Revel M20 (1 Viewer)

[Craig Morris]

In my search for great sounding stand-mounted speakers, I came across these Revels. Luckily I have a local Revel dealer, so eventually I'll be able to hear them.
Anyone have first-hand experience with these?
http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/r...rforma_m20.htm

 

[DennisZ]

I have the M20s for my rears. the front are F30 and C30

for the center. I love them. One thing, if these are

brand new the break in time is 100 to 200 hours. I am

not kidding. After that they really start to sing. Use good

speaker cable.

Denny

 

[DennisZ]

Craig, one more thing the Revels love power. They are

only 6 ohms don't be afraid to give them alot. I drive mine with 250W per channel. Good speaker cable is also a must.

 

[Chris Zell]

I have a modest Revel HT speaker setup (except for the sub - the B15 was not out yet when I wanted one). Front L/R=M20s, Center=C30, Sides=S30s.

I looked and listened to quite a few high quality speakers out there, and the M20s won me over. Their combination of smoothness, detail, flat freq. response down to the 40s, lack of dynamic compression, and small size are hard to beat for me. Spending much more did not gain enough to justify the extra cost. Give them a try - you get a lot for $2k IMO.

BTW, I'm extremely happy with the C30 and S30s also. The C30 blends seemlessly for me across the front, even at high volumes (it was designed to be potantially used with any Revel front speakers). The S30s also sound excellent, and can be dipole or monopole - controllable from a switch or a trigger signal. This versatlily is very nice, and keeps me somewhat future proof. Who knows what we'll need or want for future multichannel formats?

Cheers,

Chris

 

[Craig Morris]

Thanks for the input guys.

I'm headed out to audition the M20's tonight.

My one reservation (assuming I love the M20's) is the price of the C30 and S30. I know I will never (unless I win the lottery) spend that kind of money on Center and Rears. In Canada they run somewhere around $3000 and $4000 respectively. Rediculously expensive, especially compared to the price of the M20's themselves (about $3000CDN although I'm not 100% sure about these prices).

I'm undecided about what I will do if I fall in love with the M20's. I may end up making Music the priority in my system, with Theater taking the back seat... I can't believe I just said that. I started out as strictly an HT buff about 10 years ago... and my system has been steadily evolving towards the music side of the spectrum. Things that make you go hmmmmmm...

 

[Craig Morris]

The audition went well. I certainly found all the detail and transparency that I have been craving in a speaker. I heard things in a few of my favourite tracks that I had never heard before... and I've heard these tracks 100's of times on at least 12 different systems.
Another surprise was what I will call layering of images. With my OM-6's the soundstage has always been huge and deep, but I was amazed at how the M20's were able to place intstruments and voices both from left to right and front to back. On one song the acoustic guitar hanging in space in front of the M20's was downright spooky.
My dealer doesn't carry REL, and he really wants my continued business, so he was offering me a pretty incredible price on the Revel B15 sub. But even hugely discounted it's a lot of $$$ and certainly overkill for my small listening space. I have some decisions to make.
Oh, and I'm still going to go check out the Energy Veritas 2.2's.

 

[Chris Zell]

Thanks for the audition update - I was going to ask how it went. Sounds like you're still at least considering the M20. I can tell you that I am just as happy now as I was a year ago when I first got mine.

The B15 is my dream sub - I think you oughta consider it if they are giving a good deal. By far the most flexible sub on the market - Revel designed in adjustments to help it work in a real room. I would probably save my pennies if I had not already bought a different sub.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[Craig Morris]

Yeah, the B15 is awesome. But it's a significant step up in price range from where I was looking... it will also be a few years before I'm in a house where I can actually take advantage of it's capabilities. My neighbours in my current townhouse would hate me if I had a B15.

We'll see though... I've done some crazy things in the past.

I'm also still not 100% sure of what I'm doing with respect to theatre/music trade offs. Going with the M20's would be a huge step forward for music, but a step backward on the theatre side since I can't afford the Revel Centre and Rears.

