In this review, we will be comparing Confidence 30 and F328Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Dynaudio and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Confidence 30 and Revel PerformaBe F328Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Confidence 30 | Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" MSP | 3 x 8.0" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-22k Hz | 26-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 44.20kg / 97.2lbs | 51.18kg / 112.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 52-5/8" x 8-3/4" x 15-11/16"
1337.0 x 222.0 x 399.0mm | 50-15/16" x 13-1/2" x 17-5/8"
1294.0 x 343.0 x 448.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Dynaudio Confidence 30 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* |
Dynaudio Confidence 30 |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 Confidence 30 and F328Be are 3-way speakers.
Dynaudio Confidence 30Revel 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 |
Dynaudio Confidence 30 |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
3 x 8.0-inch
|
Confidence 30 features a 1.1" Esotar 3 Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 290/3700 Hz. On the other hand, the F328Be features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Confidence 30 has a frequency range of 38-22k 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 Confidence 30's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
Confidence 30 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the F328Be which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Confidence 30 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Confidence 30 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the F328Be's is rated at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Revel PerformaBe F328Be a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Confidence 30, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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. Confidence 30 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Confidence 30 has a down firing port whereas F328Be has a rear firing ports.
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 Dynaudio Confidence 30's and Revel PerformaBe F328Be's external dimensions. Dynaudio Confidence 30 has external dimensions of 1337.0 x 222.0 x 399.0mm (52-5/8 x 8-3/4 x 15-11/16inch) 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).
Dynaudio Confidence 30 is 121mm narrower and 49mm less deeper than Revel PerformaBe F328Be but it is also 43mm 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.
Revel PerformaBe F328Be needs about 73% more floor or shelf area. Revel PerformaBe F328Be is 49mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Dynaudio Confidence 30 is 43mm 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 Dynaudio Confidence 30 is approximately 885.8cm2 / 137.3inch2 and base area of the Revel PerformaBe F328Be is approximately 1536.6cm2 / 238.2inch2. The Confidence 30 requires 42% less surface area than the F328Be 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 Dynaudio Confidence 30 weighs 44.20kg / 97.2lbs and the Revel PerformaBe F328Be weighs 51.18kg / 112.6lbs. This makes the F328Be 16% heavier than the Confidence 30.
Here is a comparison of how Confidence 30 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 |
350 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
885cm2
vs
1536cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8.0 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1294mm
vs
1337mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
17600USD
vs
21000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Dynaudio Confidence 30 |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-22k Hz |
26-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
8.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
MSP |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
290/3700 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
down |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1337.0mm (52.6") |
1294.0mm (50.9") |
| Width |
222.0mm (8.7") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Depth |
399.0mm (15.7") |
448.0mm (17.6") |
| Weight |
44.20kg (97.2lbs) |
51.18kg (112.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
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 38Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (350W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Confidence 30 is easier to place; Revel PerformaBe F328Be is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be is cheaper - $17,600 against $21,000, about 16% less. |
A Dynaudio Confidence 30 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 Dynaudio Confidence 30 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 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Revel PerformaBe F328Be has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Dynaudio Confidence 30 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.