In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Revel. Revel Concerta M8 SP2 is a On-wall speaker whereas the F35 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel M8 SP2 and Revel Concerta2 F35 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel M8 SP2 | Revel Concerta2 F35 |
|---|
| Brand | Revel United States · founded 1996 | Revel United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" dome with with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
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| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
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| Woofer | 2 x 3" Micro Ceramic Composite | 2 x 5.25" Anodized aluminum |
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| Frequency response | 110-21k Hz | 55- Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
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| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
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| Power range | 10-125 watts | 30-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 1.57kg / 3.5lbs | 18.64kg / 41lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11-11/16" x 4-1/4" x 4-5/8" 297.0 x 108.0 x 118.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-1/2" x 12-5/16" 1026.0 x 216.0 x 313.0mm |
|---|
M8 SP2 and F35 are members of Revel's Concerta series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Revel Concerta Series
History
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 M8 SP2 is a 2-way design whereas the F35 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.
Revel M8 SP2Revel Concerta2 F35
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Revel M8 SP2 |
Revel Concerta2 F35 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 3-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
M8 SP2 features a 1" MCC (Micro Ceramic Composite) Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 3" Micro Ceramic Composite Woofer. On the other hand, the F35 features a 1" aluminum dome with with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Anodized aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
M8 SP2 has a frequency range of 110-21k Hz whereas F35 has a frequency range of 55- Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the F35 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the M8 SP2's min frequency of 110Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the On-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
On-wall 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
M8 SP2 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the F35 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. M8 SP2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the F35's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel Concerta2 F35 a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel M8 SP2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
On-wall 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.
F35 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas M8 SP2 has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 55 watts less than the F35.
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
M8 SP2 features 5-Way post type posts and F35 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both M8 SP2 and F35 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Revel M8 SP2's and Revel Concerta2 F35's external dimensions. Revel M8 SP2 has external dimensions of 297.0 x 108.0 x 118.0mm (11-11/16 x 4-1/4 x 4-5/8inch) whereas Revel Concerta2 F35 has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 216.0 x 313.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-1/2 x 12-5/16inch).
Revel Concerta2 F35 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 108mm wider, 729mm taller and 195mm deeper than Revel M8 SP2.
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 Concerta2 F35 needs about 431% more floor or shelf area. Revel Concerta2 F35 is 195mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Revel Concerta2 F35 is 729mm 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 Revel M8 SP2 is approximately 127.4cm2 / 19.7inch2 and base area of the Revel Concerta2 F35 is approximately 676.1cm2 / 104.8inch2. The M8 SP2 requires 81% less surface area than the F35 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Revel M8 SP2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of M8 SP2:
- 2 Satellite loudspeakers
- 2 Wall-brackets
- 4 Wall-mount end-caps
- 2 Rubber foot pads
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Revel Concerta2 F35?
Here are the items that come with the F35:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- Owners Manual