In this review, we will be comparing Performa3 F208 and Opticon 8 MK2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Revel and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Performa3 F208 and DALI Opticon 8 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Revel Performa3 F208 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Aluminum Woofer
- 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 )
DALI Opticon 8 II Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Wood Fiber Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 38-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-300watts
- Weight:37.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1150.0" x 9-1/2" x 18-1/16"( 1150.0 x 245.0 x 459.0mm )
What size room are the Revel Performa3 F208 and DALI Opticon 8 II 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 F208 |
DALI Opticon 8 II |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 F208 and DALI Opticon 8 II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Performa3 F208 and Opticon 8 MK2 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Revel Performa3 F208 |
DALI Opticon 8 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Opticon 8 MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz.
Frequency Response
Performa3 F208 has a frequency range of 31Hz- 20kHz whereas Opticon 8 MK2 has a frequency range of 38-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 31Hz, the Performa3 F208 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Opticon 8 MK2's min frequency of 38Hz.
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 F208 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Opticon 8 MK2 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Opticon 8 MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Performa3 F208 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the Opticon 8 MK2's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Revel Performa3 F208 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Opticon 8 II, 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 F208 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Opticon 8 MK2 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 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
Both Performa3 F208 and Opticon 8 MK2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Revel Performa3 F208's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
DALI Opticon 8 II's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Performa3 F208 and Opticon 8 MK2 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.
DALI Opticon 8 II Port
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 F208's and DALI Opticon 8 II's external dimensions. Revel Performa3 F208 has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 347.0 x 381.0mm ( 46-3/4 x 13-5/8 x 15inch) whereas DALI Opticon 8 II has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 245.0 x 459.0mm ( 45-1/4 x 9-1/2 x 18-1/16inch) .
DALI Opticon 8 II is 102mm narrower and 38mm shorter than Revel Performa3 F208 but it is also 78mm deeper.
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 F208 is approximately 1322.1cm2 / 204.9inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon 8 II is approximately 1124.6cm2 / 174.3inch2. The Performa3 F208 requires 18% more surface area than the Opticon 8 MK2 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 F208 weighs 36.27kg / 79.8lbs and the DALI Opticon 8 II weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs. This makes the Opticon 8 MK2 2% heavier than the Performa3 F208.
Here is a comparison of how Performa3 F208 and Opticon 8 MK2'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 F208?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Performa3 F208:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Spike feet4 Locking rings4 Washers2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Foam port plugOwners Manual
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon 8 II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon 8 MK2:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Binding post jumpers (pre-installed)4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes (with lock nuts)4 Rubber pads4 ScrewsHex-keyWrenchQuick Start GuideCongratulations Card
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
31 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1150mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1124cm2
vs
1322cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4200USD
vs
5500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Revel Performa3 F208 |
DALI Opticon 8 MK2 |
| Brand |
Revel |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-350 watts |
40-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
31Hz- 20kHz |
38-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
270Hz and 2200Hz |
380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
347.0mm (13.7") |
245.0mm (9.6") |
| Depth |
381.0mm (15") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
36.27kg (79.8lbs) |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Lacquer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |