Pair of CS2.4 for $1300 good deal?
How would they sound compared to Revel Performa3 F208?
How would they sound compared to Revel Performa3 F208?
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$1300 for CS2.4 is a great deal if they’re in good shape (clean drivers and decent cabinets). Pairs in good condition (eg, 8/10) more typically fetch about $2000. I haven’t heard the Revel 208. Years ago the M20 was on my short list and I auditioned it but ended up with Thiel CS1.6. I heard the top of the line Salon IIs at RMAF and was underwhelmed. Maybe it was the Levinson electronics but I thought their performance was pedestrian compared to the rave reviews. The 208 probably has deeper bass than the 2.4 but I’ll take the Thiel all day every day, all the more so with the possibility of Tom Thiel’s crossover upgrades. |
I took a look at Crutchfield website and the Revel F208's are retailed at $5K for a pair. The CS2.4 was about $4.5K but taken into account for inflation, it would cost quite a bit more than $5K in today money so in that sense, the CS2.4 is a bit more high end compared to the F208. The F208 uses SB Acoustic aluminum drivers for the 8in. bass and 5.25in. midrange. The SB Acoustic drivers are more or less quality budget drivers. As for the tweeter, although I don't have information on it, judging by the price of the mid and bass drivers, the tweeter probably is of budget type as well. Although I have not listened to the F208, I have used similar SB Acoustic drivers in my own design. For the price they are decent, but the drivers are not in the same league as the drivers in CS2.4. Also the aluminum drivers used in the F208 have very large break up so it's almost likely that a 4th order filter must be used to suppress the break up. And as I have said before, if you're into first order design, you probably won't like 4th order filter. In my experience, the quality of the drivers are very important and will establish the limit of the final sound quality. Some of these drivers will have decent sound, but they don't quite have the inner beauty of the more exotic, more expensive drivers even with well design xovers. I have used high end drivers from Seas and ScanSpeak and some budget drivers, and after judging the sound quality vs. price, I have decided it's not worth it to use budget drivers. Here are the links for the F208 drivers if interested: https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-5-woofers/sb-acoustics-sb15nbac30-4-5-black-aluminum-co... https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/approx-8-woofers/sb23nbacs45-8-8-black-aluminum-cone/ |
Came across this review that had a short comparison between the CS1.7 and the F208. https://hometheaterreview.com/revel-performa3-f208-floorstanding-speaker-reviewed/?page=2 Thanks to its phase-coherent design, the $3,999/pair Thiel CS1.7 delivers an incredible (and natural) wraparound ambience, but it can't approach the Revels' dynamics and bass response. Interestingly enough, the F208 is sort of like what the new Thiel would have made. |
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