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REVIEW: Revel Performa m20 Speakers

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Model: Performa m20
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $2000
Description: two-way ported monitor
Manufacturer URL: Revel
Manufacturer URL: Revel

Review by jonbee ( A ) on April 15, 2002 at 22:55:05
IP Address: 12.228.10.1
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for the Performa m20


I've had a few days to take the measure of these, and I must say that I liked them very well when I first heard them, and I like them better as every day goes by. At this point I can say that they present the natural fabric of the music as well or better than any speaker I have ever heard, at any price. They do all the audiophile things like soundstage, image, dynamics etc. ranging from well to great, but what they do exceedingly well is to portray a balanced,grainless and integrated portrait of the instruments. One of the things that first made me sit up and take notice was acoustic steel string guitar. The treble event of the steel and the woody, bassier body tones were balanced not just in volume and harmonic accuracy but in time. As a former guitarist I cna say that I've never heard the natural true sound of this instrument, whether solo or in ensemble, presented as convincingly. Another sound I've never heard right from a stereo is massed strings in an orchestra. I go regularly to the Seattle Symphony, and there I hear the woody bodies of the violins overlaid with a fine sheen from the strings, in balance, neither shrill nor thick. Beneath this is the body of the string basses with the rosiny sound of the bowing. I've never heard these in exact proportion, with all the detail intact, like with these speakers. It's breathtaking, and makes you forget all the analysis. I was watching the Master's golf tournmament on TV the other day, and as a sometime birdwatcher I was hearing bird songs from outside my room that were unknown to me (also, I live on the 14th floor!). I puzzled over this for quite some time before realizing that the birds were in Atlanta and being broadcast along with the tournament coverage. It was downright spooky, and amazing in its realism as well. In my system, there is no hint of excess brightness, or any other coloration I can detect. Your mileage will vary, of course, but in my system and room, they are magical.


Product Weakness: Not as much 3-D holographic space between instruments as the Quad ESL 63, Apogee Diva, or Merlin VSM.
Product Strengths: Supremely balanced, natural presentation of instrumental signatures. Tight, musical bass to the mid to high 30's. Gorgeous cabinets


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Bel Canto EVO 200.2
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): CJ PFR
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Sony 7000 as transport, Genesis time lens,Sony 333 SACD,MSB Gold DAC
Speakers: Merlin VSM GenIIIRC, Legacy Impact sub,GR Paradox1
Cables/Interconnects: Goertz TQ, Mapleshade Golden Helix
Music Used (Genre/Selections): lots
Room Size (LxWxH): 22 x 18 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: Two walls of glass
Time Period/Length of Audition: 4 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Monster Cable 2000(front end only)
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Revel Performa m20 Speakers - jonbee 22:55:05 04/15/02 ( 17)