Revel W363 vs Revel W228Be Comparison

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Revel W363

Passive In-wall |

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Revel W228Be

Passive In-wall | 35-40k Hz

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Revel W363

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Revel W228Be

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Revel W363

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Revel W228Be

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Revel W363 vs Revel W228Be Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing W363 and W228Be, two Passive In-wall speakers by Revel.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Revel W363 and Revel W228Be first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Revel W363	Revel W228Be
Brand	Revel United States · founded 1996	Revel United States · founded 1996
Design	2-way	3-way
Tweeter	1"	1.0"
Midrange	—	5.25"
Woofer	6.5"	2 x 8"
Frequency response	—	35-40k Hz
Sensitivity	88 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	6 ohms
Power range	10 - 120 W watts	—
Weight	1.72kg / 3.8lbs	14.29kg / 31.4lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	10-7/8" x 8-3/8" x 3-9/16" 276.2 x 212.7 x 91.0mm	37" x 13-15/16" x 4-1/8" 939.8 x 354.0 x 104.8mm

W363 and W228Be are members of Revel's Architectural series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Revel Architectural Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
Revel W253L	In-wall	55-18kHz	91 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"
Revel W553L	Center Channel		90.5 dB	8Ω	2 x 5.25"
Revel W383	In-wall		89 dB	8Ω	1 x 8"
Revel W763	In-wall		89 dB	8Ω	1 x 6.5"
Revel W783	In-wall		89 dB	8Ω	1 x 8"
Revel W990	In-wall		89 dB	8Ω	1 x 9"
Revel W228Be	In-wall	35-40k Hz	90 dB	6Ω	2 x 8"
Revel W126Be	In-wall	55-40k Hz	89 dB	6Ω	1 x 6.5"
Revel W226Be	In-wall	45-40k Hz	90 dB	6Ω	2 x 6.5"
Revel W263	In-wall		88 dB	8Ω	1 x 6.5"

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 W363 is a 2-way design whereas the W228Be 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 W363

Revel W228Be

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 W363	Revel W228Be
Driver Setup	2-way	3-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1.0-inch
Midrange	-	1 x 5.25-inch
Woofer	1 x 6.5-inch	2 x 8-inch

W363 features a 1" Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woofer. On the other hand, the W228Be features a 1.0" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 8" Woofer.

Frequency Response

W363 has a frequency range of whereas W228Be has a frequency range of 35-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of Hz, the W363 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W228Be's min frequency of 35Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.

Low Frequency

In-wall Speakers

W363

W228Be

Min

Average

Median

Impedance and Sensitivity

W363 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the W228Be which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. W363 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the W228Be's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel W228Be a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel W363, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

In-wall Speakers

W363

W228Be

Min

Average

Median

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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

Revel W363

Revel W228Be

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

W363 features Spring post type posts and W228Be has a Spring post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 W363's and Revel W228Be's external dimensions. Revel W363 has external dimensions of 276.2 x 212.7 x 91.0mm () whereas Revel W228Be has external dimensions of 939.8 x 354.0 x 104.8mm ().

Revel W228Be is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 141.3mm wider, 663.6mm taller and 13.8mm deeper than Revel W363.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Revel W363 and Revel W228Be in scale.

Comparison image of Revel W363 and Revel W228Be Size and External Dimensions

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 W363 weighs 1.72kg / 3.8lbs and the Revel W228Be weighs 14.29kg / 31.4lbs. This makes the W228Be 731% heavier than the W363.

Here is a comparison of how W363 and W228Be's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive In-wall class.

Weight
All In-wall Speakers

Revel W363

Revel W228Be

Min

Average

Max

Reasons to choose Revel W363 over Revel W228Be

Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 6 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
Low Frequency Response	Hz vs 35 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Height	276mm vs 939mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	193cm² vs 371cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	610USD vs 7700USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Revel W228Be over Revel W363

Driver Setup	3-way vs 2-way	Have a dedicated mid-range driver
Sensitivity	90 dB vs 88 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	8 inches vs 6.5 inches	Larger woofer
Number of Woofers	2 vs 1	More woofers
High Frequency Response	40k Hz vs k Hz	Generates higher frequency

Revel W363 vs Revel W228Be Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Revel W363	Revel W228Be
Brand	Revel	Revel
Speaker Type	Passive In-wall Speaker	Passive In-wall Speaker
Sensitivity	88 dB	90 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	6 ohms
Frequency Response		35-40k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	2
Woofer Size	6.5"	8"
Woofer Composition
Tweeter Size	1"	1.0"
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	5.25"
Physical Specs
Height	276.2mm (10.9")	939.8mm (37")
Width	212.7mm (8.4")	354.0mm (13.9")
Depth	91.0mm (3.6")	104.8mm (4.1")
Weight	1.72kg (3.8lbs)	14.29kg (31.4lbs)
Enclosure
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Other
Parts Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime
Labor Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime

Verdict

Siblings in Revel's Architectural series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.

Area	Better	Why
Amplifier needs	B	Revel W228Be is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Amplifier match	A	Revel W363 is the easier load at 8 ohms.
Size	depends	Revel W363 is easier to place; Revel W228Be is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Price	A	Revel W363 is cheaper - $610 against $7,700, about 92% less; arguably a different class.

A Revel W363 B Revel W228Be
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?

Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. In a large or open-plan room, Revel W228Be has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Revel W363 is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Revel W228Be is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.

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.