In this review, we will be comparing Performa3 F206 and RF-7 III, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Revel and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Performa3 F206 and Klipsch RF-7 III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Revel Performa3 F206 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 42Hz- 20kHz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-200watts
- Weight:26.41kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1058.0" x 10" x 13-7/8"( 1058.0 x 254.0 x 353.0mm )
Klipsch RF-7 III Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.75" dome Tweeter
- 2 x 10" Cerametallic Woofer
- 32-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 100 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 250watts
- Weight:44.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1247.0" x 13-15/16" x 17-15/16"( 1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm )
What size room are the Revel Performa3 F206 and Klipsch RF-7 III 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 F206 |
Klipsch RF-7 III |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 F206 and Klipsch RF-7 III 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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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Performa3 F206 is a 3-way design whereas the RF-7 III 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.
| Driver |
Revel Performa3 F206 |
Klipsch RF-7 III |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 10-inch
|
Performa3 F206 features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 275Hz and 2150Hz. On the other hand, the RF-7 III features a 1.75" titanium dome Tweeter and 2 x 10" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1300Hz.
Frequency Response
Performa3 F206 has a frequency range of 42Hz- 20kHz whereas RF-7 III has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RF-7 III can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Performa3 F206's min frequency of 42Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Performa3 F206 and RF-7 III have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Performa3 F206 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the RF-7 III's is at 100 dB. This 12 dB difference makes the Klipsch RF-7 III a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel Performa3 F206, 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. 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.
Performa3 F206 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Performa3 F206 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the RF-7 III.
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
RF-7 III features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Performa3 F206 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Revel Performa3 F206's Binding post terminals
Klipsch RF-7 III's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Performa3 F206 and RF-7 III 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
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 F206's and Klipsch RF-7 III's external dimensions. Revel Performa3 F206 has external dimensions of 1058.0 x 254.0 x 353.0mm ( 41-5/8 x 10 x 13-7/8inch) whereas Klipsch RF-7 III has external dimensions of 1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm ( 49-1/16 x 13-15/16 x 17-15/16inch) .
Klipsch RF-7 III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 101mm wider, 189mm taller and 103mm deeper than Revel Performa3 F206.
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 F206 is approximately 896.6cm2 / 139.0inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RF-7 III is approximately 1618.8cm2 / 250.9inch2. The Performa3 F206 requires 45% less surface area than the RF-7 III which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.