In this review, we will be comparing Reference 5 Meta and PerformaBe F228Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 5 Meta and Revel PerformaBe F228Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Reference 5 Meta | Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
|---|
| 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" aluminium dome with MAT | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone | 2 x 8" DCC Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-35k Hz | 27-44k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 60.20kg / 132.4lbs | 37.27kg / 82lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 55.2" x 12.7" x 18.4"
1402 x 323 x 467 mm | 46-1/2" x 11-13/16" x 13-1/4"
1182.0 x 301.0 x 337.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Reference 5 Meta and Revel PerformaBe F228Be 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 Reference 5 Meta |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 Reference 5 Meta and PerformaBe F228Be are 3-way speakers.
KEF Reference 5 MetaRevel PerformaBe F228Be
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 Reference 5 Meta |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Reference 5 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the PerformaBe F228Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 8" DCC Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Reference 5 Meta has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz whereas PerformaBe F228Be has a frequency range of 27-44k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the PerformaBe F228Be can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 5 Meta's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Reference 5 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the PerformaBe F228Be 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 Reference 5 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 5 Meta sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the PerformaBe F228Be's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel PerformaBe F228Be a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 5 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
Reference 5 Meta can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas PerformaBe F228Be has a max power handling value of 350 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Reference 5 Meta.
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
Both Reference 5 Meta and PerformaBe F228Be features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF Reference 5 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Reference 5 Meta has a rear firing port whereas PerformaBe F228Be has a front firing ports. Revel PerformaBe F228Be's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF Reference 5 Meta with its rear-firing port.
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 Reference 5 Meta's and Revel PerformaBe F228Be's external dimensions. KEF Reference 5 Meta has external dimensions of 1402 x 323 x 467 mm (55.2 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.) whereas Revel PerformaBe F228Be has external dimensions of 1182.0 x 301.0 x 337.0mm (46-1/2 x 11-13/16 x 13-1/4inch).
KEF Reference 5 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 22mm wider, 220mm taller and 130mm deeper than Revel PerformaBe F228Be.
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 Reference 5 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2 and base area of the Revel PerformaBe F228Be is approximately 1014.4cm2 / 157.2inch2. The Reference 5 Meta requires 49% more surface area than the PerformaBe F228Be which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Reference 5 Meta weighs 60.20kg / 132.4lbs and the Revel PerformaBe F228Be weighs 37.27kg / 82lbs. This makes the Reference 5 Meta 62% heavier than the PerformaBe F228Be.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 5 Meta and PerformaBe F228Be'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 F228Be?
Here are the items that come with the PerformaBe F228Be:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
350 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Sensitivity |
90 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 |
27 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
44k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1182mm
vs
1402mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1014cm2
vs
1508cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
11000USD
vs
22000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Reference 5 Meta |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
| Brand |
KEF |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40-35k Hz |
27-44k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminium cone |
DCC Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminium dome with MAT |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1402.0mm (55.2") |
1182.0mm (46.5") |
| Width |
323.0mm (12.7") |
301.0mm (11.9") |
| Depth |
467.0mm (18.4") |
337.0mm (13.3") |
| Weight |
60.20kg (132.4lbs) |
37.27kg (82lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
Wood/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss White/Blue, High-Gloss White/Champagne, High-Gloss Black/Grey, High-Gloss Black/Copper, Satin Walnut/Silver |
Gloss White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KEF Reference 5 Meta costs roughly 2x what Revel PerformaBe F228Be 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 | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be digs deeper - 27Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be 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 (400W vs 350W). |
| Size | depends | Revel PerformaBe F228Be is easier to place; KEF Reference 5 Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF Reference 5 Meta: bi-amping; Revel PerformaBe F228Be: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be is cheaper - $11,000 against $22,000, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A KEF Reference 5 Meta B Revel PerformaBe F228Be
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 F228Be is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take KEF Reference 5 Meta 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 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, KEF Reference 5 Meta has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Revel PerformaBe F228Be 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.