In this review, we will be comparing PerformaBe F226Be and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Revel and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel PerformaBe F226Be and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Revel PerformaBe F226Be Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum Woofer
- 50-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-200watts
- Weight:26.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1050.0" x 9-13/16" x 13-3/4"( 1050.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm )
Polk R700 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 38-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:35.90kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1143.8" x 12.6" x 16.9"( 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm )
What size room are the Revel PerformaBe F226Be and Polk R700 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 |
Polk R700 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Revel PerformaBe F226Be and Polk R700 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 PerformaBe F226Be and R700 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-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 R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
PerformaBe F226Be has a frequency range of 50-40k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the PerformaBe F226Be's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
PerformaBe F226Be and R700 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. PerformaBe F226Be sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R700's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel PerformaBe F226Be a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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.
PerformaBe F226Be can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas PerformaBe F226Be has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the R700.
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 PerformaBe F226Be and R700 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
PerformaBe F226Be has a front firing port whereas R700 has a bottom firing ports. Revel PerformaBe F226Be's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk R700 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 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 PerformaBe F226Be's and Polk R700'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 Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) .
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 70.7mm wider, 93.8mm taller and 78.3mm deeper than Revel PerformaBe F226Be.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Revel PerformaBe F226Be and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of Revel PerformaBe F226Be and Polk R700 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 Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The PerformaBe F226Be requires 36% less surface area than the R700 which gives it a small advantage 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 Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the R700 36% heavier than the PerformaBe F226Be.
Here is a comparison of how PerformaBe F226Be and R700'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 loudspeakerGrille4 Spike feet4 Locking rings4 Washers2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Foam port plugOwners Manual
What's in the Box of Polk R700?
Here are the items that come with the R700:
Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
Grille
Hex-key
Owner's Manual
Online Registration
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
38k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1050mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
875cm2
vs
1373cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
7700USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
Revel |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-200 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-40k Hz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
DCC Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1050.0mm (41.3") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
350.0mm (13.8") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
26.36kg (58lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Lacquer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black, Walnut, 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 |