In this review, we will be comparing PerformaBe F228Be and R11, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Revel and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel PerformaBe F228Be and KEF R11 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Revel PerformaBe F228Be | KEF R11 |
|---|
| Brand | Revel
United States · founded 1996 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | — | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" DCC Aluminum | 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 27-44k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-350 watts | 15-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 37.27kg / 82lbs | 37.70kg / 82.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-1/2" x 11-13/16" x 13-1/4"
1182.0 x 301.0 x 337.0mm | 51-3/16" x 12-1/4" x 15-5/16"
1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Revel PerformaBe F228Be and KEF R11 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 F228Be |
KEF R11 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 F228Be and R11 are 3-way speakers.
Revel PerformaBe F228BeKEF R11
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 F228Be |
KEF R11 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
PerformaBe F228Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 8" DCC Aluminum Woofer. On the other hand, the R11 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
PerformaBe F228Be has a frequency range of 27-44k Hz whereas R11 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the PerformaBe F228Be can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R11's min frequency of 46Hz.
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 F228Be and R11 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 dB.
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.
PerformaBe F228Be can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas R11 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the PerformaBe F228Be.
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 F228Be and R11 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R11's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
PerformaBe F228Be has a front firing port whereas R11 has a rear firing ports. Revel PerformaBe F228Be's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF R11 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 F228Be's and KEF R11's external dimensions. Revel PerformaBe F228Be has external dimensions of 1182.0 x 301.0 x 337.0mm (46-1/2 x 11-13/16 x 13-1/4inch) whereas KEF R11 has external dimensions of 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm (51-3/16 x 12-1/4 x 15-5/16inch).
KEF R11 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 11mm wider, 119mm taller and 52mm deeper than Revel PerformaBe F228Be.
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 F228Be is approximately 1014.4cm2 / 157.2inch2 and base area of the KEF R11 is approximately 1213.7cm2 / 188.1inch2. The PerformaBe F228Be requires 16% less surface area than the R11 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 F228Be weighs 37.27kg / 82lbs and the KEF R11 weighs 37.70kg / 82.9lbs. This makes the R11 1% heavier than the PerformaBe F228Be.
Here is a comparison of how PerformaBe F228Be and R11'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 F228Be?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of PerformaBe F228Be:
- 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 KEF R11?
Here are the items that come with the R11:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Wrench
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
44k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1182mm
vs
1301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1014cm2
vs
1213cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Price per pair* |
6000USD
vs
11000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
KEF R11 |
| Brand |
Revel |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-350 watts |
15-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
27-44k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
DCC Aluminum |
Hybrid Aluminum |
| 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" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1182.0mm (46.5") |
1301.0mm (51.2") |
| Width |
301.0mm (11.9") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
337.0mm (13.3") |
389.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
37.27kg (82lbs) |
37.70kg (82.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss White |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Revel PerformaBe F228Be costs roughly 1.8x what KEF R11 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Revel PerformaBe F228Be digs deeper - 27Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (350W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Revel PerformaBe F228Be is easier to place; KEF R11 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Revel PerformaBe F228Be: bi-amping; KEF R11: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KEF R11 is cheaper - $6,000 against $11,000, about 45% less; arguably a different class. |
A Revel PerformaBe F228Be B KEF R11
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 PerformaBe F228Be is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 83% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - KEF R11 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Revel PerformaBe F228Be appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R11 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Revel PerformaBe F228Be the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.