Revel PerformaBe F226Be Floorstanding Speaker Review

[USER]

Thanks. This below is the measurement at 80 crossover. I'm not an expert at reading these charts.
View attachment 374223

It doesn't look too bad, at least crossover wise. It would be nice to see it more zoomed in. Try to the 10-200 option. Are you using DSP? If so what are your settings? Full range? I ask because I don't see any major room modes. If so, which DSP system and which curve? For my taste the bass is either is set a bit low volume wise or integrated low if DSP is used. Are the speakers far from the wall? As I don't have too much info it seems that the if there is DSP the curve being used is rather flat. The problem doesn't appear to be the crossover but I'd love to hear other opinions. Look at Amirs measurements to see an how the Harman curve sort of looks like, which has a downward slope. I forget but it may be something like -10 dB across the range but down quote me on that. Dirac uses something similar with a slightly bigger slope, maybe 1 or 2 dBs more. If you can add a curve to your DSP perhaps Harman is available.

 

[Acerun]

Great job on the measurements. If my system displayed these reading I would increase the subs volume by 2dB and move the crossover to 100Hz and take a listen again. This should offer a small downward tilt on the FR which I find enjoyable. Good luck!

Thank you. I am using Multieqx. I believe this measurement was with EQ up to 500. Someone mentioned the big drop between 500 and 1,000, so I have played with increasing the EQ to 2000. What seems to sound the best so far is the crossover at 100 and using a -0.03 tilt. I tried moving that to -0.05 but I didn't like the bass. I think this is that -0.03 measurement.

 

[Acerun]

I still can't seem to get the higher frequency range to slow down.. maybe that's something with my room. I have tried importing the harman curve but I don't like the way it sounds.. too bloated. I think I have some significant room gain, and I feel like I am fighting bloated bass a little bit.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

Thanks. This below is the measurement at 80 crossover. I'm not an expert at reading these charts.
View attachment 374223

Because the main speakers are doing that much bass anyway, doesn't feel weird with a sub in the listening session?
I find kind of hard to implement subs correctly in my mind, because some speakers in my room tend to gain too much subbass and in the listening session i find more hard to pick the details in the top end.
Ty

 

[Acerun]

Has anyone else experienced a little mid to upper bass bloating from the F226Be? I've done a million measurements and a million tweaks in MultiEQ-X. Finally I got the bright idea to try the port plugs and they really seem to have solved for that issue. It's probably a room mode here as I have a great room into a kitchen and open to side rooms on one side and certainly not any intentional room treatments. Just thought I would share what has turned out to be a neat little fix that was already an option included with the speakers.

 

[Acerun]

$2,000 each in silver right now at Crutchfield and Audio Advisor. 45% off.

 

[Acerun]

As a person who listens to music usually between 65 and 73db I have to give kudos to Erin for what he has mentioned as the incredible dynamics of these speakers at lower volume. I don't need Denon Dynamic EQ. Some will be incredulous but the speaker sounds even better to me at lower volumes, I can pick up the nuances, but as Erin noted, you can crank them up as loud as you want. Fine tune two subwoofers to be subtle accompaniments and I don't believe I've ever heard a system sound better.

 

[Chromatischism]

Stahp. I said I was done buying speakers. No more money pit.

 

[Acerun]

Stahp. I said I was done buying speakers. No more money pit.

It's at the end of the day it's all relative to what you make. If you make a lot of money these speakers aren't very much money. If you don't make very much money they are very expensive. I'm at my peak love of my stereo system because I have made tremendous incremental changes over a 2-year period,changes that I could afford. Selling other equipment and investing a little bit more and then selling that equipment and investing a little bit more as I could. Zero regrets and loving every minute of it, no money pit.
at all

 

[ex audiophile]

It's at the end of the day it's all relative to what you make. If you make a lot of money these speakers aren't very much money. If you don't make very much money they are very expensive. I'm at my peak love of my stereo system because I have made tremendous incremental changes over a 2-year period,changes that I could afford. Selling other equipment and investing a little bit more and then selling that equipment and investing a little bit more as I could. Zero regrets and loving every minute of it, no money pit.
at all

Likewise. My primary system gradually evolved into a pair of 226be speakers, a pair of KEF KC92 subs, an Anthem STR pre and AHB2 for power. Only source is a Wiim Pro coax out for streaming. The sound is sublime and I have no desire to change a thing. The key, for me, was the 226be speakers; their mids and highs are special. And like you, it was Erin's review that impressed me the most, listening volume for me ranges from 60-85db.

 

[Chromatischism]

The 226be is one of the speakers I would consider endgame. But then I'd have to also upgrade the center channel, and we all know that means none other than a 426be or a third 226be, so I'll save that upgrade for the future. But these sale prices are tempting.

 

[Acerun]

Well that combination is very very compelling. The C426be is also on pretty big sale as well I believe. I actually bought the center first and was so blown away by how natural it sounded it led me to the F226Be. I had the M126Be before for fronts. You see that big center channel and you think it's going to be some big something but what it actually is, is exactly what you want it to be. Natural, neutral, completely natural sounding. The F226Be are the richer, more complete versions of the M126Be.

 

[ex audiophile]

Well that combination is very very compelling. The C426be is also on pretty big sale as well I believe. I actually bought the center first and was so blown away by how natural it sounded it led me to the F226Be. I had the M126Be before for fronts. You see that big center channel and you think it's going to be some big something but what it actually is, is exactly what you want it to be. Natural, neutral, completely natural sounding. The F226Be are the richer, more complete versions of the M126Be.

Great minds lol. The mains are F206

 

[CapMan]

Yeah baby, yeah! Look what just arrived

 

[Martini]

Congrats, enjoy!!

 

[CapMan]

I now understand what a neutral speaker truly is - amazing piece of engineering.

 

[Call me Ali]

$2,000 each in silver right now at Crutchfield and Audio Advisor. 45% off.

Unfortunately out of stock with no ETA at Crutchfield.

 

[Acerun]

Unfortunately out of stock with no ETA at Crutchfield.

Reach out to Amir

 

[gorman]

As always, the below review is literally copy/pasted from my website. Therefore, some tables may not translate as well to the forum format. So, if you want to read the review in the intended format simply go to the link below:
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/revel_f226be/

I've read your passionate review and I'm wondering... four years have passed. Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first tested them? Or other floorstanders took their place in your heart?

(but maybe you're not active on this forum anymore)

 

[kyuu]

(but maybe you're not active on this forum anymore)

He is not.

He did recommend them in his "Top 5 Speakers at Any Price Video" as of 1 year ago though.