In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Revel. Revel Performa3 C205 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Performa3 F208 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Performa3 C205 and Revel Performa3 F208 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Revel Performa3 C205 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter
- 2 x 5.25" aluminum cone with cast frames Woofer
- 80Hz- 20kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-120watts
- Weight:11.86kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 207.0" x 21-1/16" x 11-9/16"( 207.0 x 535.0 x 294.0mm )
Revel Performa3 F208 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Aluminum Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 31Hz- 20kHz Frequency Response
- 88.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-350watts
- Weight:36.27kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1188.0" x 13-5/8" x 15"( 1188.0 x 347.0 x 381.0mm )
Revel Performa3 C205 and Performa3 F208 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 F208 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 F208 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Revel Performa3 C205 and Revel Performa3 F208 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Revel Performa3 C205 is a 2-way design whereas the Performa3 F208 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.
| Driver |
Revel Performa3 C205 |
Revel Performa3 F208 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Revel 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 F208 features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 8" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Revel Performa3 C205 has a frequency range of 80Hz- 20kHz whereas Performa3 F208 has a frequency range of 31Hz- 20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 31Hz, the Performa3 F208 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Revel Performa3 C205's min frequency of 80Hz.
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
Revel Performa3 C205 and Performa3 F208 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Revel Performa3 C205 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Performa3 F208's is at 88.5 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. 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.
Revel Performa3 C205 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Revel Performa3 C205 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 230 watts less than the Performa3 F208.
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
Performa3 F208 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Revel Performa3 C205 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Revel Performa3 C205's Binding post terminals
Revel Performa3 F208's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Revel Performa3 C205's and Revel Performa3 F208'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 F208 has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 347.0 x 381.0mm ( 46-3/4 x 13-5/8 x 15inch) .
Revel Performa3 C205 is 981mm shorter and 87mm less deeper than Revel Performa3 F208 but it is also 188mm wider.
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 F208 is approximately 1322.1cm2 / 204.9inch2. The Revel Performa3 C205 requires 19% more surface area than the Performa3 F208 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 C205?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Revel Performa3 C205:
Center-channel loudspeakerGrille2 Short feet2 Long feetOwners Manual
What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 F208?
Here are the items that come with the Performa3 F208:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Spike feet4 Locking rings4 Washers2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Foam port plugOwners Manual
Height 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Woofer Size 
Base Surface Area