In this review, we will be comparing PerformaBe F226Be and Synchrony T600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Revel and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel PerformaBe F226Be and PSB Synchrony T600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel PerformaBe F226Be | PSB Synchrony T600 |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum | 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-40k Hz | 24-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-200 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.36kg / 58lbs | 34.90kg / 76.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-5/16" x 9-13/16" x 13-3/4"
1050.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm | 41-1/4" x 9" x 13-1/2"
1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Revel PerformaBe F226Be and PSB Synchrony T600 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 PerformaBe F226Be |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both PerformaBe F226Be and Synchrony T600 are 3-way speakers.
Revel PerformaBe F226BePSB Synchrony T600
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 PerformaBe F226Be |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
PerformaBe F226Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum Woofer. On the other hand, the Synchrony T600 features a 1" titanium with ferrofluid cooling and neodymium magnet Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 1800Hz.
Frequency Response
PerformaBe F226Be has a frequency range of 50-40k Hz whereas Synchrony T600 has a frequency range of 24-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Synchrony T600 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the PerformaBe F226Be's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
PerformaBe F226Be is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Synchrony T600 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 Synchrony T600 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. PerformaBe F226Be sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Synchrony T600's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Revel PerformaBe F226Be a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Synchrony T600, 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.
Synchrony T600 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas PerformaBe F226Be has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Synchrony T600.
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 PerformaBe F226Be and Synchrony T600 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
PSB Synchrony T600's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
PerformaBe F226Be has a front firing port whereas Synchrony T600 has a rear firing ports. Revel PerformaBe F226Be's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to PSB Synchrony T600 with its rear-firing port.
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 PerformaBe F226Be's and PSB Synchrony T600's external dimensions. Revel PerformaBe F226Be has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm (41-5/16 x 9-13/16 x 13-3/4inch) whereas PSB Synchrony T600 has external dimensions of 1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm (41-1/4 x 9 x 13-1/2inch).
Revel PerformaBe F226Be is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 22mm wider, 2mm taller and 7mm deeper than PSB Synchrony T600.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Revel PerformaBe F226Be and PSB Synchrony T600 in scale.
Comparison image of Revel PerformaBe F226Be and PSB Synchrony T600 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 PerformaBe F226Be is approximately 875.0cm2 / 135.6inch2 and base area of the PSB Synchrony T600 is approximately 782.0cm2 / 121.2inch2. The PerformaBe F226Be requires 12% more surface area than the Synchrony T600 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 PerformaBe F226Be weighs 26.36kg / 58lbs and the PSB Synchrony T600 weighs 34.90kg / 76.8lbs. This makes the Synchrony T600 32% heavier than the PerformaBe F226Be.
Here is a comparison of how PerformaBe F226Be and Synchrony T600'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 PerformaBe F226Be?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of PerformaBe F226Be:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of PSB Synchrony T600?
Here are the items that come with the Synchrony T600:
- Floorstanding loudspeakr
- Grille
- 2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation feet
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Price per pair* |
7700USD
vs
8000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1048mm
vs
1050mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
782cm2
vs
875cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Brand |
Revel |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-40k Hz |
24-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
DCC Aluminum |
Carbon fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1050.0mm (41.3") |
1048.0mm (41.3") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
350.0mm (13.8") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Weight |
26.36kg (58lbs) |
34.90kg (76.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black, Satin Walnut |
| 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 |
A generation apart: PSB Synchrony T600 is the newer design, against a 2017 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 | PSB Synchrony T600 digs deeper - 24Hz against 50Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Revel PerformaBe F226Be is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | PSB Synchrony T600 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Revel PerformaBe F226Be: bi-amping; PSB Synchrony T600: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($7,700 vs $8,000 a pair). |
A Revel PerformaBe F226Be B PSB Synchrony T600
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?
PSB Synchrony T600 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Revel PerformaBe F226Be the better fit for a mid-size room, and PSB Synchrony T600 for a very large room.
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.