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Why so underwhelmed by Revel F208 audition???

After much reading my local dealer finally got in a pair of Revel F208 speakers to audition. After playing my usual demo songs I was sorely disappointed with the sound.
They simply had no life. The strings that sparkled on other systems sounded like cardboard (ok, bad description but you get my point). They bass did not move me at all.

Was it because:
1) I wouldn't know good music if it slapped my in the face?
2) I was actually auditioning the electronics more that the speakers?
3) I've become a music snob and only the best will do?
4) They are not properly broken in?
5) The speakers really are cr@p?

After reading that 3 different reviewers use the performa's (f206 or f208) as their reference speakers, it's really hard for me to believe number 5 - that the speakers suck

I've been a severe critic of bad sound and a conosour of fine music my whole life so I hope number 1 isn't true:(

The sound from my main system is breathtakingly beautiful. It consists of a Metrum Hex Dac, Benchmark DAC2 Pre preamp, Bryston 3B Sst2 power amp, PMC 22 speakers flanked by 2 Rythmik F12 Subs. The DAC is very rich and analog sounding and the rest of the system is very transparent. Stunning sound. So I have very high standards to reference these speakers against. Maybe I am just expecting too much from the Revels? So number 3 might be somewhat true???

The F208 speakers where being fed by an arcam CD player and an arcam a39 integrated amp. Perhaps this can not compete with my home system? Is number 2 correct and I am really just auditioning the electronics?

Break in can make a big difference in speakers. Maybe they need hundreds of more hours through them? I need to check on number 4.

Or maybe they really are that bad and everyone who has reviewed them is a big fat liar?

Who has heard these and can make a comment???
earlxtr

Showing 17 responses by earlxtr

earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Almarg, thank you for your detailed response. Very interesting! Swapping the Arcam for my Bryston gear should be very interesting:)))
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Thank you for your responses!

I agree with the statements made so far. My first thought when listening to the speakers was that that electronics was the issue. When I left we agreed that I needed to bring down my system to drive these speakers. I've got a 4B SST2 to drive these speakers which should provide plenty of power. See how that goes:))))
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
The_rang: what electronics did you feed them with at home?
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
When I auditioned the Bryston Mini T speakers driven by Bryston electronics they sounded fantastic. The Stereofile reviewer said he liked these even more than the Bryston speakers he compared them to. To me, the Bryston speakers sounded a little hyped and I can understand these being more neutral, buy would still expect them to sound very good. I'm expecting my electronics to make a significant difference...
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
AudioConnectio: There was also a pair of Titan One speakers in the room
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Shakeydeal: My experience is that Bryston neither adds to takes away from source it is being fed. Use a rich sounding DAC like my Metrum Hex and it sounds rich (fantastic really). Feed it with an analytical DAC like my Benchmark DAC2 and it sounds analytical. Feed it with garbage...well you get my point. To my ears it's super transparent...it all comes down to your source. You obviously have not heard what I've heard or you'd be trying to sell one of your kidneys to get one:)))))))
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
BTW, I found out that the dealer did no burn in on these speakers whatsoever. He just pulled them out of the box and had me come over to hear them. Definitely part of the problem!!!
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Kr4: maybe I misquoted that as the reviewer said that his friend really loved the F208 speakers, but he had not heard them. I assumed that this was relative to the Brystons but may have been inncorrect in that assessment.
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Bombaywalla: I did not say the sensitivity to electronics was a good thing or a bad thing... I was making the point that electronics can have a significant affect on the sound of a very revealing speaker, which even you concure with by your response. Weather that's goid or bad is a whole other discussion.
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Kr4, The point I was really trying to make is that Revels and Bryston speakers are often compared to each other and they seem very close in comparison based on what I have read. Yet to my ears, the Bryston speaker audition trumped the Revels in every way. It just didn't make sense to me. I expected them to be very close. Of course no break in on the Revels is one considerable factor, IMO.

Have you now heard the Revel speakers? Do you think the Revels rival the Brystons?
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Thank you for your responses!!!

I do still believe that these are a good speaker...I've simply read too much posative stuff about them to just give up on them. Once my dealer has broken them in I will go back with my electronics and try them...and I expect a completely different result.

I once demo'd some ATC speakers using ATC amplification and they sounded wonderful. Then the dealer replaced the ATC preamp with one from another brand (sim audio I believe) and the sound was completely wrecked. I then realized how much the electronics can affect a very transparent speaker.
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Mmeysarosh: The settings on the speaker where all set to normal during the demo.
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Erikminer: if I would have loved them, then break in time would not have mattered. Since I didn't, I started hunting for reasons.

Kr4: I once bought my mother a pair of Yamaha powered monitors for her Yamaha P250 keyboard. Overall I liked the sound but the high end irritated my ears a bit. A some months latter when I returned, all the irritation was gone and only a very sweet top end remained. Either the speakers got broken in or my hearing deteriated to the point where I could no longer hear that high any more:)))))))
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
OK, I just took a FLYING LEAP OF FAITH and bought a new (warranty replacement) pair of F208 speakers for the price of the F206. If buying speakers without listening to them is a cardinal sin, what do you call buying speakers that you listened to and didn't like??? To some this might seem like utter insanity but I have read so much about this speaker that I am willing to take the risk and am very confident I will love them.

I have since read several forum posts that state that these speakers need 300+ hours of break in to hit their sweet spot and that they do sound like crap right out of the box.

Also, my most trusted review site is not very complimentary to the Arcam A39 and I believe my METRUM->BENCHMARK->BRYSTON setup will make a world of difference.

Worst case is I sell them at not a huge loss...but if that happens I'm going to get my internet disconnected and never believe anything I read ever again!!! :)))))))
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
I now have my new F208 speakers facing each other in a closet with blankets over them breaking in. Of course I only feed them the highest quality music such as Saleh, Academey of ancent music, Carrie Underwood and let's not forget the god of rock, Van Halen:))))) it's going to be about three to 4 weeks before they come out of the closet for a listen.
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
I have the F208's running at listening levels, except for at night when when I feed them low level choral music so I can sleep. The Stereophile reviewer says they need 500 hours to reach their optimal sound quality, which is around 3 weeks.

I also ordered Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone for my first listening session. Apparently that's a tradition with any new pair of Revel speakers:))) I'll also pull over some of the jewels from my main system (Metum Hex and Benchmark Pre -> 4BSST2) so I have optimal electronics to feed them with. I'm not expecting miracles but I hope they get close to the gorgeus sound of the PMC22/Rythmik combo.
earlxtr OP
50 posts
 
Just for completeness I want to say that these Revel 208's are the most amazing speakers I have ever heard. After 3 weeks of listening I just can't pull myself away from them. The top to bottom crystal clarity is so addicting that a pair of f206's will end up replacing my PMC's in my main system.

The poor demo in no way represented these excellent speakers. I believe that the factors that made the f208's sound so bad in that initial audition was a combination of issues

1. They where located in more of a large hallway then a listening room.
2. They had no break in time whatsoever.
3. The electronics that feed them was not great IMO.
4. I'm very picky about sound quality.

After having owned them for 6 weeks now (3 weeks break in) I am simply smitten by them. They make the majority of my music sound amazingly good, They can also make a bright, edgy and thin recording sound really bad...but that's what transparency does. They do require decent electronics to sound good. Maybe not the best hard rock or headbanger speaker but make most of my lighter rock to classical sound fantastic. Read my review on this site called 'Revel f208 review by Earl'.
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