 

[Chris Zell]

I hear you about the cash. I bought a sub, waited, sold my main speakers, waited until I could afford both the M20s and S30 surrounds, bought those, waited until I could afford the C30 center - bought that a couple of months ago. Now I finally have a full sound setup, but it took about a year, and did not exactly enhance my marriage! I still don't even have a TV in the room - gotta drag in the dinky 20 incher when I want to watch a DVD. TV is next, but the hardest sell to the Mrs., who thinks TV/video is evil.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[KeithR]

I would go for M20s and the sub if you can stretch it. The B15 is the best sub on the market and is truly remarkable....I have heard dealers telling Ultima customers to buy the B15 instead of the higher separate passive w/ amp version.

BTW, in the Stereophile review, JA said the M20 gave up practically any bass toward the much larger F30. I believe the review is on the web. I agree with this assessment, and for ht, I would get 5 (7) M20s and the sub. That would be smoking, as the C30 gets dogged everywhere as having poor off-axis response. There is magic in having 5 of the same speaker...you just have to hear it to believe it.

Good luck

 

[Chris Zell]

I believe that a full M20 setup would be very good, but with the M20s as surrounds, you would not have the option of dipole operation, only direct. I would not like to be tied to either, so I think a surround such as the S30 which can be dipole or monopole is a huge advantage. I sat a pair of S30s on stands and used them as main speakers (in monopole mode) just to see how they stacked up with the M20s. They were excellent - probably could have lived happily with them as my main speaks. Didn't go as low as the M20s, that was the main diff - but cross them over at 80Hz or so as surrounds, and that is not a concern. Also, the S30s would be easier to mount on the wall, and less obtrusive visually (the white ones in particular). Can ceiling them also with no problem.

Now the C30 - I'm confused about this. I AGONIZED over whether I should buy them or not, based on a few things I read on the web. Not up to snuff, marginal off-axis respnse, overall quality etc. Since they were designed to fit in well with any Revel fronts (including Salons and Studios), and the fact that I have heard every other Revel speaker and been extremely impressed, I decided to get them. I assumed that there was at least a 50-50 chance I would return them, and I would have if they had not been great (I'd just go with M20 as center). I do wish I had a spare M20 for a complete comparison, but I did not.

No question - the C30 sounded great to me. Maybe I have stone ears, but poor off-axis response? Not up to par in general? Poor quality in any way? No, No, and No IMO. They are absolutely seemless for me with the M20s.. I am baffled about these negative coments I have read, but I gotta go with my own experience on this one. I bet the M20 would also actually be a fine center channel, so you would probably be happy either way - but I'm happily keeping the C30 - it is designed as a center, and is very versatile - can be placed on top of a TV, below or flush-wall mounted, with different switch settings on the back to help optimize it.

Good luck on your decision. Cheers,

Chris

 

[itai]

hi craig

just slightly out of your topic(revel), did you audition

the paradigm reference line?

if yes, how do you (or anyone) compare the paradigm studio line to the revels? are they in the same leage, or are the revels way better?

thanks,

itai.

 

[Chris Zell]

itai,

I'm not Craig, but I have heard the Active 20s, and the Studio 100s. I listened to the 100s for many hours (a weekend) in the same room and setup as a pair of Revel Sudios and M20s. Sorry - I have only heard the other Paradigm Studios in passing, so I'm not qualified to comment. The 100s are a lot of speaker for the money. Dynamic, fun, great extemsion on top and bottom. My friend was getting rid of the 100s (had them for only a month or so, so they were essentially new), ao I could have gotten a great deal. I wanted to want them, But ultimaltely they just didn't do it for me. Would have saved me a lot of money in completing the rest of an HT system (surronds, center etc.), so maybe I made a mistake!

Speakers are VERY personal. Whatever you think is the great or the best is all that matters. If you love 'em, go for it. You ought to listen to some of the Paradigm Studios - they are very nice and a great value, as are all Paradigms IMO (I think Atoms are the best sub $200 speeaker on the market - amazing for the $$). But unfortunately, for me, the Revels were in another league. Maybe they won't be for you - it's worth a listen.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[Craig Morris]

Keith, I agree, the B15 is fantastic, and if I could swing the money, I would buy one without hesitation. It would likely be the last sub I'd ever have to buy. I also read the Stereophile M20 review and my listening experience was echoed there.

