Revel M106 vs Revel Performa3 C205 Comparison

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Revel M106

Passive Bookshelf | 59Hz- 20kHz

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Revel Performa3 C205

Passive Center Channel | 80Hz- 20kHz

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Revel M106

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Revel Performa3 C205

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Revel M106

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Revel Performa3 C205

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Revel M106 vs Revel Performa3 C205 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Revel. Revel Performa3 M106 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Performa3 C205 is a Center Channel speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Revel M106 and Revel Performa3 C205 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Revel M106	Revel Performa3 C205
Brand	Revel United States · founded 1996	Revel United States · founded 1996
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide	1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide
Woofer	6.5" Aluminum	2 x 5.25" aluminum cone with cast frames
Frequency response	59Hz- 20kHz	80Hz- 20kHz
Sensitivity	87 dB	89 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	50-150 watts	50-120 watts
Weight	8.41kg / 18.5lbs	11.86kg / 26.1lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	15-1/16" x 8-1/4" x 11" 383.0 x 210.0 x 280.0mm	8-1/8" x 21-1/16" x 11-9/16" 207.0 x 535.0 x 294.0mm

M106 and Performa3 C205 are members of Revel's Performa3 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Revel Performa3 Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
Revel M106	Bookshelf	59Hz- 20kHz	87 dB	8Ω	1 x 6.5"
Revel Performa3 F206	Floor-standing	42Hz- 20kHz	88 dB	8Ω	2 x 6.5"
Revel M105	Bookshelf	60Hz- 20kHz	86 dB	8Ω	1 x 5.25"
Revel Performa3 F208	Floor-standing	31Hz- 20kHz	88.5 dB	8Ω	2 x 8"
Revel Performa3 C208	Center Channel	50Hz- 20kHz	89 dB	8Ω	2 x 8"
Revel Performa3 C205	Center Channel	80Hz- 20kHz	89 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"

What size room are the Revel M106 and Revel Performa3 C205 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 M106	Revel Performa3 C205
Near-field	Poor	Poor
Small Room	Average	Average
Mid-size Room	Good	Good
Large Room	Average	Average
Very Large Room	Poor	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

Both M106 and Performa3 C205 are 2-way speakers.

Revel M106

Revel Performa3 C205

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	Revel M106	Revel Performa3 C205
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 6.5-inch	2 x 5.25-inch

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. On the other hand, the 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.

Frequency Response

M106 has a frequency range of 59Hz- 20kHz whereas Performa3 C205 has a frequency range of 80Hz- 20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 59Hz, the M106 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Performa3 C205's min frequency of 80Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

M106

Performa3 C205

Min

Average

Median

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

M106 and Performa3 C205 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. M106 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Performa3 C205's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel Performa3 C205 a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel M106, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

M106

Performa3 C205

Min

Average

Median

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.

M106 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Performa3 C205 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the M106.

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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

Revel M106

Revel Performa3 C205

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

M106 features Binding post type posts and Performa3 C205 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Revel M106's Binding post terminals

Revel Performa3 C205'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 M106's and Revel Performa3 C205's external dimensions. Revel M106 has external dimensions of 383.0 x 210.0 x 280.0mm (15-1/16 x 8-1/4 x 11inch) whereas 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).

Revel M106 is 325mm narrower and 14mm less deeper than Revel Performa3 C205 but it is also 176mm 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 M106 is approximately 588.0cm² / 91.1inch² and base area of the Revel Performa3 C205 is approximately 1572.9cm² / 243.8inch². The M106 requires 63% less surface area than the Performa3 C205 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Revel M106?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of M106:

Bookshelf loudspeaker
Grille
Foam port plug
Owners Manual

What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 C205?

Here are the items that come with the Performa3 C205:

Center-channel loudspeaker
Grille
2 Short feet
2 Long feet
Owners Manual

Reasons to choose Revel Performa3 M106 over Revel Performa3 C205

Max Input Power	150 watts vs 120 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 5.25 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	59 Hz vs 80 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Base Surface Area	588cm² vs 1572cm²	Takes less floor space

Reasons to choose Revel Performa3 C205 over Revel Performa3 M106

Sensitivity	89 dB vs 87 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Number of Woofers	2 vs 1	More woofers
Height	207mm vs 383mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Price per pair*	1100USD vs 2200USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Revel M106 vs Revel Performa3 C205 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Revel Performa3 M106	Revel Performa3 C205
Brand	Revel	Revel
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Center channel speaker
Power Range	50-150 watts	50-120 watts
Sensitivity	87 dB	89 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	59Hz- 20kHz	80Hz- 20kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	2
Woofer Size	6.5"	5.25"
Woofer Composition	Aluminum	aluminum cone with cast frames
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	n/a
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide	dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	2300Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	rear	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	383.0mm (15.1")	207.0mm (8.1")
Width	210.0mm (8.3")	535.0mm (21.1")
Depth	280.0mm (11")	294.0mm (11.6")
Weight	8.41kg (18.5lbs)	11.86kg (26.1lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Passive Radiator
Finish	Wood/Lacquer	n/a
Available Colors	Gloss Walnut,Piano Black	Gloss Black
Mounting Bracket	No	No
Recommended Stand Height	24-25"	n/a
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	n/a
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years

Verdict

Siblings in Revel's Performa3 series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	A	Revel M106 digs deeper - 59Hz against 80Hz.
Amplifier needs	B	Revel Performa3 C205 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Headroom	A	Revel M106 takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	Revel M106 is easier to place; Revel Performa3 C205 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Type	depends	A Passive Bookshelf against a Passive Center Channel - a different job rather than a better one.
Cabinet	depends	Ported vs Passive Radiator.
Price	B	Revel Performa3 C205 is cheaper - $1,100 against $2,200, about 50% less; arguably a different class.

A Revel M106 B Revel Performa3 C205
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?

Revel M106 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 100% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Revel Performa3 C205 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Revel M106 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 80Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Revel Performa3 C205 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Revel Performa3 C205 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Revel M106 is the easier speaker to get right.

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.