Ok, I am the person you want to hear from if you're seriously thinking of the Revel Studio!
I upgraded to the Studios earlier this year and have been very happy with them. (I paid $8,000, but they were brand new, still in the box). I also used a Levinson No. 27 with them, but only briefly. The No. 27 worked fine, but the sound was just not as dynamic as I wanted. I then upgraded to an used Levinson No. 23 ($2,000 - very similar sound, but with double the power (200W/ch instead of 100).
(If you have the money, and like the Levinson sound, go up to the 23.5, which is about $2,500 used.)
I really like the sound now. In fact, I consider it a real step up from my previous speaker (Martin Logan Sequel II).
The soundstaging is great and the dynamics are incredible. Bass is very tight, and plentiful, but it does not go as deep as the Salon. (But my room would not handle that much bass in any case, and the Salon really needs 300-400 W/ch btw.)
The HF is incredible, but I can see where someone might think it is too much. (Good thing the front and rear tweeters have volume controls! Although, I don't turn the HF down, as I am using a Koetsu cartridge that rolls the HF down a bit, and the plentiful HF from the Studio makes it a perfect match!)
You should audition them if you can find a local dealer who has them. (I found that to be a problem, as most dealers had the Salons, but not the Studio. I had to drive about 75 miles to listen to them.)
For your infomation, my system includes: an ARC LS-2 preamp, Arc PH-3 phono preamp, Sony 9000ES SACD/CD player, Basis 1400 TT, RB300 arm. I use MIT 770 CVT biwired speaker cable and a mixture of I.C.'s (MIT 330, Kimber Hero, Straightwire Rhapsody II XLR, etc..)
Regarding other speakers, I endorse the Sonus Fabers as well. The Avalons are good, especially the Eidolons, but not the Opus, and they seem to like lots and lots of power, more than your No. 27 has. The Wilson Sophias are also nice. I am not a big B&W 802 fan either.
Good Luck in your search.
I upgraded to the Studios earlier this year and have been very happy with them. (I paid $8,000, but they were brand new, still in the box). I also used a Levinson No. 27 with them, but only briefly. The No. 27 worked fine, but the sound was just not as dynamic as I wanted. I then upgraded to an used Levinson No. 23 ($2,000 - very similar sound, but with double the power (200W/ch instead of 100).
(If you have the money, and like the Levinson sound, go up to the 23.5, which is about $2,500 used.)
I really like the sound now. In fact, I consider it a real step up from my previous speaker (Martin Logan Sequel II).
The soundstaging is great and the dynamics are incredible. Bass is very tight, and plentiful, but it does not go as deep as the Salon. (But my room would not handle that much bass in any case, and the Salon really needs 300-400 W/ch btw.)
The HF is incredible, but I can see where someone might think it is too much. (Good thing the front and rear tweeters have volume controls! Although, I don't turn the HF down, as I am using a Koetsu cartridge that rolls the HF down a bit, and the plentiful HF from the Studio makes it a perfect match!)
You should audition them if you can find a local dealer who has them. (I found that to be a problem, as most dealers had the Salons, but not the Studio. I had to drive about 75 miles to listen to them.)
For your infomation, my system includes: an ARC LS-2 preamp, Arc PH-3 phono preamp, Sony 9000ES SACD/CD player, Basis 1400 TT, RB300 arm. I use MIT 770 CVT biwired speaker cable and a mixture of I.C.'s (MIT 330, Kimber Hero, Straightwire Rhapsody II XLR, etc..)
Regarding other speakers, I endorse the Sonus Fabers as well. The Avalons are good, especially the Eidolons, but not the Opus, and they seem to like lots and lots of power, more than your No. 27 has. The Wilson Sophias are also nice. I am not a big B&W 802 fan either.
Good Luck in your search.