In this review, we will be comparing Reva 2 and Reva 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Reva 2 and Wharfedale Reva 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Reva 2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5" Woven Glass Fiber Woofer
- 48-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-80watts
- Weight:7.82kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 358.0" x 7-7/8" x 12-13/16"( 358.0 x 201.0 x 326.0mm )
Wharfedale Reva 1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 4.5" Woven Glass Fiber Woofer
- 52-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-60watts
- Weight:5.64kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 318.0" x 6-13/16" x 11-3/16"( 318.0 x 174.0 x 285.0mm )
Reva 2 and Reva 1 are members of Wharfedale's Reva series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Reva Series History
What size room are the Wharfedale Reva 2 and Wharfedale Reva 1 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* |
Wharfedale Reva 2 |
Wharfedale Reva 1 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
No way |
(* 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 Wharfedale Reva 2 and Wharfedale Reva 1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Reva 2 and Reva 1 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Reva 2 |
Wharfedale Reva 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
Reva 2 features a 1" woven textile Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Glass Fiber Woofer . On the other hand, the Reva 1 features a 1" woven textile Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Woven Glass Fiber Woofer .
Frequency Response
Reva 2 has a frequency range of 48-20k Hz whereas Reva 1 has a frequency range of 52-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Reva 2 can go slightly deeper then the Reva 1's min frequency of 52Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Reva 2 and Reva 1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Reva 2 can handle a max power of 80 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Reva 1 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Reva 2.
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 Reva 2 and Reva 1 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Reva 2's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale Reva 1's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Reva 2 and Reva 1 have bottom firing ports.
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 Wharfedale Reva 2's and Wharfedale Reva 1's external dimensions. Wharfedale Reva 2 has external dimensions of 358.0 x 201.0 x 326.0mm ( 14-1/16 x 7-7/8 x 12-13/16inch) whereas Wharfedale Reva 1 has external dimensions of 318.0 x 174.0 x 285.0mm ( 12-1/2 x 6-13/16 x 11-3/16inch) .
Wharfedale Reva 2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 27mm wider, 40mm taller and 41mm deeper than Wharfedale Reva 1.
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 Wharfedale Reva 2 is approximately 655.3cm2 / 101.6inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Reva 1 is approximately 495.9cm2 / 76.9inch2. The Reva 2 requires 32% more surface area than the Reva 1 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 Wharfedale Reva 2 weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs and the Wharfedale Reva 1 weighs 5.64kg / 12.4lbs. This makes the Reva 2 39% heavier than the Reva 1.
Here is a comparison of how Reva 2 and Reva 1's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Reva 2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Reva 2:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles (pre-installed)8 Self-adhesive rubber feet4 Jumper bars (pre-installed)Pair of white glovesUser-feets Manual
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Reva 1?
Here are the items that come with the Reva 1:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles (pre-installed)8 Self-adhesive rubber feet4 Jumper bars (pre-installed)Pair of white glovesUser-feets Manual