Revel M106 Bookshelf Speaker Review

[JohnnyNG]

Can I ask, what woofers you used, and is that box about 2 cubic foot?
I love that idea. Basically makes it a 3 way.....

I currently have 2 Velodyne 12" subs with my Wharfedale 12.1s and while good to a degree, are very similar to the M106 as far as most aspects, and would benefit in the same way as your setup.

I'm using the Eminence KappaLite 3012LF in about 1ft^3 sealed, just a little bigger than the recommended "Small Sealed Design" from their Cab Design .pdf linked here:

KappaLITE 3012LF 12" Neodymium Series Speaker - Low Frequency

Recommended for pro audio and bass in vented enclosures.

eminence.com

The midbass units are themselves high-passed at 80HZ, 12dB/oct. and a mono sealed subwoofer takes over below. So ultimately a 4-way.

I really like the sound and feel of a lightweight, high-sensitivity midbass driver as opposed to just high-passing the bass drivers in a floorstander, for example. I actually experimented for a bit with an older pair of Klipsch Heresy III used as dedicated midbass speakers as proof-of-concept under my M106 before building the ones shown. Looked silly but proved the concept to me.

 

[beagleman]

I'm using the Eminence KappaLite 3012LF in about 1ft^3 sealed, just a little bigger than the recommended "Small Sealed Design" from their Cab Design .pdf linked here:

KappaLITE 3012LF 12" Neodymium Series Speaker - Low Frequency

Recommended for pro audio and bass in vented enclosures.

eminence.com

The midbass units are themselves high-passed at 80HZ, 12dB/oct. and a mono sealed subwoofer takes over below. So ultimately a 4-way.

I really like the sound and feel of a lightweight, high-sensitivity midbass driver as opposed to just high-passing the bass drivers in a floorstander, for example. I actually experimented for a bit with an older pair of Klipsch Heresy III used as dedicated midbass speakers as proof-of-concept under my M106 before building the ones shown. Looked silly but proved the concept to me.

Awesome! and thanks for the info. What do you use for the low pass on the Midbass units?

And is the higher sensitivity and issue with blending with the Revel?

 

[JohnnyNG]

Awesome! and thanks for the info. What do you use for the low pass on the Midbass units?

And is the higher sensitivity and issue with blending with the Revel?

I think in this iteration I was just using my Sublime Acoustic K231 active crossover. No problem at all with different sensitivities being a partially active system with individual level controls.

It's since changed and gotten a bit more complicated with the Revel replaced by more DIY and going fully active:

Do active speakers for hifi listening (not monitoring/pro use) make sense anymore?

Actually, I would ask: Do passive speakers for hifi listening make sense anymore? :) Well let's hear your point of view. Please expand. No need for the boldface by the way, and the default font size is fine!

www.audiosciencereview.com

Do active speakers for hifi listening (not monitoring/pro use) make sense anymore?

Actually, I would ask: Do passive speakers for hifi listening make sense anymore? :) Well let's hear your point of view. Please expand. No need for the boldface by the way, and the default font size is fine!

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[fordda]

Thanks so much for the review, @amirm. I have owned my M106's for about a year and really enjoy them. I do find that they are senstive to placement to the front and side walls. I read on another review that Revel suggest a minumum of 1.1m from any of those walls. I tested this, subjectively only, and it made a significant difference to me. Just interested in how they were setup for your testing.

Also, my good friend has a set of Salon 2's, like yourself, and I find that the M106 is quite similar apart from the low bass. What are your thoughts in this regard? I added a SVS SB-2000 sub to help in that respect.

I have a room that is 36x15x8.5. I need to put this within 12 inches of the front wall. Will these work? How much of the sweetness is lost?

 

[holbob]

You'll lose zero of the sweetness. Just cut the room modes and you'll be good to go.

 

[Bren Derlin]

Per Revel the beryllium tweeter in the M126Be has lower distortion than the aluminum tweeter in the M106.

Having owned both the F208 and F228Be, I was able to listen to Be version louder and over a longer period of time as there is no listening fatigue. The F208 is also a very good speaker but there is a little bit of listening fatigue.

With the scarcity of beryllium, I’d thought I’d mention this as there are more M126Be in the used market and it may be worth the investment.

This is an interesting take. I've been able to sit down with my M106 speakers and REL HT1003 sub, give it some good juice, and go on for a long listening session. I don't find the M106 fatiguing one bit.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

I wonder how much of this is due to preferred listening levels?

