating
SCORE: 6.6
SCORE w/ sub: 7.7

Sensitivity: 88.2dB (300Hz-3kHz; spec: 88.5dB)
Frequency response: +/-2.7dB 80Hz-20kHz

Thanks, Laser! I was running this from memory, but used the guide to help make the decision to purchase the F208s. Still need to figure out the sub, looking @ the Rythmik G22, but it's hard to pull the trigger on something you can't listen to.

 

[MIchi]

You're in luck I'm reading this post, because I'm gonna reccomend an amp that will give you stellar sound, last yr lifetime, and save you a ton of money. Most of our other members know what I'm going to say, so here it is : buy the Yamaha AS801. That's all you need to do. As far as a sub, ask one of our HT people, we have several excellent ones. And do me a favor : take a small part of the savings from buying that 801 and send it in to ASR. I'm sure it would be appreciated and put to good use!

Hi Steven! I like Yamaha products. My last two AVRs have been Yamaha, but for amplification for the Revels, the Purify amps have my attention right now as an upgrade.

 

[MarkS]

All amps sound the same. Keep your AVR, get room correction.

 

[MIchi]

Just a thought with my morning coffee here. Does anyone on the site have the Revel S206 surround speakers for rear channels? I've seen hardly anything about them and a lot more about the M106 being used for surround.

 

[Laserjock]

Just a thought with my morning coffee here. Does anyone on the site have the Revel S206 surround speakers for rear channels? I've seen hardly anything about them and a lot more about the M106 being used for surround.

What old Infinity speakers do you have? Are you using those now?

 

[MIchi]

What old Infinity speakers do you have? Are you using those now?

SM65s.

 

[MIchi]

I was looking at subs this weekend and came across this quote from Home Theater Hi-Fi as they were reviewing the REL212/SX sub. "Per the REL website: “We do not recommend the use of a single REL with ANY brand of Monoblock amplifier as it is possible to observe slight channel-to-channel dc offset that can result in mild oscillation. For any Monoblock, we recommend the use of stereo pairs of the appropriate model of REL sub.”

REL 212/SX Subwoofer Review - HomeTheaterHifi.com

The REL 212/SX subwoofer simply offers an entirely new level of bass reproduction in both 2-channel and home theater applications, and I have 2 of them in my media room for review!

hometheaterhifi.com

Is this the above comment true in the article for just REL subs or all subs? The review's default system spares no expense. Had he purchased two of those subs which he reviewed, that's $10K .

Rythmik G22s with the Hypex amp looks like a more viable option.

@DMill ...and they make a G25? Wow.

 

[Laserjock]

Just a thought with my morning coffee here. Does anyone on the site have the Revel S206 surround speakers for rear channels? I've seen hardly anything about them and a lot more about the M106 being used for surround.

M16 might be a good choice

 

[DMill]

@DMill ...and they make a G25? Wow.

I would have to find a new wife if I bought that giant ass black box. I have no doubt it delivers though. I got yelled at for an SVS Pro1000 in a tidy, shiny black box. Then she heard it, and had to agree it was a lot of fun for movies and even some her crappy music she likes.

 

[MIchi]

I would have to find a new wife if I bought that giant ass black box. I have no doubt it delivers though. I got yelled at for an SVS Pro1000 in a tidy, shiny black box. Then she heard it, and had to agree it was a lot of fun for movies and even some her crappy music she likes.

Ha! Did you also get the gaze of disapproval when she raised her voice?

That G25 would probably be too much for my room with the F208s and one of those is about the price of two G22s, but maybe I could rationalize it as something for a future place?

 

[MIchi]

M16 might be a good choice

Price would be more reasonable for the M16 as it is half that of the M106.

 

[Laserjock]

Price would be more reasonable for the M16 as it is half that of the M106.

I have both but haven’t compared

 

[tuskenraider]

Just a thought with my morning coffee here. Does anyone on the site have the Revel S206 surround speakers for rear channels? I've seen hardly anything about them and a lot more about the M106 being used for surround.

I have them for side surrounds in my 5.1 system with LCR 208's. I mean, they work and make the surround sounds, lol. I had Paradigm Studio di-poles before, and these are bi-pole. Both worked well for enveloping sound in movies. My concern for the surrounds weren't for music playback, but they add nice ambience with some of the music surround modes. Mainly Neo:6 if I choose to. Multi-channel music formats likely would work better with a direct firing speaker.

 

[tuskenraider]

I'll also share I had been running my F208's on a Parasound HCA-2200II amp and after the 3rd repair in five years, decided to give the Hypex 502MP from Audiophonics a go, and it has plenty of power. I do wish I had a 3 channel amp, but my Yammy RX-A3080 seems power the C208 and S206's just fine. I tested center and then the surrounds with the Parasound to see if I could tell a difference and couldn't. It's in storage now. And while I loved the look and feeling with the big old amps, it was nice going from a 66 lb. amp to 17 lbs. I think it's cool how much power the little thing makes.

I'm in a 15x24ft. L shaped room and run two 15" Rythmik FV15HP2 subs for the movies. I don't believe 12-15" sealed subs would get the job done if you listen anywhere near reference levels. I'll listen at about -5dB under and they are working. I had an SVS PB2+(2-12" ported box) for 18 years before these, which I loved, but having the two subs definitely helped FR a bit with my wonky room. Some may cringe when they hear this, but my F208's are crossed over at 100hz to the subs because of how my improved the measurements were in REW.