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Revel M16 Speaker Review

Hi guys, just stumbled upon this forum/thread as I am about to go and audition a set of these speakers coming weekend.
So sorry that my first post on this form is asking for your opinion/help....

I have used 9x B&W M1's in a 5.1.4 auro-3d setup along with a SVS PB1-isd subwoofer.
All this is powered by a Marantz SR 7009 AV receiver
Power Output per channel
6 ohm, 1 kHz, 1%, 1ch Drive 200 W
6 ohm, 1 kHz. 0.7%, 2ch Drive 165 W
8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.08%, 2ch Drive 125 W
Audio Signal to Noise Ratio 98 dB

I sold my Left, Center and Right M1 because I'm looking for better stereo performance for listening to music (I mis my B&W 683's ...).
In my search for bookshelves I found these M16's from Revel and have read great things about them.

Because the pair I'm auditioning are second hand I cannot take them home to audition.
So...

Will the Marantz be able to power these M16's?
Will they be able to handle my room size (5x4 meters)?
Good combination with my SVS sub?

What's a reasonable price for a 2,5 year ols set including stands and spikes.
Any tips when I go and audition them?

Thanks allot for any info or tips!!
 
I just bought a pair of M16s on the used market for 550€. I think they are about a year old but in very good condition. I would have loved to have the white ones. But black is also fine. I hope they will come before the weekend. This is my first set of REVEL speakers.

I will power them with a pair of AUDIOPHONICS MPA-M250NC. The deep base is handled by a pair of SB-2000s. MiniDSP SHD Studio for roon streaming and the crossover. A RME-ADI2 DAC and a Topping D30 DAC completes the setup.
 
I love my new (used) M16 speakers. First of all, they look just stunning. Revel really knows how to do finishes. The finish look much better than the finish of the aria 906. I was really coutious to buy the m16s as I was not sure I was going to the the looks of them. But I could not be more wrong.

I dialed them in over the weekend, found a good position, doing the room eq and the subs integration. And I am blown away by the sound. This is the room response after manual eq using the miniDSP.

m16_after_room_eq.png
 
ironhorse128 said:
I love my new (used) M16 speakers. First of all, they look just stunning. Revel really knows how to do finishes. The finish look much better than the finish of the aria 906. I was really coutious to buy the m16s as I was not sure I was going to the the looks of them. But I could not be more wrong.

I dialed them in over the weekend, found a good position, doing the room eq and the subs integration. And I am blown away by the sound. This is the room response after manual eq using the miniDSP.

View attachment 64056
Click to expand...

How do you find they compare to your 906s?
 
lc155 said:
How do you find they compare to your 906s?
Click to expand...
I do not engage in sonic descriptions. It is so hard to compare speakers by listening. It totally depends on positioning, room, EQ, mood, etc..
I enjoy both but I did not A/B compare the arias with the M16s. The arias are in my living room and the M16s in my music room.
Sorry that I am not very helpful.
 
ironhorse128 said:
I do not engage in sonic descriptions. It is so hard to compare speakers by listening. It totally depends on positioning, room, EQ, mood, etc..
I enjoy both but I did not A/B compare the arias with the M16s. The arias are in my living room and the M16s in my music room.
Sorry that I am not very helpful.
Click to expand...

Fair. I have 906s too and was just wondering how you felt switching between different speakers.
 
what to spend money? revel m16 or m106? these models are now about the same in cost ...
 
Just wanted to chime in that, based on your thorough review of the Revel M16, as well as the helpful guidance of other forum members who pointed out the availability of "B-Stock" at an online retailer, I acquired a pair and have been listening to them now for nearly two months.

I'm admittedly more of an objectivist-subjectivist hybrid than many forum regulars, and am constantly trying to improve the objective performance of my system in order to chase better subjective sound. That said, I mainly listen to distortion-laden wax plops known as LP's. And use tube amplification. I know, I know. Please go gently on me.

