In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Revel. Revel Performa3 C208 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the M106 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Performa3 C208 and Revel M106 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel Performa3 C208 | Revel M106 |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide | 1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" anodized aluminum cone with cast frames | 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50Hz- 20kHz | 59Hz- 20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-350 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.41kg / 51.5lbs | 8.41kg / 18.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-1/16" x 29" x 13-11/16"
307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm | 15-1/16" x 8-1/4" x 11"
383.0 x 210.0 x 280.0mm |
|---|
Performa3 C208 and M106 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 C208 and Revel M106 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 C208 |
Revel M106 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
(* 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 C208 is a 3-way design whereas the M106 is a 2-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 C208Revel M106
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 C208 |
Revel M106 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the M106 features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
Performa3 C208 has a frequency range of 50Hz- 20kHz whereas M106 has a frequency range of 59Hz- 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 M106's min frequency of 59Hz.
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 C208 and M106 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Performa3 C208 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the M106's is at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel Performa3 C208 a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel M106, 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 M106 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 200 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 C208 features Binding post type posts and M106 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Revel Performa3 C208's Binding post terminals
Revel M106'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 C208's and Revel M106's external dimensions. Revel Performa3 C208 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 737.0 x 348.0mm (12-1/16 x 29 x 13-11/16inch) whereas Revel M106 has external dimensions of 383.0 x 210.0 x 280.0mm (15-1/16 x 8-1/4 x 11inch).
Revel M106 is 527mm narrower and 68mm less deeper than Revel Performa3 C208 but it is also 76mm 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 Performa3 C208 is approximately 2564.8cm2 / 397.5inch2 and base area of the Revel M106 is approximately 588.0cm2 / 91.1inch2. The Performa3 C208 requires 336% more surface area than the M106 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 C208?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Performa3 C208:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Short feet
- 2 Long feet
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Revel M106?
Here are the items that come with the M106:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual