Revel M16 Speaker Review

[airgas1998]

I've tried to check if this has been posted previously in this thread, and came up with nothing. But apologies if I missed it. This is a YouTube reviewer who claims the M16 is too bright to listen to for very long. I've never heard the speaker, but the video seems to contradict everything I've read about the M16 here. Just thought some of you would find it, um, interesting!

that guy is a clown...

 

[REK2575]

I'm seriously tempted by these on sale at Crutchfield. I've been greatly enjoying my DBR62s for 2 years now. (I don't really *need* new speakers!) I am wondering if I'd notice much a difference between the M16s and my ELACs. I listen mostly to a wide range of classical (chamber, symphonic, opera, etc., name a century!) and find the ELACs superb.

I guess only things holding me back are (A) is there really a substantial difference between the M16s and DBR62s -?, and (B) I dislike the high-gloss black / white finishes (though not much that can be done about that! Too bad the M16s aren't available in the Walnut of the M106s...)

 

[airgas1998]

I'm seriously tempted by these on sale at Crutchfield. I've been greatly enjoying my DBR62s for 2 years now. (I don't really *need* new speakers!) I am wondering if I'd notice much a difference between the M16s and my ELACs. I listen mostly to a wide range of classical (chamber, symphonic, opera, etc., name a century!) and find the ELACs superb.

I guess only things holding me back are (A) is there really a substantial difference between the M16s and DBR62s -?, and (B) I dislike the high-gloss black / white finishes (though not much that can be done about that! Too bad the M16s aren't available in the Walnut of the M106s...)

i am very happy with the m16's the current sale price of these is of excellent value. they are outstanding speakers....build quality seems great, the fasteners are all hidden making for a clean look especially with the gloss white on black ... I toed these in just slightly and the center stage is nailed...

 

[AVKS]

I'm seriously tempted by these on sale at Crutchfield. I've been greatly enjoying my DBR62s for 2 years now. (I don't really *need* new speakers!) I am wondering if I'd notice much a difference between the M16s and my ELACs. I listen mostly to a wide range of classical (chamber, symphonic, opera, etc., name a century!) and find the ELACs superb.

I guess only things holding me back are (A) is there really a substantial difference between the M16s and DBR62s -?, and (B) I dislike the high-gloss black / white finishes (though not much that can be done about that! Too bad the M16s aren't available in the Walnut of the M106s...)

With Crutchfield's very generous return policy, why not give it a shot? I think there's a very real chance you hear improvement (diminishing return, but there), but only way to know is to try.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Shame we have to pay such high prices in the U.K.

 

[PyramidElectric]

Shame we have to pay such high prices in the U.K.

Keep an eye on ebay, I paid £650 for brand new ones from a hifi retailer clearing stock on there, and I've seen them go for even less. Even at £800 (which seems to be the current retail price) I don't think any other passives come close to the sound/build quality (in the UK at least).

 

[REK2575]

If I could ask a completely newb-ish question, I'm wondering about this 'caution' in the Revel Concerta2 manual:

CAUTION: Revel M16, C25, and S16 loudspeakers are designed
to be used with an external crossover (high-pass filter), such as
is found in surround processors and audio/video receivers. An
80Hz crossover frequency is ideal, and will minimize dynamic
compression and distortion. If desired, the M16, C25, or S16 may
be used with crossover frequencies as low as 50Hz.


I'm struggling a little to understand this. Is this only relevant if you plan to use a subwoofer, where you can set the crossover? My preamp doesn't give me any ability to set/adjust a high-pass filter. It sounds like 80Hz is pretty standard and that most (?) modern preamps / integrated amps would have that or approximately that as the crossover frequency.

 

[airgas1998]

i didn't even know that was in the manual...i don't have that capability either. however, i don't push these into oblivion though. i's say up to 85dB you should be ok...past that and distortion starts to creep in...I'm sure amir tested this if it can be found...

 

[REK2575]

@airgas1998, noticing from your sig, "Bluesound Node N130, Revel M16,rotel rc-1572mkll preamp, rotel rb-1582mkll 2ch amp"

Just struck me that this is quite similar to my main living-room setup: Bluesound Node 2i > Rotel RC-1572 mkII > Rotel RB-1552 mkII > ELAC DBR62s.

Anyway if that's similar to the config that you're using the M16s, I guess that means I wouldn't really have to worry about the Revel manual "Caution"!

 

[airgas1998]

sweet..exact set-up at one point..had the 1552 and decided to get the 1582 because you know a little extra horsepower

also, i go up to about 65ish volume-wise on the 1572...and that's about max SPL i can withstand at 9'mlp...

 

[airgas1998]

@airgas1998, noticing from your sig, "Bluesound Node N130, Revel M16,rotel rc-1572mkll preamp, rotel rb-1582mkll 2ch amp"

Just struck me that this is quite similar to my main living-room setup: Bluesound Node 2i > Rotel RC-1572 mkII > Rotel RB-1552 mkII > ELAC DBR62s.

