Revel M105 Bookshelf Speaker Review

[Narnian]

I am convinced that AVR manufacturers make zone 2 painful to use so you don’t use it. You cannot stream all audio sources to it and getting it to work requires an lot of extra configuration. I decided to get a less expensive AVR (a refurbished Denon) and am testing the Marantz NR1200 (refurbished) for the stereo side so I can use a Plex client (Apple TV for now).

the Marantz has a full set of pre-outs so I can mess with it as a pre-amp as well.

The more music I play the more I love the Revel M105’s. Hearing stuff I never heard.

 

[pdfield34]

The more music I play the more I love the Revel M105’s. Hearing stuff I never heard.

This.
$400 or $500 more than DBR62 is fully justified.

 

[AudioKC]

On topic of crossover and room correction.

1. My crossover settings been to high for the speaker, now moved down 15 hz
2. Two areas require attention, besides that crossover issue (bump at 70hz), wall upper bass cancelation (deep at ~180hz) and deep at crossover point of the speaker (~2khz). I believe Dirac Live will handle that perfectly.
3. What is impressive it is the Decay (RT60), 300 to 500ms! this is very good for 2 speakers system (see below), have small resonance at ~220hz region (I can even hear it on large volumes, it is tv stand or something resonating... weird), all my effort to build multiple acoustics panels was not some kind of waste, now I have evidence that my room sounds nicely.

Will update line after Dirac Live measurements and correction...

p.s. Yes, it sounds tighter after moving that crossover point lower.

 

[Narnian]

I have been happily running my M105’s on a Marantz NR1200 receiver (2x70w) but my requirements have changed and I do not need the HDMI features anymore and am within my 60 day Crutchfield return window.

Would I benefit from an upgrade to a simple integrated amplifier such as the Rotel M12ii (2x60w enough power?), the NADC368 or the Arcam SA20? Any issues with sound signatures? Trying to keep it under $1,200.

Decided to kick separates down the road for now due to new time constraints.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I have been happily running my M105’s on a Marantz NR1200 receiver (2x70w) but my requirements have changed and I do not need the HDMI features anymore and am within my 60 day Crutchfield return window.

Would I benefit from an upgrade to a simple integrated amplifier such as the Rotel M12ii (2x60w enough power?), the NADC368 or the Arcam SA20? Any issues with sound signatures? Trying to keep it under $1,200.

Decided to kick separates down the road for now due to new time constraints.

Keep the Marantz.

 

[Narnian]

Keep the Marantz.

May not be an option. I had not run it very long (maybe an hour at a sitting) until today.

I am trying the Tidal trial and decided to stream folk music today and over a 3-4 hour period the receiver turned itself off 3 times. It was not hot ( barely warm to the touch and sitting on an open rack).

Attached my old Klipsch RB-61 speakers and they have been running over 3 hours at the same power level.

Chatted with Marantz support and they blame the Revels.

Just switched back keeping the same power level and no issues for the last 3 hours.

 

[tw 2022]

May not be an option. I had not run it very long (maybe an hour at a sitting) until today.

I am trying the Tidal trial and decided to stream folk music today and over a 3-4 hour period the receiver turned itself off 3 times. It was not hot ( barely warm to the touch and sitting on an open rack).

Attached my old Klipsch RB-61 speakers and they have been running over 3 hours at the same power level.

Chatted with Marantz support and they blame the Revels.

Just switched back keeping the same power level and no issues for the last 3 hours.

That's strange the 105s shouldn't be difficult to drive...

 

[Narnian]

That's strange the 105s shouldn't be difficult to drive...

I am running around 50 on the volume. I wonder if it shutdown when Bob Dylan came on? My wife would like that.

Interestingly the Klipsch and the Revels sounded about the same loudness. And I got a reminder why I am selling the Klipsch.

 

[tw 2022]

I am running around 50 on the volume. I wonder if it shutdown when Bob Dylan came on? My wife would like that.

Interestingly the Klipsch and the Revels sounded about the same loudness. And I got a reminder why I am selling the Klipsch.

I am running around 50 on the volume. I wonder if it shutdown when Bob Dylan came on? My wife would like that.

Interestingly the Klipsch and the Revels sounded about the same loudness. And I got a reminder why I am selling the Klipsch.

Are you running bare wire? Maybe you had a stray strand short out?....they certainly won't be as ez to drive as the klipsch , but i can't see an amp shutting down at moderate volume with those speakers....

