Raven celeste competitors/alternatives

I agree with artemus_5 about trying a Raven Blackhawk or Nighthawk with your Revel's, especially since Raven offers an in-home trial. If you switched out both at once you'd always wonder whether it was the amp or the speakers making the difference. Call or write Raven with your questions, I've found Dave Thomson to be extremely approachable and helpful.

A friend of mine has the CeLest Blackhawk combo and it sounds simply wonderful.

I would consider it but if I put a system in one more room in this house I may be all alone, have 5 now.

Imaging is great you can sit for hours listening to it. Much like my Moon 340i and Sf Olympica III’s

Thanks everyone for all the replies so far! Millercarbon, no way I can fit speakers that large in my small room. I often think the revels overpower it, however, switching to monitors and not having enough bass would be equally bad imo.
Trying a Raven amp with the Revel is not a bad idea since I could return it in 45 days (I'd just hate to be that guy). Unless others are more convinced than I am (and voice it strongly here), I feel it's just a guess if a hybrid like Pathos, Vincent, Unison Research etc. would yield better sound with the Revels than just getting the nighthawk/Celeste combo. I really don't want to waste time and $$ doing a bunch of random guessing that can't be evaluated side by side. Hence my "toying with" the idea of the Raven matched combo. Oh well, what I have now isn't terrible, but I know it can be better... and once it is, I'll want to get a new dac Chord Qutest or denafrips ares etc. Ugh! I'm never satisfied but too broke to try it all. Sometimes I wish I'd just enjoy the music more rather than thinking about better sound, but I guess my sound still isn't where I want it. That's why I suspect my gear isn't as synergistic as it should be and I am inclined to try a more "manufacturer matched combo" rather than randomly attempting to create sonic euphoria a la carte and failing. Jeez this stuff is harder than you'd think. Simply buying good gear doesn't necessarily guarantee good sound. I mean it helps obviously, but it doesn't guarantee it..  cuz the room doesn't care... and the equipment doesn't know what you want from it. 😉

This is what all direct sellers hoping to cut out normal retailers hope for with their potential customers. There is no problem returning it and you are not "that guy" if you return it. Returns are built into their business model.

Brick and mortar dealers offer home trials and loaners as well. 

I would not use either type of seller for a home trial unless I was serious, but it sounds like you are serious so try it out.

labguy OP"Trying a Raven amp with the Revel is not a bad idea since I could return it in 45 days (I'd just hate to be that guy)."

I suspect if most people returned the Raven amp after the home trial Raven Audio would no longer be offering the trial.