In this review, we will be comparing 702 S3 and PerformaBe F226Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 702 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
B&W 702 S3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer
- 46-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-300watts
- Weight:33.46kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1138.0" x 7.6" x 15.4"( 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm )
Revel PerformaBe F226Be Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 50-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-200watts
- Weight:26.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1050.0" x 9-13/16" x 13-3/4"( 1050.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm )
What size room are the B&W 702 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be 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* |
B&W 702 S3 |
Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W 702 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both 702 S3 and PerformaBe F226Be are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
B&W 702 S3 |
Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer . On the other hand, the PerformaBe F226Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas PerformaBe F226Be has a frequency range of 50-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the 702 S3 can go slightly deeper then the PerformaBe F226Be's min frequency of 50Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
702 S3 and PerformaBe F226Be have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
702 S3 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas PerformaBe F226Be has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the 702 S3.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 702 S3 and PerformaBe F226Be features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 702 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
702 S3 has a rear firing port whereas PerformaBe F226Be has a front firing ports. Revel PerformaBe F226Be's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 702 S3 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare B&W 702 S3's and Revel PerformaBe F226Be's external dimensions. B&W 702 S3 has external dimensions of 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm ( 44.8-inch x 7.6-inch x 15.4-inch) whereas Revel PerformaBe F226Be has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm ( 41-5/16 x 9-13/16 x 13-3/4inch) .
Revel PerformaBe F226Be is 88mm shorter and 41mm less deeper than B&W 702 S3 but it is also 58mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 702 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 702 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be Size and External Dimensions
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 B&W 702 S3 is approximately 750.7cm2 / 116.4inch2 and base area of the Revel PerformaBe F226Be is approximately 875.0cm2 / 135.6inch2. The 702 S3 requires 14% less surface area than the PerformaBe F226Be which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.