In this review, we will be comparing Performa4 F346 and Performa3 F208, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Performa4 F346 and Revel Performa3 F208 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel Performa4 F346 | Revel Performa3 F208 |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Micro Ceramic Composite (MCC) | 2 x 8" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-40k Hz | 31Hz- 20kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-250 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 39.77kg / 87.5lbs | 36.27kg / 79.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-7/16" x 14-1/8" x 16-3/8"
1129.0 x 359.0 x 416.0mm | 46-3/4" x 13-5/8" x 15"
1188.0 x 347.0 x 381.0mm |
|---|
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 Performa4 F346 is a 2-way design whereas the Performa3 F208 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 Performa4 F346Revel Performa3 F208
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 Performa4 F346 |
Revel Performa3 F208 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Performa4 F346 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 3 x 6.5" Micro Ceramic Composite (MCC) Woofer. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Performa4 F346 has a frequency range of 30-40k Hz whereas Performa3 F208 has a frequency range of 31Hz- 20kHz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Performa4 F346 can go slightly deeper then the Performa3 F208's min frequency of 31Hz.
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
Performa4 F346 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Performa3 F208 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Performa4 F346 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Performa3 F208's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Revel Performa3 F208 a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel Performa4 F346, 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.
Performa3 F208 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Performa4 F346 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Performa3 F208.
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
Both Performa4 F346 and Performa3 F208 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
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 Performa4 F346's and Revel Performa3 F208's external dimensions. Revel Performa4 F346 has external dimensions of 1129.0 x 359.0 x 416.0mm (44-7/16inch x 14-1/8inch x 16-3/8inch) whereas Revel Performa3 F208 has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 347.0 x 381.0mm (46-3/4 x 13-5/8 x 15inch).
Revel Performa3 F208 is 12mm narrower and 35mm less deeper than Revel Performa4 F346 but it is also 59mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Revel Performa4 F346 and Revel Performa3 F208 in scale.
Comparison image of Revel Performa4 F346 and Revel Performa3 F208 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 Performa4 F346 is approximately 1493.4cm2 / 231.5inch2 and base area of the Revel Performa3 F208 is approximately 1322.1cm2 / 204.9inch2. The Performa4 F346 requires 13% more surface area than the Performa3 F208 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 Performa4 F346 weighs 39.77kg / 87.5lbs and the Revel Performa3 F208 weighs 36.27kg / 79.8lbs. This makes the Performa4 F346 10% heavier than the Performa3 F208.
Here is a comparison of how Performa4 F346 and Performa3 F208'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 Performa4 F346?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Performa4 F346:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Four M8 Spikes
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Discs
- Quick Start Guide
What's in the Box of Revel Performa3 F208?
Here are the items that come with the Performa3 F208:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
31 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1129mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Base Surface Area |
1322cm2
vs
1493cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5500USD
vs
6998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Revel Performa4 F346 |
Revel Performa3 F208 |
| Brand |
Revel |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-40k Hz |
31Hz- 20kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Micro Ceramic Composite (MCC) |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome with Acoustic Lens Waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
270Hz and 2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1129.0mm (44.4") |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
| Width |
359.0mm (14.1") |
347.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
416.0mm (16.4") |
381.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
39.77kg (87.5lbs) |
36.27kg (79.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
Wood/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Revel Performa4 F346 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (30Hz vs 31Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Revel Performa3 F208 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Revel Performa3 F208 takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Revel Performa4 F346: bi-amping; Revel Performa3 F208: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Revel Performa3 F208 is cheaper - $5,500 against $6,998, about 21% less. |
A Revel Performa4 F346 B Revel Performa3 F208
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 Performa3 F208 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Revel Performa4 F346 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better.
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.