Anyway if that's similar to the config that you're using the M16s, I guess that means I wouldn't really have to worry about the Revel manual "Caution"!

I'm also thinking about adding a minidsp of some model, to get the xo hpf and RC but I'm not knowledgeable in that dept. trying to get some asr forum help but not getting any good feedback for some reason. id think someone in here is a master at Dirac with minidsp...

 

[REK2575]

sweet..exact set-up at one point..had the 1552 and decided to get the 1582 because you know a little extra horsepower

also, i go up to about 65ish volume-wise on the 1572...and that's about max SPL i can withstand at 9'mlp...

That must be the difference between 200 wpc (the 1582) and my 130 wpc (1552) - I'm usually between 65-70 vol. on the 1572. Much higher than that gets QUITE loud!

Room correction stuff is way beyond my audio ken.

 

[AVKS]

If I could ask a completely newb-ish question, I'm wondering about this 'caution' in the Revel Concerta2 manual:

CAUTION: Revel M16, C25, and S16 loudspeakers are designed
to be used with an external crossover (high-pass filter), such as
is found in surround processors and audio/video receivers. An
80Hz crossover frequency is ideal, and will minimize dynamic
compression and distortion. If desired, the M16, C25, or S16 may
be used with crossover frequencies as low as 50Hz.


I'm struggling a little to understand this. Is this only relevant if you plan to use a subwoofer, where you can set the crossover? My preamp doesn't give me any ability to set/adjust a high-pass filter. It sounds like 80Hz is pretty standard and that most (?) modern preamps / integrated amps would have that or approximately that as the crossover frequency.

That's a fancy way of saying it will sound bad if you are expecting, and attempt to get, heavy bass output, nothing more than that. I use mine full range nearly every day and they sound great because I'm not hitting them with massive subbass boosts and expecting subwoofer-esque performance.

 

[REK2575]

@AVKS - Excellent - glad to hear it's nothing more than that. (Thank you for translating!)

 

[ROOSKIE]

If you like Audio Porn (Youtube stuff)
Andrew reviewed the M16.
Great review actually and I think he nailed the sound based on my experience.

 

[tw 2022]

If you like Audio Porn (Youtube stuff)
Andrew reviewed the M16.
Great review actually and I think he nailed the sound based on my experience.

Curious to know how you like the m16s compared to the jbl 530s, especially since the m 16s are on sale..

 

[AVKS]

Curious to know how you like the m16s compared to the jbl 530s, especially since the m 16s are on sale..

I'm not who you were asking but I had the M16s and 530s at the same time (still have the M16s) as well as the F35s and 590s; I used them both in my home theater setup as well as nearfield (~20 inches away) on my desk. They're much more alike than different, with the M16s having a more robust low-mid section (as shows in the graph) and both having decent presence and air. The M16s get louder as they are larger, and the 530s definitely hit woofer compression way before the tweeter gives out.

Overall, at moderate volumes the M16s may have the slightest edge IMO but they also cost nearly 4x as much when not on sale. I got my M16s for $400 new for the pair and, considering that much of what is being paid for is the nicer finish and build, am perfectly satisfied with them. At $900 though, the 530s at sale price are a way better value and perform basically the same, with the 530s being the slightest bit leaner to my ear due to that slight low-mid dip vs the Revel, assuming you aren't looking for high volumes.

 

[tw 2022]

I'm not who you were asking but I had the M16s and 530s at the same time (still have the M16s) as well as the F35s and 590s; I used them both in my home theater setup as well as nearfield (~20 inches away) on my desk. They're much more alike than different, with the M16s having a more robust low-mid section (as shows in the graph) and both having decent presence and air. The M16s get louder as they are larger, and the 530s definitely hit woofer compression way before the tweeter gives out.

Overall, at moderate volumes the M16s may have the slightest edge IMO but they also cost nearly 4x as much when not on sale. I got my M16s for $400 new for the pair and, considering that much of what is being paid for is the nicer finish and build, am perfectly satisfied with them. At $900 though, the 530s at sale price are a way better value and perform basically the same, with the 530s being the slightest bit leaner to my ear due to that slight low-mid dip vs the Revel, assuming you aren't looking for high volumes.

Thank you very much.. I have the 530s , sounds like i needn't worry about an upgrade..i'll stick with my original plan of waiting on a pair of bmr monitors when i can afford them..

 

[ROOSKIE]

Curious to know how you like the m16s compared to the jbl 530s, especially since the m 16s are on sale..

IMHO the M16 is better speaker. It is my favorite speaker under $1000 that I have owned or tried. The 530's are great speakers and are a fantastic deal at $300 or less on sale.

Both speakers require subs in order to truly flesh out the bass(and it is required at high SPL) in a farfield set-up in a medium or bigger room.

Both speakers can handle about the same level of SPL with the 530 maybe digging a tiny bit deeper but unable to play quite as loud on bass heavy tracks. The M16 does sound a bit more powerful but the 530 does well for a small driver.

