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What is next step after Revel F206?
- Thread starter starfly
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Recommend you try A1 Evo (Acoustica is latest) https://www.avsforum.com/threads/ac...test-from-oca-for-denon-marantz-only.3324025/
See if you prefer it to your desktop-app done Audyssey calibration.
Certainly cheaper than new gear. Yet can make almost as much of a difference.
See if you prefer it to your desktop-app done Audyssey calibration.
Certainly cheaper than new gear. Yet can make almost as much of a difference.
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Thanks, I’ll check that out. I now have an itch to retake measurements haha.
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Where do these rumors originate from?
D-Livs
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Rex from AVS Forum is a Revel dealer. Many users here discuss apprehension of Revel scaling back their home line of tower speakers. With supply disruptions, COVID, and tariffs, along with Harman being acquired by Samsung, revel has been focusing on architectural speakers. Rex claims that a 4th generation Performa line is due later this year. I am planning for an upgrade as well, I love my F208’s which I have had for about 4 years, and the upgrade to performa 4’s would be purely for fun.
If you are going to upgrade, then upgrade!
Never, ever waste money and time on 'small' improvements. This just leads to frustration and an accumulation of less than satisfactory gear that gets sold at a loss.
Few of the speakers mentioned are going to be substantially 'better' than the F206, although some might play slightly louder before they distort. I don't think you really upgrade the F206 much until you get to the F328Be within Revel's line.
The best advice for a speaker 'better' than the F206, as mentioned above, is to explore the large bass-driver horn speakers by JBL and JTR, for example. Although all these choices are >$10K new, you never know what shows up in the used market.
Never, ever waste money and time on 'small' improvements. This just leads to frustration and an accumulation of less than satisfactory gear that gets sold at a loss.
Few of the speakers mentioned are going to be substantially 'better' than the F206, although some might play slightly louder before they distort. I don't think you really upgrade the F206 much until you get to the F328Be within Revel's line.
The best advice for a speaker 'better' than the F206, as mentioned above, is to explore the large bass-driver horn speakers by JBL and JTR, for example. Although all these choices are >$10K new, you never know what shows up in the used market.
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Absolutely spot on.If you are going to upgrade, then upgrade!
Never, ever waste money and time on 'small' improvements. This just leads to frustration and an accumulation of less than satisfactory gear that gets sold at a loss.
Few of the speakers mentioned are going to be substantially 'better' than the F206, although some might play slightly louder before they distort. I don't think you really upgrade the F206 much until you get to the F328Be within Revel's line.
The best advice for a speaker 'better' than the F206, as mentioned above, is to explore the large bass-driver horn speakers by JBL and JTR, for example. Although all these choices are >$10K new, you never know what shows up in the used market.
I've posted these pics on other threads, apologies for redundancy, but captures my personal "diminishing returns" epiphany.
I had the Salon2, F208 & F206 in the same room, at the same time to compare. It was an insightful, though subjective experience. In short, there were no surprises as to good, better, best, the Salon2's were everything that they are said to be. However, the cost of diminishing returns was eye opening. I paid $12k for the Salons, $2500 for the 208's and $1200 for the 206's, all used. I kept the 206's for the great sound and superior value and sold the others. They are the mains in both my 2 channel and HT setups. I put the saved funds into long term T Bonds.
MarkS
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I am completely mystified as to why Revel puts the tweeter/mid combo at such different heights on different speakers. What ear height and listening distance is each speaker optimized for? And why does nobody ever ask Sean Olive this question?
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Yeah I'm familiar with Rex. Ordered my W553Ls from him. I suppose he must have heard something to state that he's hopeful they are "still" coming later this year. I guess we will see. I'm hopeful for a refresh of the architectural line as well. Those designs all date back to 2012 or so, asides from the PerformaBe models.
They also updated the design of the website fairly recently, which is a good sign that they're still active.
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It was evident in this demo. From a LP of 10', with my back 3' from the wall, I had to sit on pillows for the Salons... it sort of stressed me into "listening harder"... lol... which only lets my brain fill in the gaps. This contributed to me selling them as well. They were too much for my room. This wasn't the case for the 208s or 206s
The near-legendary Performa3 line does make it difficult to upgrade. At least in terms of objective performance, that is, leaving aside exotic materials, etc.
My M106 floored me when I hooked them up almost four years ago and they continue to do so. Lack of deep bass nothwithstanding, the one weak spot I could identify was the midbass region between a feasible sub crossover and about 200-300Hz. The F208 was an obvious upgrade but the size stopped me. So I added a dedicated midbass enclosure under each using the Eminence Kappalite 3012LF actively crossed between subwoofer and M106 at 80Hz and 300Hz.