I think some people might look at two speakers like this, and spend a load more cash on the more expensive one, where they’ll rarely/never listen at volume where they’d notice a difference.

It’s okay saying you should demo and make up your own mind, but potentially you need maybe an hour listening to each. Often that’s just not going to be practical.

 

[Jonazkur]

That widening at the 2-8khz range isnt ideal and could sound bit bright depending on the side wall proximity. I prefer more uniform and constant off axis radiation myself.

 

[gino1961]

Hi to All ! i would like to get some opinions about my belief i.e. this is the plot that shows the range of usability of a speaker

this extremely interesting graph is very fundamental to me. When established the maximum bearable distortion level on the Y axis immediately the usability range of the speaker shows up
I.E. if we accept a 2% distortion level the speaker is usable from about 150 Hz up (THD curve)
if we can get along with 5% THD then the speaker can be used from about 100Hz up
Conclusion ... this speaker cannot provide a a full range emission
or two subs one per side ... even better
Lately i compared a very good small 2 ways with a bigger old 3 ways JBL speaker
the experience listening to the 2 ways small speaker was like listening to a radio ... the comparison has been eye opening ... well ears opening
some instruments with a lot bass content just need a great response in the bass
If not a piano will sound likle a well-tempered harpsichord

 

[Cote Dazur]

Lately i compared a very good small 2 ways with a bigger old 3 ways JBL speaker
the experience listening to the 2 ways small speaker was like listening to a radio ... the comparison has been eye opening ... well ears opening
some instruments with a lot bass content just need a great response in the bass
If not a piano will sound likle a well-tempered harpsichord

There is so many variable in the experiment you conducted that your conclusion is not valid.
You have every right to prefer the sound of the 3 way JBL in the circomstances of your set up.
We all know here that more bass is prefered by a majority of listener.
If a piano sound like a harpsichord on a good small 2 way speaker, then the set up is wrong, not the speaker, or it is not a good small 2 way speaker.

 

[gino1961]

There is so many variable in the experiment you conducted that your conclusion is not valid.
You have every right to prefer the sound of the 3 way JBL in the circomstances of your set up.
We all know here that more bass is prefered by a majority of listener.
If a piano sound like a harpsichord on a good small 2 way speaker, then the set up is wrong, not the speaker, or it is not a good small 2 way speaker.

Hi ! thank you for your kind and valuable reply
i believe in direct experience ... take a Bach Toccata e Fuga track and play it on the system
The inadequate speakers will rattle at high SPLs
The very good speakers will make the room wall to rattle
I mean ... a full range instrument will be only realistically reproduced by a true full range speaker
In a piano the lower notes are on the same level of higher notes
The small speakers with small woofers have no chance to give back a really satisfactory experience
The real driver of small speakers has been the WAF they accept also slim towers ... again not good for full range sound

 

[norman bates]

So good = massive output under 100hz ?

To me, M106 is a great speaker.
But it is still a small speaker.

Would you be happier if it went flatter to a lower frequency ?

Would you be happier if it went louder at a said under 100hz frequency ?

Can it punch or rumble as good as a 12-15” 3-way ?

Probably not.
It is a 6” 2-way speaker.

Sterophile has a restricted low frequency speaker catagory for a reason.

Now, put the m106 crossing say at 250-300hz to a 12 or a 15, that could be my end game speaker.

 

[gino1961]

put the m106 crossing say at 250-300hz to a 12 or a 15, that could be my end game speaker.

Hi exactly what i have in mind
This is my favorite approach for a full range speaker
A sat above a bass box
And I much prefer the woofer placed in a dedicated enclosure mechanically decoupled by the small two ways
If we take a really great three ways and take out mid and tweeter and place them in a separate box the final speaker will sound quite cleaner in the mids and highs
The combinations are infinite

 

[norman bates]

True.

I would say a sat over a woofer box instead of a subwoofer.

80hz - 300hz is my fun zone.

 

[JohnnyNG]

True.

I would say a sat over a woofer box instead of a subwoofer.

80hz - 300hz is my fun zone.

Yup. I posted mine earlier. Crossing to a sub is a great start but adding a dedicated lightweight midbass specialist in that range for each channel is transformative.

 

[Jonazkur]

Arent there some sibilance on these speakers at 3-7khz? looking at the polar and SP and ER there is some widening at the treble, looks almost like my old genelec 8040B

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Boys, you have too much time on your hands.

 

[norman bates]

I use felt, but I have no graphs to back me up.