My room is 23x12x8.5'tall and I do louder sessions regularly and again I recommend a subwoofer or two or three. In a typical set-up I'd high pass the 530's between 80-100hrz and the M16 at 70-90. In my set-up I actually high pass the 530's at 125hrz in a situation where that makes sense. High passed like that the 530's can play very loud without any issue and very low distortion as long as you have power as they are very power-hungry.
Again, neither the M16 nor 530 can do super loud in my room with bass inclusive or bass heavy material without high passing. You will overdrive the bass units. I believe ultimately the 530's tweeter can actually handle higher SPL than the M16 without strain although the M16 is no slouch and for an inexpensive looking tweeter is quite impressive.

I love the 530's and think they have a very special sound and for the money are a great value. $600 or under I have yet to really like another speaker more.
That said and everything positive I have said about the 530, the M16 is somehow just a better sounding speaker. It really sounds even better. It is more money and that is going to boil down to your resources. You have to pay more to get more and for a lot of reasons this does make sense. Paying 2-3 times as much for a bit of an upgrade in sound can seem hard to justify for some and for others it is a no brainer. If money is tight I'd say stick with the 530's, if you are really curious and a few hundred bucks is just money well spent enjoying your audio hobby then I do think the M16 are worth buying and a small but meaningful upgrade.

As an aside to the 530 vs M16.
I preferred the M16 to the KEF R3 as an example of how good they may be depending on your tastes. I liked the M16 so much that I decided to trust the engineers and splurge on the M126be. I am not financially wealthy and was ready to return them at the slightest whiff of them not being worth $$$$$. No issues and I am deff keeping them. They sound amazing and in the way of the best speakers the real proof of gains in SG and enjoyment is not shock value but rather when you go back to the sets you upgraded from and realize it really is a downgrade to back.

Is the M126be worth that much more than the 530? No, of course not in a $ vs performance only comparison as the 530's are really nice for $250-600. However when not looking at just costs the M126be is absolutely significantly better IMHO. So if that is what absolutely significantly better than already really good costs then so be it. I have no regrets. They honestly made the R3 and even the M16's sound like definite tiers down. It was not a hard call.

 

[tw 2022]

IMHO the M16 is better speaker. It is my favorite speaker under $1000 that I have owned or tried. The 530's are great speakers and are a fantastic deal at $300 or less on sale.

Both speakers require subs in order to truly flesh out the bass(and it is required at high SPL) in a farfield set-up in a medium or bigger room.

Both speakers can handle about the same level of SPL with the 530 maybe digging a tiny bit deeper but unable to play quite as loud on bass heavy tracks. The M16 does sound a bit more powerful but the 530 does well for a small driver.

My room is 23x12x8.5'tall and I do louder sessions regularly and again I recommend a subwoofer or two or three. In a typical set-up I'd high pass the 530's between 80-100hrz and the M16 at 70-90. In my set-up I actually high pass the 530's at 125hrz in a situation where that makes sense. High passed like that the 530's can play very loud without any issue and very low distortion as long as you have power as they are very power-hungry.
Again, neither the M16 nor 530 can do super loud in my room with bass inclusive or bass heavy material without high passing. You will overdrive the bass units. I believe ultimately the 530's tweeter can actually handle higher SPL than the M16 without strain although the M16 is no slouch and for an inexpensive looking tweeter is quite impressive.

I love the 530's and think they have a very special sound and for the money are a great value. $600 or under I have yet to really like another speaker more.
That said and everything positive I have said about the 530, the M16 is somehow just a better sounding speaker. It really sounds even better. It is more money and that is going to boil down to your resources. You have to pay more to get more and for a lot of reasons this does make sense. Paying 2-3 times as much for a bit of an upgrade in sound can seem hard to justify for some and for others it is a no brainer. If money is tight I'd say stick with the 530's, if you are really curious and a few hundred bucks is just money well spent enjoying your audio hobby then I do think the M16 are worth buying and a small but meaningful upgrade.

As an aside to the 530 vs M16.
I preferred the M16 to the KEF R3 as an example of how good they may be depending on your tastes. I liked the M16 so much that I decided to trust the engineers and splurge on the M126be. I am not financially wealthy and was ready to return them at the slightest whiff of them not being worth $$$$$. No issues and I am deff keeping them. They sound amazing and in the way of the best speakers the real proof of gains in SG and enjoyment is not shock value but rather when you go back to the sets you upgraded from and realize it really is a downgrade to back.

Is the M126be worth that much more than the 530? No, of course not in a $ vs performance only comparison as the 530's are really nice for $250-600. However when not looking at just costs the M126be is absolutely significantly better IMHO. So if that is what absolutely significantly better than already really good costs then so be it. I have no regrets. They honestly made the R3 and even the M16's sound like definite tiers down. It was not a hard call.

thanks , that's a very detailed response .. and i appreciate it ..it does sound like the m16 may be a slight step up .. it gives me something to think about.. i was (am) considering the m16's while they are on sale.. i'm fighting the urge to do a minor upgrade vs. holding out for "the big score" (bmr monitors, or maybe sierra 2 ex) or a random used score...