Itai, I have auditioned the Paradigm reference line, namely the 20's, 40's and 100's. I think in the U.S. the M20 compares with the 100's price-wise. In Canada the 100's are just over $2000, but the M20's are $3650 including matching stands. Admittedly, price isn't everything in the audio world.

Sonically, I definitely prefer the M20's. The 40's were my favourite Paradigm, but the Revels are much more revealing. I heard things on the Revels that I have never heard before on any speaker (mind you, I haven't heard everything... I'm sure there are other revealing speakers out there). The soundstaging and imaging and layering of images that I described were also superior on the M20's. The Paradigms were fine for image placement from left to right, but I found the placement of instruments/voices from front to back incredible on the Revels. I have never heard anything like it.

I also agree with Chris, about speakers being personal. I think many people would find the Revel too analytical. Personally, it's what I've been craving.

 

[itai]

thanks chris, craig;

I allready am a happy owner of studio 60's.

After two months of extensive use, I find them to be a bit "empty" in the midrange.

I was thinking about upgrading them to studio 100's, (the rest of my ht set is para-ref-studio too), but I think I'll audition these revels, if I can find them here.

Thanks!

 

[Darrel McBane]

I looked for over two years for a pair of speakers to replace my 12 year old pair of Klipsch Forte' speakers. I listened to many many brands that were available in my area. Didn't get a chance to listen to any of the Paradigm line of speakers. I think there was only one dealer in the area that had them which also carried Revel speakers. Of all the speakers I listened to only the Vandersteen 3A Signature caught my ear. Until I heard the Revel F-30. I love the sound of the 3As but the Revels midrange just stole me. So open and uncolored. I bought a mint pair on Audiogon from a guy who lived just minutes from my house. They were $2400 and he even delivered them to my house. I did find that Revel like big power to really reveal their true abilities. I ended up buying a Rotel 1090 two channel amp to power them and bi-wired them as well. No matter what volume level I listen or music played on them they just sound right. I've only just heard the M20s in passing. The same store didn't have any in when I first listened to the F-30 the few times before I bought. But afterward as I was in the store there was a pair playing in a room and I was able to hear the same quality of sound as the F-30s. I haven't picked up the C-30 yet and have heard a rumor of a C-50 center channel to match the new F-50 speakers. But, the dealer wouldn't confirm that one was coming. I'm still using the Klipsch C-7 center and 3.1 rear speakers with the F-30s for HT. Many would say that timbre matching is imperative for the front three. And I wouldn't disagree. But, the C-7 is such a good center channel. I'm in no hurry to replace it. I'm also using dual SVS 20-39 subs but only for movies. The F-30s bass is all I need for music. I think if you go with the M-20s you'll be very happy.

 

[Chuck C]

Looks like the Revel Performa line is emerging as the next best speaker, and it's got me all excited. Does anybody have a U.S. retail price list??

 

[Craig Morris]

I think these are right:

M20, $2200 including custom stands.

F30, $3500

C30, $1695

S30, $2295

B15, $2995-3295 depending on finish

F50, not sure in USD, but in Canada, it's twice the F30. so probably $7000.

 

[Geo]

I've owned a pair of M20's for about 6 months and can't say enough about them. They are indeed a giant killer!

I really want to listen to the F50's. As much as I'd hate to move my M20's to other duties (maybe dual centers, or surrounds) the F50's have the looks that I could get by the wife, she hates the looks of the F30's.

Has anybody seen or heard the F50's yet?

Also I have the Velodyne HGS-18 sub, is the B15 a lot better than the HGS-18?

geo

 

[Craig Morris]

Geo, my dealer has the F50's in stock, but as soon as he said they were twice the price of the F30's I quickly moved on.
I haven't auditioned the HGS-18 but I think you're probably ok with that The only advantage I could see the B15 having is it's built-in equalizer. If you have room induced peaks, you can tame the 3 worst peaks with the equalizer. I bet you're at least as good for overall sound quality, extension and output though.