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New Revel Performa4 / Arcam Radia speaker line-up -- with Anechoic EQ

Rex Anderson said:
Announcement will be made at Axpona (April 12). The speakers will be available sometime in July. We just got Spinorama measurement data and they look very good. I can't post them until they ship.
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Hey, nice to see you here Rex. So no spins until July? Dang.
 
kyuu said:
Hey, nice to see you here Rex. So no spins until July? Dang.
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Thanks! Email to us says "When these are formally released, then these spins could be shared with others." Everything is taking a bit longer than expected.

Not long after the Revel Performa4 series are released, JBL Synthesis will have several new speakers coming out too. Second half of 2026 will have lots of new speaker options to choose from.
 
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Rex Anderson said:
Thanks! Email to us says "When these are formally released, then these spins could be shared with others." Everything is taking a bit longer than expected.

Not long after the Revel Performa4 series are released, JBL Synthesis will have several new speakers coming out too. Second half of 2026 will have lots of new speaker options to choose from.
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Wow Rex, I was just about to welcome you aboard until I glanced at your join date! You should hang out here more often!
 
middlemarch said:
Wow Rex, I was just about to welcome you aboard until I glanced at your join date! You should hang out here more often!
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Thanks, I wish I had more time to spend here. My job working for The Screening Room keeps me pretty busy and I post a lot on the AVS Forum. I'll try to keep an eye on things here and post more when I can.
 
amper42 said:
I have both and the M105 my friend is absolutely NO BMR MONITOR, no matter what EQ is applied. lol
I tried EQ with M105 and it was a waste of time. The only EQ that worked well with M105 is a shelf that stops it from playing below 70Hz.

The BMR sounds fantastic at 85dB and bass is full and strong. The M105 switched in for an identical listening comparison test sounds puny and the bass distortion is horrible. They are nothing alike.

In fact, the BMR Monitor at medium listening levels (85dB area) and appropriate EQ can sound much closer to the Revel F228BE, leaving the M105 in the dust.
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The Philharmonic Monitor and Towers both rule their price range and well above. Marvelous

weaknesses:

1. if you love K-Horn dynamics not for you
2. if you must have bass to 25 Hz get the Towers
3. they must have diffusion or absorption at the side wall 1st reflection point
4. they throw a huge soundstage horizontally, I have them on a 14' back wall and thats not enough - 18' is the other dim and that is almost enough, but not if I want to have a happy wife.
5. they excel for classical, jazz, well recorded pop/rock

strengths:

1. low distortion and amazingly flat 35-20k
2. the Raal outside of other speakers with ribbons (true ribbon Maggies, Apogee) are the best at anywhere near sane prices
3. bass is superb: fast and deep
4. two way stand mounts sound like toys next to them including ProAc Tablettes, KEF LS50, etc.
5. the xover/drivers are wonderfully blended - in the Monitor the lowest range of the tweeter can get strident over 95 db at 10 feet, Towers more like 102 db with better dynamics
6. staging/timbre which are two things I insist on are just right
 
Another strength: they are both the most beautiful speaker I have ever seen, particularly in satin walnut (and the curved version of the monitor but more expensive)

A weakness is spl, and the reason I don't own either. I prefer the HT Towers dynamics and size. They are more expensive because you'll need a subwoofer, so not apples to apples.

If there were an audio reproduction hall of fame, the bmr monitor would be first ballot.

Edit - and your analysis is very close to my experience and measurements.
 
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Mort said:
Another strength: they are both the most beautiful speaker I have ever seen, particularly in satin walnut (and the curved version of the monitor but more expensive)

A weakness is spl, and the reason I don't own either. I prefer the HT Towers dynamics and size. They are more expensive because you'll need a subwoofer, so not apples to apples.

If there were an audio reproduction hall of fame, the bmr monitor would be first ballot.
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The problem with most subs in the sane price category is the Q is too high - for impressive sustain, but poor mix with lower Q speakers. The size, extra wires and amp (unless self powered), and another xover not my cuppa. I built custom subs in the 80's and to get it all to fit musically is tough. Obviously like peeling rubber with a fast car, subs are great to impress the guests, but I don't care about that - I want musical purity.

I had a pair of Gradient subs designed for Quad ESL 63 which would do well with the BMR but they were not cheap.
 
bagwell359 said:
The problem with most subs in the sane price category is the Q is too high - for impressive sustain, but poor mix with lower Q speakers. The size, extra wires and amp (unless self powered), and another xover not my cuppa. I built custom subs in the 80's and to get it all to fit musically is tough. Obviously like peeling rubber with a fast car, subs are great to impress the guests, but I don't care about that - I want musical purity.

I had a pair of Gradient subs designed for Quad ESL 63 which would do well with the BMR but they were not cheap.
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I have 4 subs, but not to impress anyone but me. How to integrate them was traditionally quite difficult. But not anymore, as thanks to the progression people find new ways to solve old problems.

EDIT: 85dB is when it starts to get interesting IMO.
 
Oddball said:
I have 4 subs, but not to impress anyone but me. How to integrate them was traditionally quite difficult. But not anymore, as thanks to the progression people find new ways to solve old problems.
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I agree. Times have changed for the better in this regard. @bagwell359 doesn’t list his gear, but an AVP/AVR update may be in order. Dirac ART with four identical and highly capable subs made integration easily attainable and silky smooth. Great for movies and music.
 
