The HT isn't a compromise solution. You should stop thinking of it that way.
Dennis' predilection is not toward designing higher sensitivity Speakers largely because he honestly doesn't feel most people need that to enjoy good music reproduction. However, when met with increasing demand, fe found a solution to deliver on his trademark design philosophy without sacrificing quality. The new BMR Drivers and dual Purifi Woofers along with the new AMT Tweet deliver at higher SPL without the distortion one may experience pushing the Raal 64-10x. The only sacrifice here, is in Bass extension.
I think you will be hard pressed to find a better performing Speaker in this price range. Coupled with good Subs, The HT becomes an astounding proposition which can handle extreme dynamics without breaking a sweat and still deliver every single bit of the Sound Quality that helped build Denni's reputation as an expert in the field!
I don't know. I have the BMR Towers (original), the Revel F328Be Towers, the Revel F228Be and the Ascend Sierra Tower with RAAL Tweeter. My order of favorite overall speaker is:
1.
Revel F328Be
This speaker is a MONSTER. The clarity, definition and punch is better than any other speaker I have. Its high efficiency design is remarkable. With as little as 2-3 watts music plays at a comfortable 70dB and you still have over 100W left for headroom when paired with a Purifi amp. Add the RME ADI-2 DAC FS and tune the Loudness control to your
exact preference with the ADI-2 software app - you'll be amazed what's possible. My favorite music now offers more tight mid bass kick than anyone deserves. I'm a musician whose use to playing in a band with little PA amplification during practice sessions. The crisp sound of these speakers takes me back to those days when I could reach out and touch the cymbal or high-hat. The other instruments were playing right next to me. That's the clarity and definition I'm looking for and these speakers absolutely make me giddy. The Revel driver combination is impressive. The timbre of the bass and highs is smooth and well matched. They handle highly rhythmic musical passages in jazz and rock with grace and ease. The music is more alive and full bodied to me than my other speakers. I know this sounds crazy. But, once I experienced the trilogy of F328Be, Purifi and ADI-2 DAC FS and understood how to tune the "Loudness" control - I was totally satisfied for life. No more shopping. No more wondering if something is better. It put all that to rest. Done, finale.
2.
Revel F228Be
I ordered a pair of Walnut Revel F228Be from
@amirm company MadronaDigital while on sale. I loved the F328Be, but wondered how the F228Be would compare. My Revel F328Be are in a 28' x 22' room with 9' ceiling. While my F228Be are in a 15' x 12' space. Amazingly, the F228Be drivers are almost identical with one less 8" driver and a slightly less powerful Be tweeter. What I notice is the front bass port on the F228Be in a smaller room might actually sound even more powerful than the F328Be. The F328Be tweeter is 4" taller than the F228Be which I really like in a larger room. The F328Be (112.6Lbs) cabinet volume is 40% larger than the F228Be (82lbs). That makes the F228Be easier to move but if you have a room over 400sq ft. I would recommend the F328Be. What's the difference in sound? To be honest the F328Be and F228Be sound amazingly close. Personally, I'm happy listening to either one. They are both the most responsive and dynamic speakers I have used.
3.
BMR Towers
My BMR Towers are 6 dB less efficient than the Revel F328Be. They require more power to drive and they are not as crisp and tight to my ear with highly syncopated fast rhythms found in Jazz and Rock. BUT - they sound absolutely fantastic with orchestral music. They fill the room amazingly well. The BMR midrange offers a unique dispersion pattern that sounds fabulous with classic music. But, that same feature tends to have just enough reduction in definition that I notice it with my Jazz music. The RAAL tweeter is also not as smooth as the Revel Be tweeter. It has its own timbre that's not as close a match to the bass and midrange as is found in my Revels. You would probably never notice it unless you are switching from one speaker to the other in the same room. But my ears hear it and I can't unhear it.
4.
Ascend Sierra Tower with RAAL Tweeter
I purchased these speakers in late 2020 for about $3200 new. They sound nice with a subwoofer but without a subwoofer they are bit hollow when directly compared to the three models above. The first three speakers in this list sound fabulous without a subwoofer. I really like Towers that have excellent bass reproduction. I enjoy listening to full range speaker where matching a sub is unnecessary for normal music listening. I contacted Ascend to see about updating them to the ELX model. But found they wanted several thousand for parts. I verified my speakers were ugradable but you need to be prepared to take everything out and start over again. Drivers, crossovers, padding, etc... The other problem is the Sierra Tower case volume is a good deal smaller than the F228Be. I decided I would rather spend that money on the Revel F228Be than the smaller bamboo case frame. The Ascend sounds fine. It's just once I heard the F228Be against the Ascend - I completely lost interest.