 

[Narnian]

Are you running bare wire? Maybe you had a stray strand short out?....they certainly won't be as ez to drive as the klipsch , but i can't see an amp shutting down at moderate volume with those speakers....

I am running with Crutchfield house brand speaker cables in this case with banana plugs.

 

[amper42]

May not be an option. I had not run it very long (maybe an hour at a sitting) until today.

I am trying the Tidal trial and decided to stream folk music today and over a 3-4 hour period the receiver turned itself off 3 times. It was not hot ( barely warm to the touch and sitting on an open rack).

Attached my old Klipsch RB-61 speakers and they have been running over 3 hours at the same power level.

Chatted with Marantz support and they blame the Revels.

Just switched back keeping the same power level and no issues for the last 3 hours.

Revel M105 is easy to drive. Send the receiver back and get a refund. Any support person saying the AVR can't handle them is telling you the receiver is junk.
I would also send the M105 back if within the return period and get BMR Monitors. The difference is HUGE compared to M105.

 

[Chromatischism]

Revel M105 is easy to drive. Send the receiver back and get a refund. Any support person saying the AVR can't handle them is telling you the receiver is junk.
I would also send the M105 back if within the return period and get BMR Monitors. The difference is HUGE compared to M105.

What if you high-passed them both at 80 Hz? How big would the difference be then?

 

[tw 2022]

Revel M105 is easy to drive. Send the receiver back and get a refund. Any support person saying the AVR can't handle them is telling you the receiver is junk.
I would also send the M105 back if within the return period and get BMR Monitors. The difference is HUGE compared to M105.

He got the 105s on sale though..it's a big jump, although we both know the leap is well worth it...

 

[tw 2022]

What if you high-passed them both at 80 Hz? How big would the difference be then?

I haven't heard the m105.. But i have heard the f36, hi pass or not it's a complete blow out...i understand the 105 is cleaner sounding( than the f 36), it won't be enough....I'm thinking the Be line might be ballpark an even comparison...

 

[amper42]

I haven't heard the m105.. But i have heard the f36, hi pass or not it's a complete blow out...i understand the 105 is cleaner sounding( than the f 36), it won't be enough....I'm thinking the Be line might be ballpark an even comparison...

What if you high-passed them both at 80 Hz? How big would the difference be then?

The BMR is a three way that punches above it's price point while the M105 is a two-way that seems meek in comparison. Crossing the M105 at 80Hz removes some of the bass distortion but doesn't magically make it an equivalent to the BMR. Put them both side by side and you can easily hear the difference.

 

[Narnian]

What if you high-passed them both at 80 Hz? How big would the difference be then?

I have the low pass at 80 Hz for the sub. There is no high pass option on this model.

 

[Narnian]

Looks like the culprit may have been the Sony TV and ARC. Apparently the TV was not seeing a signal from the Marantz and after a while assumed I was not watching anything and sent a shutdown signal to the amp - even though the TV itself was not on at all during the day. Turned off ARC and so far no issues. Since I am running everything through the amplifier ARC is not needed since the TV is just a monitor in this case.

This also explains the intermittent issue since the receiver was not always hooked up to the monitor and when it was on the HDMI switch sometimes the AVR was selected so there was no path back to the receiver.

 

[Narnian]

Revel M105 is easy to drive. Send the receiver back and get a refund. Any support person saying the AVR can't handle them is telling you the receiver is junk.
I would also send the M105 back if within the return period and get BMR Monitors. The difference is HUGE compared to M105.

I know you are dying to get me to get a pair of BMR’s. If you can subsidize the difference I can maybe convince the wife to let me.

I already blew my budget and so far have absolutely no income this year. ‍

 

[tw 2022]

I know you are dying to get me to get a pair of BMR’s. If you can subsidize the difference I can maybe convince the wife to let me.

I already blew my budget and so far have absolutely no income this year. ‍

i think : at the *sales* price point you will have a hard time doing much better, but that's my bone to pick with harman... the sales price is the "fair" price, imo...

 

[Narnian]

After 6 weeks I am surprised how much better these speakers sound as they break in. They sounded great out of the box but the off-axis and low listening levels are excellent. The clarity let’s me listen at low levels and I can still hear everything.

I added a second subwoofer yesterday so there is one underneath each speaker now almost making them 3-ways.