In this review, we will be comparing Reva 2 and Reva 2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Reva 2 and Wharfedale Reva 2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Reva 2 | Wharfedale Reva 2 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Woven Glass Fiber | 5" Woven Glass Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-20k Hz | 48-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-80 watts | 20-80 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.82kg / 17.2lbs | 7.82kg / 17.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-1/16" x 7-7/8" x 12-13/16"
358.0 x 201.0 x 326.0mm | 14-1/16" x 7-7/8" x 12-13/16"
358.0 x 201.0 x 326.0mm |
|---|
Reva 2 and Reva 2 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 2 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 2 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* 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 Reva 2 and Reva 2 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Reva 2Wharfedale Reva 2
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Reva 2 |
Wharfedale Reva 2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 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 2 features a 1" woven textile Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Glass Fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
Reva 2 and Reva 2 has exactly the same frequency range of 48-20k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Reva 2 and Reva 2 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Reva 2 and Reva 2 have the same power range of 20-80 watts.
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 Reva 2 and Reva 2 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 2's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Reva 2 and Reva 2 have bottom firing ports.
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 Wharfedale Reva 2's and Wharfedale Reva 2'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 2 has external dimensions of 358.0 x 201.0 x 326.0mm (14-1/16 x 7-7/8 x 12-13/16inch).
In this case, we can see that Wharfedale Reva 2 and Wharfedale Reva 2 have the exact same height, width and thickness.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Reva 2 and Wharfedale Reva 2 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Reva 2 and Wharfedale Reva 2 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 Wharfedale Reva 2 is approximately 655.3cm2 / 101.6inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Reva 2 is approximately 655.3cm2 / 101.6inch2.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Wharfedale Reva 2 and Wharfedale Reva 2 on a Media Console
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 2 weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs.
Here is a comparison of how Reva 2 and Reva 2'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 loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper bars (pre-installed)
- Pair of white gloves
- User-feets Manual
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Reva 2?
Here are the items that come with the Reva 2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper bars (pre-installed)
- Pair of white gloves
- User-feets Manual
| General |
Wharfedale Reva 2 |
Wharfedale Reva 2 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-80 watts |
20-80 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-20k Hz |
48-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Glass Fiber |
Woven Glass Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
358.0mm (14.1") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Width |
201.0mm (7.9") |
201.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
326.0mm (12.8") |
326.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
7.82kg (17.2lbs) |
7.82kg (17.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood composite laminate |
Wood composite laminate |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Walnut, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24" |
24" |
| 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 |
Siblings in Wharfedale's Reva series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (48Hz vs 48Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (80W vs 80W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Reva 2: bi-amping; Wharfedale Reva 2: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($999 vs $999 a pair). |
A Wharfedale Reva 2 B Wharfedale Reva 2
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.
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.