Revel F328Be Speaker Review

[Vini darko]

Time to investigate under the sofa for coin

 

[richard12511]

This review got me in the mood for some Revel listening. Gonna pull my M105s out into the main room and try to pretend I’m listening to these. The subs will definitely help me play pretend.

 

[aHaidc]

I auditioned them in same room, same equipments. Salon 2 is still the better one.

 

[spacevector]

How many speakers did Harman measure to come up with that preference rating formula, was it about 70? Amir has outnumbered that.

It's clear you have a mandate to create new science here @amirm.

 

[wwenze]

How many speakers did Harman measure to come up with that preference rating formula, was it about 70? Amir has outnumbered that.

But how many listeners did Harman talk to to come up with that preference rating formula?

 

[Xyrium]

Unbelievable! 100 speaker reviews in less than a year, despite throwing out lots of other reviews as well! This is heroic (bowing low).
Did you count the two KH80 remeasures to the 100?
You've earned a vacation, but this is not a good idea right now. Maybe measure the KH310 in the meanwhile?

Exactly! Throw in the remeasures of the Kali with the busted woofer, and a few other repeat model measurements...

That said, wow, these really do crush the spectrum very cleanly with record setting directivity, just around an xover point for a few subs to round out the bottom. It seems as if the multi woofer design was chosen to keep distortion low, not create earth pounding bass. I applaud the effort entirely.

Now, this is one of those reviews where I'd love to see IMD being measured. The THD was so low, that it would be very interesting to see IMD on the cleanest, and lowest performing products in the stable. I know, it's always something....and IMD would be time consuming

Great work Amir, rest up that back of yours!

 

[DrJayDub]

Well that review and measurements have put these on my short list of dream speakers I may actually be able to afford some day. It is a very short list.

 

[wannarock2]

asymptote - always impressive

 

[wwenze]

So the lesson here is at 200Hz or lower you can spam as many woofers as you like and you won't have directivity issues. This correlates with experience with 2.1 systems.

I am curious about the bass performance of this unit. Amirm says this speaker has phenomenal bass yet eyeballing the measurements, it looks like the -3dB point is 60Hz when being generous.

Possibly because with anechoic measurement the "wall of sound" from the 3 woofers just tilts away as the speaker is rotated, but in a room their sound pressure has nowhere to escape to.

 

[restorer-john]

@amirm Congratulations on the 100th speaker review!

 

[HooStat]

Have to say, the measurements look better than the Olive score says they are, at least to my eye. Also, taking into account that distortion and near perfect 70 degree beam width, this speaker is in the conversation for best measured to date. 8341 is definitely smoother, and has better vertical dispersion, but it also lacks in other ways, like output, and a narrower beam width(for those who prefer wider).

I agree. Something seems off with the score. Particularly the difference for the sub being +2.2. It just doesn't seem possible that the improvement with the sub is bigger than for the Genelec 8341.

 

[MZKM]

Have to say, the measurements look better than the Olive score says they are, at least to my eye.

The Genelec is still more tonally balanced, even though it needs to be viewed under a microscope. And while Amir mentions the issues with measured bass performance, the Genelec still likely extends deeper. The Revel of course will get louder and have less distortion.


Below is a comparison with a really squished x-axis of the two.

 

[Wes]

Well that review and measurements have put these on my short list of dream speakers I may actually be able to afford some day. It is a very short list.

just wait for the next version to come out and then buy a pair used

 

[richard12511]

The Genelec is still more tonally balanced, even though it needs to be viewed under a microscope. And while Amir mentions the issues with measured bass performance, the Genelec still likely extends deeper. The Revel of course will get louder and have less distortion.


Below is a comparison with a really squished x-axis of the two.
View attachment 92654

Yeah, I went back and looked at the 8341 review, and it is a bit better. Odd that the Genelec extends deeper, I assume some of that is just dsp? The Revel also has a wider beamwidth, which some might prefer.

 

[richard12511]

So the lesson here is at 200Hz or lower you can spam as many woofers as you like and you won't have directivity issues. This correlates with experience with 2.1 systems.

Going off this, is there a reason more manufacturers don't stack woofers above the tweeter to match the woofers below? I know JTR does it with their biggest towers, but for the most part it seems that designers just put woofers below the tweeter. Is it just for aesthetics? Or are there dispersion consequences for doing that?

 

[Helicopter]

What a pleasant surprise. Thanks again, and congratulations on 100 reviews.

This speaker exceeded my high expectations. I would probably get these over Salon 2 because they are a new design, they look great, and they are priced more competitively.

 

[PierreV]

Going off this, is there a reason more manufacturers don't stack woofers above the tweeter to match the woofers below? I know JTR does it with their biggest towers, but for the most part it seems that designers just put woofers below the tweeter. Is it just for aesthetics? Or are there dispersion consequences for doing that?

I am guessing mechanical/structural constraints play a role as well. After all, the woofers are heavier and typically need a bigger chamber.

 

[Ron Texas]

Where's the panther @amirm?

 

[restorer-john]

Going off this, is there a reason more manufacturers don't stack woofers above the tweeter to match the woofers below? I know JTR does it with their biggest towers, but for the most part it seems that designers just put woofers below the tweeter. Is it just for aesthetics?

Many of the cost no object reference designs from the past had woofers both above and below the mid/tweeters. They obviously get pretty tall however.

Think Duntech Sovereign

Jamo Oriel

Dynaudio Consequence

 

[Kaiju]

Congrats @amirm for the 100th speaker review. Please keep them coming specially $4000+ speakers