In this review, we will be comparing R6 Meta and 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.
| Key Specs | KEF R6 Meta | Revel Performa3 C208 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-28k Hz | 50Hz- 20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-250 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.82kg / 39.2lbs | 23.41kg / 51.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-15/16" x 24-5/8" x 13-5/16"
202.0 x 626.0 x 339.0mm | 12-1/16" 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both R6 Meta and Performa3 C208 are 3-way speakers.
KEF R6 MetaRevel Performa3 C208
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| 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 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 Performa3 C208 has a frequency range of 50Hz- 20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Performa3 C208 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R6 Meta's min frequency of 65Hz.
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
R6 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 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 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Performa3 C208 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas R6 Meta has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Performa3 C208.
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
R6 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. 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
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 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 Performa3 C208 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 KEF R6 Meta weighs 17.82kg / 39.2lbs and the Revel Performa3 C208 weighs 23.41kg / 51.5lbs. This makes the Performa3 C208 31% heavier than the R6 Meta.
Here is a comparison of how R6 Meta and Performa3 C208'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 KEF R6 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R6 Meta:
- 1 R2 Meta
- 1 microfiber grille
- Rubber feet
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 C208?
Here are the items that come with the Performa3 C208:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Short feet
- 2 Long feet
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
202mm
vs
307mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2122cm2
vs
2564cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1999USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 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 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
KEF R6 Meta |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
65-28k Hz |
50Hz- 20kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
anodized aluminum cone with cast frames |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2400Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
202.0mm (8") |
307.0mm (12.1") |
| Width |
626.0mm (24.6") |
737.0mm (29") |
| Depth |
339.0mm (13.3") |
348.0mm (13.7") |
| Weight |
17.82kg (39.2lbs) |
23.41kg (51.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KEF R6 Meta is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel Performa3 C208 digs deeper - 50Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Revel Performa3 C208 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Revel Performa3 C208 takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KEF R6 Meta is easier to place; Revel Performa3 C208 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Passive Radiator. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | A | KEF R6 Meta: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,999 vs $2,200 a pair). |
A KEF R6 Meta B Revel Performa3 C208
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 Performa3 C208 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R6 Meta the better fit for a mid-size room, and Revel Performa3 C208 for a very large room.
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.