In this review, we will be comparing SCM100PSL and F328Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ATC and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ATC SCM100PSL and Revel PerformaBe F328Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ATC SCM100PSL | Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
|---|
| Brand | ATC
United Kingdom · founded 1974 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.98" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 2.95" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12.36" | 3 x 8.0" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-17k Hz | 26-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100 to 1500 Watts watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 52.10kg / 114.6lbs | 51.18kg / 112.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 32-13/16" x 15-3/4" x 20-7/8"
834.0 x 400.0 x 530.0mm | 50-15/16" x 13-1/2" x 17-5/8"
1294.0 x 343.0 x 448.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ATC SCM100PSL and Revel PerformaBe F328Be 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 SCM100PSL |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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
Both SCM100PSL and F328Be are 3-way speakers.
ATC SCM100PSLRevel PerformaBe F328Be
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 SCM100PSL |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.98-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2.95-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12.36-inch
|
3 x 8.0-inch
|
SCM100PSL features a 0.98" Tweeter, a 2.95" Midrange and 1 x 12.36" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz & 3.5kHz. On the other hand, the F328Be features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
SCM100PSL has a frequency range of 65-17k Hz whereas F328Be has a frequency range of 26-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the F328Be can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SCM100PSL's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
SCM100PSL and F328Be have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SCM100PSL sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the F328Be's is at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Revel PerformaBe F328Be a more sensitive speaker compared to ATC SCM100PSL, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
SCM100PSL can handle a max power of 1500 watts RMS, whereas F328Be has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 1200 watts less than the SCM100PSL.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
F328Be features 5-way posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SCM100PSL has a XLR which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 SCM100PSL's and Revel PerformaBe F328Be's external dimensions. ATC SCM100PSL has external dimensions of 834.0 x 400.0 x 530.0mm () whereas Revel PerformaBe F328Be has external dimensions of 1294.0 x 343.0 x 448.0mm (50-15/16 x 13-1/2 x 17-5/8inch).
Revel PerformaBe F328Be is 57mm narrower and 82mm less deeper than ATC SCM100PSL but it is also 460mm taller.
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.
ATC SCM100PSL needs about 38% more floor or shelf area. ATC SCM100PSL is 82mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Revel PerformaBe F328Be is 460mm 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 SCM100PSL is approximately 2120.0cm2 / 328.6inch2 and base area of the Revel PerformaBe F328Be is approximately 1536.6cm2 / 238.2inch2. The SCM100PSL requires 38% more surface area than the F328Be which gives it a small disadvantage 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 SCM100PSL weighs 52.10kg / 114.6lbs and the Revel PerformaBe F328Be weighs 51.18kg / 112.6lbs. This makes the SCM100PSL 2% heavier than the F328Be.
Here is a comparison of how SCM100PSL and F328Be's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Revel PerformaBe F328Be?
Here are the items that come with the F328Be:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Owners Manual
 Max Input Power |
1500 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
12.36 inches
vs
8.0 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
834mm
vs
1294mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
17k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1536cm2
vs
2120cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
17600USD
vs
26999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ATC SCM100PSL |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
| Brand |
ATC |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100 to 1500 Watts watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
65-17k Hz |
26-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
12.36" |
8.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
0.98" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2.95" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
380Hz & 3.5kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
834.0mm (32.8") |
1294.0mm (50.9") |
| Width |
400.0mm (15.7") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Depth |
530.0mm (20.9") |
448.0mm (17.6") |
| Weight |
52.10kg (114.6lbs) |
51.18kg (112.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be digs deeper - 26Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | ATC SCM100PSL takes more power (1500W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be is cheaper - $17,600 against $26,999, about 35% less. |
A ATC SCM100PSL B Revel PerformaBe F328Be
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 PerformaBe F328Be is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take ATC SCM100PSL if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate ATC SCM100PSL the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and Revel PerformaBe F328Be for a large room and a very large room.
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.