In this review, we will be comparing Performa3 C205 and Performa3 C208, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Performa3 C205 and Revel Performa3 C208 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel Performa3 C205 | Revel Performa3 C208 |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" aluminum cone with cast frames | 2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames |
|---|
| Frequency response | 80Hz- 20kHz | 50Hz- 20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-120 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.86kg / 26.1lbs | 23.41kg / 51.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-1/8" x 21-1/16" x 11-9/16"
207.0 x 535.0 x 294.0mm | 12-1/16" x 29" x 13-11/16"
307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm |
|---|
Performa3 C205 and Performa3 C208 are members of Revel's Performa3 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Revel Performa3 Series
History
What size room are the Revel Performa3 C205 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* |
Revel Performa3 C205 |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Bad |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Performa3 C205 is a 2-way design whereas the Performa3 C208 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 Performa3 C205Revel 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 |
Revel Performa3 C205 |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Performa3 C205 features a 1" aluminum dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" aluminum cone with cast frames Woofer. 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
Performa3 C205 has a frequency range of 80Hz- 20kHz 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 Performa3 C205's min frequency of 80Hz.
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
Performa3 C205 and Performa3 C208 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 dB.
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 Performa3 C205 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 230 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
Performa3 C205 features Binding post type posts and Performa3 C208 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Revel Performa3 C205's Binding post terminals
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 Revel Performa3 C205's and Revel Performa3 C208's external dimensions. Revel Performa3 C205 has external dimensions of 207.0 x 535.0 x 294.0mm (8-1/8 x 21-1/16 x 11-9/16inch) 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 202mm wider, 100mm taller and 54mm deeper than Revel Performa3 C205.
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 Performa3 C205 is approximately 1572.9cm2 / 243.8inch2 and base area of the Revel Performa3 C208 is approximately 2564.8cm2 / 397.5inch2. The Performa3 C205 requires 39% 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 Revel Performa3 C205 weighs 11.86kg / 26.1lbs and the Revel Performa3 C208 weighs 23.41kg / 51.5lbs. This makes the Performa3 C208 97% heavier than the Performa3 C205.
Here is a comparison of how Performa3 C205 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 Revel Performa3 C205?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Performa3 C205:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Short feet
- 2 Long feet
- Owners Manual
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
 Height |
207mm
vs
307mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1572cm2
vs
2564cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
80 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Revel Performa3 C205 |
Revel Performa3 C208 |
| Brand |
Revel |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-120 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
80Hz- 20kHz |
50Hz- 20kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum cone with cast frames |
anodized aluminum cone with cast frames |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
207.0mm (8.1") |
307.0mm (12.1") |
| Width |
535.0mm (21.1") |
737.0mm (29") |
| Depth |
294.0mm (11.6") |
348.0mm (13.7") |
| Weight |
11.86kg (26.1lbs) |
23.41kg (51.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Revel's Performa3 series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel Performa3 C208 digs deeper - 50Hz against 80Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Revel Performa3 C208 takes more power (350W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Revel Performa3 C205 is easier to place; Revel Performa3 C208 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Revel Performa3 C205 is cheaper - $1,100 against $2,200, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A Revel Performa3 C205 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?
The usual trade-off: Revel Performa3 C208 measures better, Revel Performa3 C205 costs about about 100% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 80Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Revel Performa3 C205 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Revel Performa3 C205 the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and Revel Performa3 C208 for a large room and 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.