Rex Anderson said:
Thanks! Email to us says "When these are formally released, then these spins could be shared with others." Everything is taking a bit longer than expected.

Not long after the Revel Performa4 series are released, JBL Synthesis will have several new speakers coming out too. Second half of 2026 will have lots of new speaker options to choose from.
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Thanks for the update, Rex. Can you tease if the Revel lineup will differ from the Arcam Radias (other than cosmetics)?
 
Imakeller said:
Thanks for the update, Rex. Can you tease if the Revel lineup will differ from the Arcam Radias (other than cosmetics)?
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I spoke with our rep a few days ago about this, he said they sound great. The only differences are minor and cosmetic because they are Revel in the US, not Arcam Radia. However, that does not mean they won't work with the Arcam Radia electronics that have the anechoic data for them - they are the same speakers other than the way they look.
 
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Imakeller said:
I agree. Times have changed for the better in this regard. @bagwell359 doesn’t list his gear, but an AVP/AVR update may be in order. Dirac ART with four identical and highly capable subs made integration easily attainable and silky smooth. Great for movies and music.
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Currently fiber optic -> Cambridge MXN10 Coax -> Schiit Yggy Singular -> Schiit Kara -> Schiit Wotan -> BMR Monitors on Kanto S22 stands with Gaia 3 feet on spikes thru carpet to concrete floor. Belden/Blue Jeans White/Mogami XLR; 18x14x7'10" with padded furniture at back of room minor bits on side near back wall, some Sonex, wall to wall carpet, two doorways at back wall near corners kept open, ears at tweeter height 11' from midpoint of tweeters on sadly the short wall with absorption/diffusion at the first reflection point. I say sadly because the side to side image is curtailed, bettter on the long wall, but almost no furntiure fits and after 42 years of dedicatd rooms I had to downsize and share, and sell all my full round, 1/2 traps, and 1/4 traps, and sound flags.
 
Missed that last bit. Ribbons are closer to super tweeters that say your basic 1" dome, they really want to be at least 24 db down at 2k, that requires a 4th order filter. I've owned ribbons off and on since the early mid 80's and their use requires careful handling. I modified my Tablettes with a ribbon tweet crossed over at 4.4k 4th order to the mid/bass - and changed the xover since the ribbon is well more efficient than the mid/bass.

I don't listen to pipe organs or EDM type music, so I have no real use for lower bass than the Philharmonic Monitors put out.

The lack of retial mark-up makes these almost w/o peer at these prices. Fit and finish top notch too, and appreciate not weakening the cabinet with a recessed speaker output, and the magnetic dust covers too.
 
bagwell359 said:
Missed that last bit. Ribbons are closer to super tweeters that say your basic 1" dome, they really want to be at least 24 db down at 2k, that requires a 4th order filter. I've owned ribbons off and on since the early mid 80's and their use requires careful handling. I modified my Tablettes with a ribbon tweet crossed over at 4.4k 4th order to the mid/bass - and changed the xover since the ribbon is well more efficient than the mid/bass.

I don't listen to pipe organs or EDM type music, so I have no real use for lower bass than the Philharmonic Monitors put out.

The lack of retial mark-up makes these almost w/o peer at these prices. Fit and finish top notch too, and appreciate not weakening the cabinet with a recessed speaker output, and the magnetic dust covers too.
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The Monoprice monolith stands can save another $400 as well. I use them with the BMR monitors. 28" is the sweet spot for my ears with the RAAL.

Monolith by Monoprice 24in Speaker Stand (Each) - Monoprice.com

The Monolith™ Speaker Stand is an ideal pedestal for the home theater speakers in your entertainment system. Sturdy steel columns provide incredible strength and rigidity to support up to 75 lbs
www.monoprice.com
 
amper42 said:
The Monoprice monolith stands can save another $400 as well. I use them with the BMR monitors. 28" is the sweet spot for my ears with the RAAL.

Monolith by Monoprice 24in Speaker Stand (Each) - Monoprice.com

The Monolith™ Speaker Stand is an ideal pedestal for the home theater speakers in your entertainment system. Sturdy steel columns provide incredible strength and rigidity to support up to 75 lbs
www.monoprice.com
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Dennis recommended the Kanto SX-22 to me directly - currently $339 on Amazon. They are good, very good but the rear face on the leg is thinner metal then the other 3 sides and it rings so I damped it inside and out and that fixed it. The feet are functional but the Gaia 3 were and are much better.
 
SynthesisCinema said:
darko.audio

Revel launches Performa4 loudspeaker series | Darko.Audio

Featuring Deep Ceramic Composite and Micro Ceramic Composite drivers, plus a seventh-generation Acoustic Lens waveguide.
darko.audio darko.audio

www.whathifi.com

Revel's new six-strong line of speakers promises outstanding sound thanks to cutting-edge audio tech

Revel introduces the seven-strong Performa4 series
www.whathifi.com www.whathifi.com
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So do these announcements indicate that the Revel line has been trimmed down to only the Performa4 series?
Any insight from those more familiar with the industry than I am would be welcome.
 
tineared said:
So do these announcements indicate that the Revel line has been trimmed down to only the Performa4 series?
Any insight from those more familiar with the industry than I am would be welcome.
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I wonder too. Is the Ultima line dead and buried?
 
tineared said:
So do these announcements indicate that the Revel line has been trimmed down to only the Performa4 series?
Any insight from those more familiar with the industry than I am would be welcome.
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You might get some info from Rex. PM him at AVSForum where he writes daily.
 
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