In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Revel. Revel Performa3 M106 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Performa3 F206 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel M106 and Revel Performa3 F206 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel M106 | Revel Performa3 F206 |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide | 1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 59Hz- 20kHz | 42Hz- 20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-150 watts | 50-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.41kg / 18.5lbs | 26.41kg / 58.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15-1/16" x 8-1/4" x 11"
383.0 x 210.0 x 280.0mm | 41-5/8" x 10" x 13-7/8"
1058.0 x 254.0 x 353.0mm |
|---|
M106 and Performa3 F206 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 M106 and Revel Performa3 F206 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 F206 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that M106 is a 2-way design whereas the Performa3 F206 is a 3-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 M106Revel Performa3 F206
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 M106 |
Revel Performa3 F206 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 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.
Frequency Response
M106 has a frequency range of 59Hz- 20kHz whereas Performa3 F206 has a frequency range of 42Hz- 20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Performa3 F206 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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
M106 and Performa3 F206 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 F206's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Revel Performa3 F206 a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel M106, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 F206 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas M106 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Performa3 F206.
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
M106 features Binding post type posts and Performa3 F206 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Revel M106's Binding post terminals
Revel Performa3 F206's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both M106 and Performa3 F206 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
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 F206'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 F206 has external dimensions of 1058.0 x 254.0 x 353.0mm (41-5/8 x 10 x 13-7/8inch).
Revel Performa3 F206 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44mm wider, 675mm taller and 73mm deeper than Revel M106.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Revel M106 and Revel Performa3 F206 in scale.
Comparison image of Revel M106 and Revel Performa3 F206 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 M106 is approximately 588.0cm2 / 91.1inch2 and base area of the Revel Performa3 F206 is approximately 896.6cm2 / 139.0inch2. The M106 requires 34% less surface area than the Performa3 F206 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 F206?
Here are the items that come with the Performa3 F206:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual