In this review, we will be comparing Performa3 F206 and Performa4 F345, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Performa3 F206 and Revel Performa4 F345 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel Performa3 F206 | Revel Performa4 F345 |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum | 3 x 5.25" Micro Ceramic Composite (MCC) |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42Hz- 20kHz | 36-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | 30-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.41kg / 58.1lbs | 29.09kg / 64lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-5/8" x 10" x 13-7/8"
1058.0 x 254.0 x 353.0mm | 41" x 11-15/16" x 13-15/16"
1042.0 x 304.0 x 355.0mm |
|---|
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 F206 is a 3-way design whereas the Performa4 F345 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 F206Revel Performa4 F345
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 F206 |
Revel Performa4 F345 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 5.25-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 Performa4 F345 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 3 x 5.25" Micro Ceramic Composite (MCC) Woofer.
Frequency Response
Performa3 F206 has a frequency range of 42Hz- 20kHz whereas Performa4 F345 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Performa4 F345 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Performa3 F206's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 F206 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Performa4 F345 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Performa3 F206 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Performa4 F345's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Revel Performa3 F206 a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel Performa4 F345, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Performa4 F345 can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas Performa3 F206 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Performa4 F345.
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
Performa4 F345 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
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 F206's and Revel Performa4 F345'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 Revel Performa4 F345 has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 304.0 x 355.0mm (41inch x 11-15/16inch x 13-15/16inch).
Revel Performa3 F206 is 50mm narrower and 2mm less deeper than Revel Performa4 F345 but it is also 16mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Revel Performa3 F206 and Revel Performa4 F345 in scale.
Comparison image of Revel Performa3 F206 and Revel Performa4 F345 Size and External Dimensions
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 Revel Performa4 F345 is approximately 1079.2cm2 / 167.3inch2. The Performa3 F206 requires 17% less surface area than the Performa4 F345 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 F206 weighs 26.41kg / 58.1lbs and the Revel Performa4 F345 weighs 29.09kg / 64lbs. This makes the Performa4 F345 10% heavier than the Performa3 F206.
Here is a comparison of how Performa3 F206 and Performa4 F345's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 F206?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Performa3 F206:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Revel Performa4 F345?
Here are the items that come with the Performa4 F345:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Four M8 Spikes
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Discs
- Quick Start Guide
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Base Surface Area |
896cm2
vs
1079cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3850USD
vs
4998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1042mm
vs
1058mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Revel Performa3 F206 |
Revel Performa4 F345 |
| Brand |
Revel |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
30-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42Hz- 20kHz |
36-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Micro Ceramic Composite (MCC) |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
275Hz and 2150Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1058.0mm (41.7") |
1042.0mm (41") |
| Width |
254.0mm (10") |
304.0mm (12") |
| Depth |
353.0mm (13.9") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Weight |
26.41kg (58.1lbs) |
29.09kg (64lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Finish |
Wood/Lacquer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Revel Performa4 F345 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel Performa4 F345 digs deeper - 36Hz against 42Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Revel Performa3 F206 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Revel Performa4 F345: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Revel Performa3 F206 is cheaper - $3,850 against $4,998, about 23% less. |
A Revel Performa3 F206 B Revel Performa4 F345
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 Performa4 F345 measures better, Revel Performa3 F206 costs about about 30% 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 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Revel Performa3 F206 much easier to justify.
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.