In this review, we will be comparing F1-8S and F328Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F1-8S and Revel PerformaBe F328Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F1-8S | Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 3 x 8.0" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-34k Hz | 26-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20 - 200 W watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 29.94kg / 65.9lbs | 51.18kg / 112.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42.8" x 13.2" x 17.5"
1087.1 x 335.3 x 444.5mm | 50-15/16" x 13-1/2" x 17-5/8"
1294.0 x 343.0 x 448.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F1-8S 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* |
Fyne Audio F1-8S |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that F1-8S is a 2-way design whereas the F328Be 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.
Fyne Audio F1-8SRevel 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 |
Fyne Audio F1-8S |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 8-inch
|
3 x 8.0-inch
|
F1-8S features a " Tweeter and x 8" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800 Hz. On the other hand, the F328Be features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
F1-8S has a frequency range of 30-34k Hz whereas F328Be has a frequency range of 26-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the F328Be can go slightly deeper then the F1-8S's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
F1-8S and F328Be have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
F328Be can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas F1-8S has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the F328Be.
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. F1-8S has a Binding post 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 Fyne Audio F1-8S's and Revel PerformaBe F328Be's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F1-8S has external dimensions of 1087.1 x 335.3 x 444.5mm (42.8 x 13.2 x 17.5inch) 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 clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 7.7mm wider, 206.9mm taller and 3.5mm deeper than Fyne Audio F1-8S.
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.
Near-identical footprints. Revel PerformaBe F328Be is 207mm 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 Fyne Audio F1-8S is approximately 1490.4cm2 / 231.0inch2 and base area of the Revel PerformaBe F328Be is approximately 1536.6cm2 / 238.2inch2. The F1-8S requires 3% 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 Fyne Audio F1-8S weighs 29.94kg / 65.9lbs and the Revel PerformaBe F328Be weighs 51.18kg / 112.6lbs. This makes the F328Be 71% heavier than the F1-8S.
Here is a comparison of how F1-8S 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
 Height |
1087mm
vs
1294mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1490cm2
vs
1536cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
34k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
17600USD
vs
17999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Fyne Audio F1-8S |
Revel PerformaBe F328Be |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20 - 200 W watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-34k Hz |
26-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1800 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1087.1mm (42.8") |
1294.0mm (50.9") |
| Width |
335.3mm (13.2") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Depth |
444.5mm (17.5") |
448.0mm (17.6") |
| Weight |
29.94kg (65.9lbs) |
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 |
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 30Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Revel PerformaBe F328Be: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($17,999 vs $17,600 a pair). |
A Fyne Audio F1-8S 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 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does.
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.