In this review, we will be comparing C3C and Performa3 C208, two Passive Center Channel speakers from ATC and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ATC C3C and Revel Performa3 C208 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ATC C3C | Revel Performa3 C208 |
|---|
| Brand | ATC
United Kingdom · founded 1974 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.98" | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.91" | 2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames |
|---|
| Frequency response | 54-22k Hz | 50Hz- 20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 75 to 300 Watts watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.00kg / 39.6lbs | 23.41kg / 51.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9.06" x 19.69" x 11.93"
230.0 x 500.0 x 303.0mm | 12-1/16" x 29" x 13-11/16"
307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ATC C3C and Revel Performa3 C208 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
ATC C3C |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Good |
Bad |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Good |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that C3C is a 2-way design whereas the Performa3 C208 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
ATC C3CRevel Performa3 C208
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ATC C3C |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.98-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.91-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
C3C features a 0.98" Tweeter and 1 x 5.91" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.2kHz. On the other hand, the Performa3 C208 features a 1" aluminum dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames Woofer.
Frequency Response
C3C has a frequency range of 54-22k Hz whereas Performa3 C208 has a frequency range of 50Hz- 20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Performa3 C208 can go slightly deeper then the C3C's min frequency of 54Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
C3C and Performa3 C208 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. C3C sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Performa3 C208's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Revel Performa3 C208 a more sensitive speaker compared to ATC C3C, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Performa3 C208 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas C3C has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Performa3 C208.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ATC C3C's and Revel Performa3 C208's external dimensions. ATC C3C has external dimensions of 230.0 x 500.0 x 303.0mm (9.06 x 19.69 x 11.93inch) whereas Revel Performa3 C208 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm (12-1/16 x 29 x 13-11/16inch).
Revel Performa3 C208 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 237mm wider, 77mm taller and 45mm deeper than ATC C3C.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Revel Performa3 C208 needs about 69% more floor or shelf area. Revel Performa3 C208 is 45mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Revel Performa3 C208 is 77mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the ATC C3C is approximately 1515.0cm2 / 234.8inch2 and base area of the Revel Performa3 C208 is approximately 2564.8cm2 / 397.5inch2. The C3C requires 41% less surface area than the Performa3 C208 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The ATC C3C weighs 18.00kg / 39.6lbs and the Revel Performa3 C208 weighs 23.41kg / 51.5lbs. This makes the Performa3 C208 30% heavier than the C3C.
Here is a comparison of how C3C and Performa3 C208's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 C208?
Here are the items that come with the Performa3 C208:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Short feet
- 2 Long feet
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
230mm
vs
307mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1515cm2
vs
2564cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.91 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
54 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
2200USD
vs
2249USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ATC C3C |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
| Brand |
ATC |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
75 to 300 Watts watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
54-22k Hz |
50Hz- 20kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.91" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
anodized aluminum cone with cast frames |
| Tweeter Size |
0.98" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.2kHz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
230.0mm (9.1") |
307.0mm (12.1") |
| Width |
500.0mm (19.7") |
737.0mm (29") |
| Depth |
303.0mm (11.9") |
348.0mm (13.7") |
| Weight |
18.00kg (39.6lbs) |
23.41kg (51.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: ATC C3C is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel Performa3 C208 digs deeper - 50Hz against 54Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 350W). |
| Size | depends | ATC C3C is easier to place; Revel Performa3 C208 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Passive Radiator. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,249 vs $2,200 a pair). |
A ATC C3C B Revel Performa3 C208
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Revel Performa3 C208 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate ATC C3C the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and Revel Performa3 C208 for a large room. In a large or open-plan room, Revel Performa3 C208 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, ATC C3C is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.