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Why so underwhelmed by Revel F208 audition???

After much reading my local dealer finally got in a pair of Revel F208 speakers to audition. After playing my usual demo songs I was sorely disappointed with the sound.
They simply had no life. The strings that sparkled on other systems sounded like cardboard (ok, bad description but you get my point). They bass did not move me at all.

Was it because:
1) I wouldn't know good music if it slapped my in the face?
2) I was actually auditioning the electronics more that the speakers?
3) I've become a music snob and only the best will do?
4) They are not properly broken in?
5) The speakers really are cr@p?

After reading that 3 different reviewers use the performa's (f206 or f208) as their reference speakers, it's really hard for me to believe number 5 - that the speakers suck

I've been a severe critic of bad sound and a conosour of fine music my whole life so I hope number 1 isn't true:(

The sound from my main system is breathtakingly beautiful. It consists of a Metrum Hex Dac, Benchmark DAC2 Pre preamp, Bryston 3B Sst2 power amp, PMC 22 speakers flanked by 2 Rythmik F12 Subs. The DAC is very rich and analog sounding and the rest of the system is very transparent. Stunning sound. So I have very high standards to reference these speakers against. Maybe I am just expecting too much from the Revels? So number 3 might be somewhat true???

The F208 speakers where being fed by an arcam CD player and an arcam a39 integrated amp. Perhaps this can not compete with my home system? Is number 2 correct and I am really just auditioning the electronics?

Break in can make a big difference in speakers. Maybe they need hundreds of more hours through them? I need to check on number 4.

Or maybe they really are that bad and everyone who has reviewed them is a big fat liar?

Who has heard these and can make a comment???
earlxtr
contuzzi
413 posts
 
I cannot stress enough how disappointing and overhyped the Revels are.  And you are absolutely right about the Aria 948's absolutely embarrassing them.  The Revels are the least holographic and open speaker you could imagine at their price point.

I think the Revel / Harman marketing machine is at work.  And way too many people take their (very flawed) testing procedures to heart and have expectation bias when listening to them.  

I owned a pair for awhile (mainly to build a home theater out of) and sold them after a few months.  I too thought they'd get better after break in and they never opened up no matter what I fed them, and I even tried stuff that has no business being paired with a speaker of its price.

I think their concerta line is more respectable per dollar by far.


emerald's avatar
emerald
26 posts
 
I was in the same shoes, I compared Focal Aria 936 to Revel F208.

Neither myself nor the two salesmen were impressed to the Revels. All 3 of us favored the Aria 936 by a big margin. 

Take my advice and wait for "F208 be" with new drivers/crossovers/beryllium tweeter if you are insisting on Revel. 
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,729 posts
 
Another -vote against the Revel speakers.
erik_squires
16,119 posts
 
So I'm curious of you dissing the Revel's, how do you feel about Golden Ears or B&W by comparison?

Best,


E
studiotim
7 posts
 
This thread is just in time as just began shopping for new speakers and both these Focals and Revels are on my short list. I gave the Aria 936 a quick listen at local dealer and was impressed. Very balanced in frequency response from top to bottom and excellent imaging and dynamics. Maybe a little too smooth at the high end, but I didn’t have my own tunes with me and wasn’t familiar with the songs the dealer had on tap so I can’t say for sure. Again this was a quick listen more than a thorough evaluation. Later I was surprised to see many reviewers claim Focals have a bright top end. Not what I heard but the room was well damped and treated and I’m middle aged so these two factors may also contribute to this impression.

More auditioning scheduled for this coming weekend, the Revel F206 and F208.
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