This provides such a spectacular punch I feel I may have somewhat leapfrogged the F208 and am wondering what I could possibly do to better the M106 from 300Hz up. Maybe something with Purifi's new tweeter?
My M106 floored me when I hooked them up almost four years ago and they continue to do so. Lack of deep bass nothwithstanding, the one weak spot I could identify was the midbass region between a feasible sub crossover and about 200-300Hz. The F208 was an obvious upgrade but the size stopped me. So I added a dedicated midbass enclosure under each using the Eminence Kappalite 3012LF actively crossed between subwoofer and M106 at 80Hz and 300Hz.
This provides such a spectacular punch I feel I may have somewhat leapfrogged the F208 and am wondering what I could possibly do to better the M106 from 300Hz up. Maybe something with Purifi's new tweeter?
Absolutely spot on.
I've posted these pics on other threads, apologies for redundancy, but captures my personal "diminishing returns" epiphany.
I had the Salon2, F208 & F206 in the same room, at the same time to compare. It was an insightful, though subjective experience. In short, there were no surprises as to good, better, best, the Salon2's were everything that they are said to be. However, the cost of diminishing returns was eye opening. I paid $12k for the Salons, $2500 for the 208's and $1200 for the 206's, all used. I kept the 206's for the great sound and superior value and sold the others. They are the mains in both my 2 channel and HT setups. I put the saved funds into long term T Bonds.
Ouch ... too bad you didn't go with SPY or VOO instead of T Bonds.
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I think it's fake news that you would need to go with F328Be to get a better sound. My F228Be sound really close to the F328Be. In fact, in normal to smaller rooms the F228Be can sound like it has more bass thump because of the front port.
However, if your room is over 600sqft I would highly recommend the F328Be. It's taller tweeter images well for female vocal music and the cabinet is 67% larger for more powerful sound delivery. It's a work horse that never gets rattled no matter what you ask of it.
However, if your room is over 600sqft I would highly recommend the F328Be. It's taller tweeter images well for female vocal music and the cabinet is 67% larger for more powerful sound delivery. It's a work horse that never gets rattled no matter what you ask of it.
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IMO, your weak link is that toppled-MTM center channel. Look around to see if you can find a C208 -- the 3-way one.
While a third F206 would be the best approach, that would be the hardest to find now that they're discontinued.
MarkS
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AsciLab F6B, C6B, and A6B (with a Purifi mid woofer) have notably smoother directivity compared to the M106.
Easily compare loudspeakers measurements
www.spinorama.org
AsciLab F6B, C6B, and A6B (with a Purifi mid woofer) have notably smoother directivity compared to the M106.
Easily compare loudspeakers measurements
But the Revels have wider dispersion in the low-to-mid treble region. The Ascilabs have smoother (better controlled) dispersion, but it's narrower.
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Theoretically based on that : the ascilabs should* soundstage better, but that's based on something Erin said in regards to even dispersion vs speakers that"mushroom" because of beaming drivers...I would suspect that the revels are pretty decent in soundstage nevertheless.....
PristineSound
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I know this may be controversial as I am going to kill someone's holy cow. So I will tread lightly.
Revel are superb speakers, but they are dated. . .there are so many new speakers on the market that are out performing the Revel based on objective data.
I owned the F226Be, it was good until I moved to newer speakers that I have now.
Ascend Acoustics ELX RAAL, is what I would recommend for the <$6k range, it can go against speakers many times as expensive, imo.
I also have a pair of Perlisten, I can't possibly recommend them enough. These are my end game, unless some major passive speaker breakthrough comes along.
Also, consider active speakers, like Genelec or Neumann or D&D.
Revel are superb speakers, but they are dated. . .there are so many new speakers on the market that are out performing the Revel based on objective data.
I owned the F226Be, it was good until I moved to newer speakers that I have now.
Ascend Acoustics ELX RAAL, is what I would recommend for the <$6k range, it can go against speakers many times as expensive, imo.
I also have a pair of Perlisten, I can't possibly recommend them enough. These are my end game, unless some major passive speaker breakthrough comes along.
Also, consider active speakers, like Genelec or Neumann or D&D.
Personally, as a Musician who's spent time performing I think audiophile "sound stage" ratings are mostly subjective mumbo jumbo. The music is mixed on a sound board in studio or a live venue and rarely sounds the same as the performance. Instruments are mixed to left or right or in between. When people make a big deal about sound stage it's a little strange to me. Mostly what I'm looking for is clarity and appropriate balance between instruments, not necessarily exactly where each pan setting is configured.
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