In this review, we will be comparing R6 Meta and Revel Performa3 C208, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KEF and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R6 Meta and Revel Performa3 C208 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF R6 Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
- 65-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:15-250watts
- Weight:17.82kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 202.0" x 24-5/8" x 13-5/16"( 202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm )
Revel Performa3 C208 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames Woofer
- 4" Midrange
- 50Hz- 20kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-350watts
- Weight:23.41kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 307.0" x 29" x 13-11/16"( 307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm )
What size room are the KEF R6 Meta and Revel Performa3 C208 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* |
KEF R6 Meta |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Bad |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* 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 KEF R6 Meta and Revel Performa3 C208 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both R6 Meta and Revel Performa3 C208 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF R6 Meta |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
R6 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Hard-Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2400Hz. On the other hand, the Revel Performa3 C208 features a 1" aluminum dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames Woofer .
Frequency Response
R6 Meta has a frequency range of 65-28k Hz whereas Revel Performa3 C208 has a frequency range of 50Hz- 20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Revel Performa3 C208 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R6 Meta's min frequency of 65Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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
R6 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Revel Performa3 C208 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 R6 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R6 Meta sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Revel Performa3 C208's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Revel Performa3 C208 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R6 Meta, 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. 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.
R6 Meta can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R6 Meta has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Revel Performa3 C208.
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
R6 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Revel Performa3 C208 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R6 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Revel Performa3 C208's Binding post terminals
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 KEF R6 Meta's and Revel Performa3 C208's external dimensions. KEF R6 Meta has external dimensions of 202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm ( 7-15/16-inch x 24-5/8-inch x 13-5/16-inch) whereas Revel Performa3 C208 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm ( 12-1/16 x 29 x 13-11/16inch) .
Revel Performa3 C208 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 111mm wider, 105mm taller and 9mm deeper than KEF R6 Meta.
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 KEF R6 Meta is approximately 2122.1cm2 / 328.9inch2 and base area of the Revel Performa3 C208 is approximately 2564.8cm2 / 397.5inch2. The R6 Meta requires 17% less surface area than the Revel Performa3 C208 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.