In this review, we will be comparing SuperCenter XL and C426Be, two Passive Center Channel speakers from GoldenEar and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar SuperCenter XL and Revel C426Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar SuperCenter XL | Revel C426Be |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5-1/4" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-35k Hz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-250 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.55kg / 21lbs | 33.05kg / 72.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5-3/4" x 29" x 11-1/8"
147.0 x 737.0 x 283.0mm | 12-5/16" x 38-5/8" x 14-1/16"
313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar SuperCenter XL and Revel C426Be 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* |
GoldenEar SuperCenter XL |
Revel C426Be |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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 SuperCenter XL is a 2-way design whereas the C426Be 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.
| Driver |
GoldenEar SuperCenter XL |
Revel C426Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-1/4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x -inch
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
SuperCenter XL features a " Tweeter and 2 x " Woofer. On the other hand, the C426Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter, a 5-1/4" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating Woofer.
Frequency Response
SuperCenter XL has a frequency range of 36-35k Hz whereas C426Be has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the SuperCenter XL can go slightly deeper then the C426Be'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 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
SuperCenter XL and C426Be have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SuperCenter XL sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the C426Be's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the GoldenEar SuperCenter XL a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel C426Be, 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.
C426Be can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas SuperCenter XL has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the C426Be.
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
SuperCenter XL features Binding post type posts and C426Be has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Revel C426Be's Binding post terminals
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 GoldenEar SuperCenter XL's and Revel C426Be's external dimensions. GoldenEar SuperCenter XL has external dimensions of 147.0 x 737.0 x 283.0mm (5-3/4 x 29 x 11-1/8inch) whereas Revel C426Be has external dimensions of 313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm (12-5/16 x 38-5/8 x 14-1/16inch).
Revel C426Be is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 245mm wider, 166mm taller and 75mm deeper than GoldenEar SuperCenter XL.
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 C426Be needs about 69% more floor or shelf area. Revel C426Be is 75mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Revel C426Be is 166mm 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 GoldenEar SuperCenter XL is approximately 2085.7cm2 / 323.3inch2 and base area of the Revel C426Be is approximately 3515.6cm2 / 544.9inch2. The SuperCenter XL requires 41% less surface area than the C426Be 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 GoldenEar SuperCenter XL weighs 9.55kg / 21lbs and the Revel C426Be weighs 33.05kg / 72.7lbs. This makes the C426Be 246% heavier than the SuperCenter XL.
Here is a comparison of how SuperCenter XL and C426Be'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 GoldenEar SuperCenter XL?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SuperCenter XL:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 3 Leveling feet
- 3 Threaded-inserts
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Revel C426Be?
Here are the items that come with the C426Be:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Feet assembly
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
147mm
vs
313mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2085cm2
vs
3515cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1099USD
vs
4950USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
GoldenEar SuperCenter XL |
Revel C426Be |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-35k Hz |
38-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5-1/4" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
147.0mm (5.8") |
313.0mm (12.3") |
| Width |
737.0mm (29") |
982.0mm (38.7") |
| Depth |
283.0mm (11.1") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Weight |
9.55kg (21lbs) |
33.05kg (72.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Revel C426Be costs roughly 4.5x what GoldenEar SuperCenter XL does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (36Hz vs 38Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | GoldenEar SuperCenter XL is easier to place; Revel C426Be is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Price | A | GoldenEar SuperCenter XL is cheaper - $1,099 against $4,950, about 78% less; arguably a different class. |
A GoldenEar SuperCenter XL B Revel C426Be
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. In a large or open-plan room, Revel C426Be has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, GoldenEar SuperCenter XL is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $3,851 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.