Revel M106 Bookshelf Speaker Review

[Ykar]

Does anyone know what's the purpose of that rounded top cap we see on top of most Performa3 speakers series ? aesthetics only ?

 

[Doodski]

Does anyone know what's the purpose of that rounded top cap we see on top of most Performa3 speakers series ? aesthetics only ?

These caps?

 

[Ykar]

These caps?

Yep, these. Maybe to prevent using speakers as cup table ?

 

[Doodski]

Yep, these. Maybe to prevent using speakers as cup table ?

My best guess is they are purely for aesthetics.

 

[Steve Dallas]

Does anyone know what's the purpose of that rounded top cap we see on top of most Performa3 speakers series ? aesthetics only ?

They are there to prevent you from using a level as part of your setup process. Obviously.

 

[Laserjock]

Cheaper than veneer ?

 

[617]

Revel's lackluster attempt at differentiating industrial design, unfortunately.

 

[maverickronin]

I don't normally have strong feelings about the looks of speakers, but the non-Ultima Revels are just about the ugliest I've ever seen.

 

[geekpryde]

I don't normally have strong feelings about the looks of speakers, but the non-Ultima Revels are just about the ugliest I've ever seen.

This surprises me!

To me just about every OTHER brand of bookshelf speakers are hideous. I think M106 in all the colors, especially walnut, is quite attractive.

The only other brand that excites me are old-school Paradigms, circa early 2000's. I loved the robotic look of the Ref and Signature lines from that era.

S2 images.

 

[Ykar]

Believing each square inch of that speaker was the result of years of engineering, I could say this was to match the front grid, front grid they made curved on top to ensure even treble dispersion, matching bottom, left, right, distances from tweeter center to grid armature.
Then I woke up...
You'r right, aesthetics, only...
Obvious next question, can we take it off and what's under it ? )

 

[thewas]

The only other brand that excites me are old-school Paradigms, circa early 2000's. I loved the robotic look of the Ref and Signature lines from that era.

S2 images.

So different tastes are, I find the look of those Paradigms hideous.

 

[617]

So different tastes are, I find the look of those Paradigms hideous.

I actually like them but I understand how you feel. In person, the metal bits are actually beautifully made so they don't look as cheap looking as pictures might indicate. High quality drivers too, I might add.

 

[maverickronin]

This surprises me!

To me just about every OTHER brand of bookshelf speakers are hideous. I think M106 in all the colors, especially walnut, is quite attractive.

It's the snowman shaped plastic trim that links/surrounds the waveguide and the rest of the drivers. It's just hideous. They look somewhat better in black as it doesn't stick out as much. The rest is just, "meh".

That can be "fixed" by using the grills, but putting a full face grill on a speaker and hiding the drivers is like putting a bag over someone's head...

 

[617]

It's the snowman shaped plastic trim that links/surrounds the waveguide and the rest of the drivers. It's just hideous. They look somewhat better in black as it doesn't stick out as much. The rest is just, "meh".

That can be "fixed" by using the grills, but putting a full face grill on a speaker and hiding the drivers is like putting a bag over someone's head...

I disagree - I think grills can look great if designed thoughtfully. Bang and Olufsen have a history of beautiful grill designs, and the JBL L100 is iconic. The revel grills are incredibly generic, unfortunately.

 

[Beave]

Kevin Voecks was asked about the tops of the Revel Performa3 series on another forum a few years ago, and he responded that they're purely 'industrial design,' ie, cosmetic, not functional.

 

[maverickronin]

I disagree - I think grills can look great if designed thoughtfully. Bang and Olufsen have a history of beautiful grill designs, and the JBL L100 is iconic. The revel grills are incredibly generic, unfortunately.

Grills don't necessarily have to be boring and bland, but even if they aren't, I prefer to see the parts the machine actually doing the work.

To me, grill's are just for protecting the drivers. My paranoia about a tweeter collision requires me to keep the grills on my R3's.

 

[dudiflug]

Do they have enough bass?
I'm listening to a lot of rock & electronic music.

 

[DubbyMcDubs]

Do they have enough bass?
I'm listening to a lot of rock & electronic music.

Definitely need a sub

 

[SpaceMonkey]

GR-Research got hold of M106:

 

[Jmudrick]

GR-Research got hold of M106:

Oy. Let's throw $400 in parts to "fix" a 2db peak.