Wow. The M16 combine the general tonal rightness of the Infinity Primus 360 with the speed and clarity of the Infinity R263's and R152's (which can be a bit fussy with placement and otherwise sound a bit lean). The M16 are now my new reference, displacing those other Infinity models that previously held pride-of-place. Thank you so much for putting the time and effort into such thorough testing on this site, and for pointing out when the stars align like they do with the M16!
 
IMG_3267.JPG


Just picked a pair of the M16s from a local retailer who gave me a great discount. After trying a lot of different speakers in my space, all i can say is Wow! These are stunning speakers.

Going from the LSR 305 (too laid back and don't get very loud--very limited bass), Elac B6s (excellent but fall apart at volume, change timbre outside of the listening position), to the DBR-62 (excellent, but didn't like the black/walnut finish--didn't like the voicing quite as much as the B6, and picked up right before all the 'roni layoffs), JBL studio 530 (good on sale, preferred the Elacs' voicing, treble sounded strange to my ears), these are the most pleasing right out the box.

They are sensitive enough to put out tons of volume with an AVR. The bass quality and quantity is outstanding. Though "sub optional" and "high fidelity" don't appear to go together in terms of small bookshelf speakers, these give the impression of both the midbass-kick and the low-bass foundation in my room. The treble is voiced perfectly for me--although it's clearly not as neutral as the M105s I was considering (cymbals sparkle a little more than they should, a little accent to voices). The build quality and industrial design are in a different class than other speakers i've looked at in this price range. Had i taken home a pair of M105s i would probably be gushing as well, but fortunately for my wallet the dealer didn't have them in white. To my ears both the M16 and M105 blew away the M106--which sounded like they didn't have enough midrange/low treble.

/end rant. These things rock. Thanks ASR for providing this resource.
 
Gatordaddy said:
View attachment 68613

To my ears both the M16 and M105 blew away the M106--which sounded like they didn't have enough midrange/low treble.

/end rant. These things rock. Thanks ASR for providing this resource.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I've never heard the M106, but I bought the M105 over it due to the superior spin. Seems kinda normal in the industry that the cheaper and smaller models often measure better than their bigger and more expensive brethren. Examples include M105 > M106, Genelec 8351b > 8361a, JBL 705 > 708, JBL HDI 1600 > 3600. Often times the bigger models are way more expensive, too(like 2x). For twice the price, you get a little more max output, a little more extension, and a little worse sound. :confused:
 
richard12511 said:
Interesting. I've never heard the M106, but I bought the M105 over it due to the superior spin. Seems kinda normal in the industry that the cheaper and smaller models often measure better than their bigger and more expensive brethren. Examples include M105 > M106, Genelec 8351b > 8361a, JBL 705 > 708, JBL HDI 1600 > 3600. Often times the bigger models are way more expensive, too(like 2x). For twice the price, you get a little more max output, a little more extension, and a little worse sound. :confused:
Click to expand...

It just seems like it's easier to integrate a smaller driver with a tweeter. The F208 has some of the best spins in the group, for instance. Interestingly, i know the M106 has similar (and maybe better) spins than the M16, but I strongly preferred the M16. Voicing still counts. The M105 had the most neutral treble i've ever heard, but didn't do well in the large-ish room i was auditioning in (with the clerk standing over my back making sure i wasn't going to blow their speakers). It would probably kill in a real room, especially with a subwoofer. How do you like yours?

I wonder if i need to build a pair of Philharmonic BMRs for "science."
 
Any suggestions on an appropriate tweeter height range relative to your ears with the M16? I'm not seeing any information about this in the owner's manual online..

My room set-up is kind of weird in that the woofer would likely barely have a clear path firing over my bed to my listening position if tweeter height is set at ear level. These will likely be my next speakers after a somewhat disappointing past couple weeks of LS50 ownership.. Really appreciating this forum, thanks y'all!
 
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