Wharfedale Reva 1 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker by Wharfedale. It was released in 2016. It features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Woven Glass Fiber Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 52-20k Hz and a sensitivity of 86 dB. Wharfedale Reva 1 has an MSRP of 799$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the Wharfedale Reva 1 is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Good |
| Small Room | Good |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Poor |
| Very Large Room | 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.)
Wharfedale's Reva Series of Loudspeakers
Reva 1 is a member of Wharfedale's Reva series of Passive speakers. The Reva range were Wharfedale's mid-tier speakers with slate-composite panels. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
Wharfedale Reva Series Speakers
Frequency Response of the Wharfedale Reva 1 Speaker
Wharfedale Reva 1 has a Frequency response range of 52-20k Hz and Power Range of 20-60 watts. With a minimum frequency of 52 Hz, Reva 1 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
Here we have a comparison of how Reva 1's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Thinking about a subwoofer for the Wharfedale Reva 1?
Impedance and Sensitivity
Wharfedale Reva 1's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms and has a sensitivity of
86 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Wharfedale Reva 1 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
With a sensitivity level of only 86 dB, Wharfedale Reva 1 is a difficult to drive speaker from Sensitivity perspective, make sure to choose an amplifier with a high output if you like listening to your music at high volume levels. You may especially have a hard time using Tube amplifiers which are traditionally very low power compared to Class A/B or Class D amps. Work out how loud the Wharfedale Reva 1 plays in your room →
What amplifier does the Wharfedale Reva 1 need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
19–60 W
per channel into 8 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? Integrated amplifiers under $1,000, or every amplifier we cover.
Input Type
Reva 1 has Post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
Wharfedale Reva 1 Back View
Wharfedale Reva 1's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale Reva 1 External Dimensions and Weight
Wharfedale Reva 1 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 12-1/2 x 6-13/16 x 11-3/16inch (318.0 x 174.0 x 285.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of Wharfedale Reva 1 is approximately 495.9cm2 / 76.9inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of Wharfedale Reva 1, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
Wharfedale Reva 1 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the Wharfedale Reva 1 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet to get a better idea about the size.
Wharfedale Reva 1 Speaker next to an amplifier and turntable
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe Wharfedale Reva 1 weighs 5.64kg / 12.4lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Reva 1's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $1000
Cabinet type and Materials
Wharfedale Reva 1 has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet and a Wood composite laminate finish. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Speaker Feet
Wharfedale Reva 1 comes with 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on.
It is always recommended to use some kind of feet under all types of speakers. Besides limiting the movement of the speakers, it also compensates for non-flat surfaces and limits the contact surface area of the speaker. Rubber based feet also help isolating the vibrations within certain frequency ranges.
Port Position
Wharfedale Reva 1 is a bottom-firing port speaker.
Available colors
Wharfedale Reva 1 is available in Walnut.
Wall Mounting
Reva 1 doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
Does the Wharfedale Reva 1 come with a Grille?
Reva 1 comes with magnetic grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible. Since the included grille of the Reva 1 is magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.
Wharfedale Reva 1 with Grille
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Reva 1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Reva 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper bars (pre-installed)
- Pair of white gloves
- User-feets Manual
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Wharfedale Reva 1.
- Speaker Cable and Connectors
- Vibration Isolators: IsoAcoustics isolators are our favorite isolators but you may find more affordable options too.
- Acoustic Panels and Treatments: Your room is as important as your stereo equipment so acoustic treatments goes a long way in improving the overall performance.
- Speaker Stands: Stands bring your bookshelf speakers to ideal height (rule of thumb is to have the tweeter level with your ear in your listening position), helps stability and acoustical isolation.
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.