Houston, one of my Revel Salon's may have a problem

[slipperybidness]

Well that sucks.

All Voice midrange drivers will fail eventually even if you only listen to 70-80dB most of the time and max out at 95dB occasionally and use 2.1 mode with at least one subwoofer?

That doesn't seem like good engineering.

Well, at least they owned up to it and didn't try to save a buck and sweep it under the rug.

 

[Irvrobinson]

The failing midrange was harder to move, could that have been a factor in the amp channel shutting down?

Difficult to say for sure, but maybe.

 

[RichB]

Well, at least they owned up to it and didn't try to save a buck and sweep it under the rug.

A tech told me this a couple of years ago.
I think the value pricing by Revel standards is there way of helping out the customer.
Many brands at these price ranges would charge you through the nose.

The Salon tweeters were $250 each with a discount. They appear to manufactured by ScanSpeak and when I googled them last they were in the ball-park.

- Rich

 

[RichB]

The new Midranges arrived today and with help from a friend installed the replacements.
They look a bit different. The front is no longer flat and the magnet and frame has changed.

Just like the midrange there was no way to remove them without cutting out the titanium dome.
Even then, it took some doing to get them free. After a while the surround foam seems to turn into glue.
The new midranges have a new gasket that looks like cork.

I only had a little time to listen but both speakers with the new drivers. Both speakers sound great again.
The midrange appears to have more presence. There could have been a steady decline.
I will run some measurements soon.

- Rich

 

[Drunder40]

From AVSForum:



The Revel Voice has the same 4" midrange.
I called Revel and ordered two replacement midranges for $280 total since they recommended upgrading them in pairs.

A couple of years ago, it took 8 months to get the Voice Center Channel midrange since they moved the production (to China, I think).
After pressing on the right-midrange it exhibits the same scratching noise that my Voice midrange did. Apparently, the glue (or something) breaks down and bollixes up the works.
From an earlier call to Revel, I was told that all Voice midrange drivers will fail eventually.
So this problem may not have been my fault.

I have a couple of EE friends that will assist in the procedure and my surgical sheet with a whole cut to expose target area

Thank to all for the support,

Rich

There's the Culprit. China (if that is infact true). It is a fact that they swap out quality parts/materials for cheaper stuff (Totally against the agreement with the company they are working for) to get the biggest profit and the consumer see the results..

 

[RichB]

There's the Culprit. China (if that is infact true). It is a fact that they swap out quality parts/materials for cheaper stuff (Totally against the agreement with the company they are working for) to get the biggest profit and the consumer see the results..

the original drivers were not made in China and, I think, the new ones are.
When my center channel midrange went out two years ago, it tools months for Revel to certify the new production.
BTW, that driver has the same look as the original, whereas, the new mid ranges are different.

Quality is how you build it, not where you build it.

- Rich

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I don't blame it on China either.

I've heard enough cases of high-end Diamond, Beryllium, and Titanium drivers malfunctioning, and they didn't come from China. Most people seem to blame it on excessive SPL. Who knows the actual reason.

It's funny because you hear about those 40 year old cheap speakers in your dad's garage that still sound good. But some of these really expensive drivers just don't seem to last as long.

Maybe it's like the saying - "The candle that burns the brightest is the first to go out".

 

[herbu]

There's the Culprit. China (if that is infact true). It is a fact that they swap out quality parts/materials for cheaper stuff (Totally against the agreement with the company they are working for) to get the biggest profit and the consumer see the results..

What an ignorant thing to say about a whole country.

 

[Drunder40]

I apologize if folks took my comment the wrong way.. My intention was to point out that it does happen. It was all over the news.. Kids were getting hurt because the factory in China swapped out non lead paint for lead based paint and kids got injured.. That is just one example.

Maybe poor way of wording my initial reply..

Again I apologize

 

[RichB]

Frig.
The wife and kids left for a 1/2 hour so I took the opportunity to some music loud but not crazy, about -15 on the HA-1 (I estimate in the mid 90 DB range)

I put on Dragonfly from Anne Bisson's Blue Mind which is quiet song, ti sounded awful from the left channel.
I swapped amp channels, played each channel separately. The new replacement midrange in the left channel has failed.
A gentle press on the driver seems to indicate that the cone may be partially detached.

I fired off an email to Revel. Last time I soldered them in, this time, I think I'll use crimp connectors.

Jeeze Louise!

- Rich

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The new replacement midrange in the left channel has failed.

Very disheartening.

Not good at all.

 

[MidnightSensi2]

I'm sorry you're having trouble. Is this all under warranty?

 

[TLS Guy]

Frig.
The wife and kids left for a 1/2 hour so I took the opportunity to some music loud but not crazy, about -15 on the HA-1 (I estimate in the mid 90 DB range)

I put on Dragonfly from Anne Bisson's Blue Mind which is quiet song, ti sounded awful from the left channel.
I swapped amp channels, played each channel separately. The new replacement midrange in the left channel has failed.
A gentle press on the driver seems to indicate that the cone may be partially detached.

I fired off an email to Revel. Last time I soldered them in, this time, I think I'll use crimp connectors.

Jeeze Louise!

- Rich

High priced Chinese junk. Note to self, do not recommend. Avoid!

 

[RichB]

Very disheartening.

Not good at all.

Agreed. The midrange replacement for my center channel looked exactly like the original.

These new replacements have a different surround bezel, frame, and magnet shape so a different manufacturing.

Third time is the charm

- Rich

 

[RichB]

High priced Chinese junk. Note to self, do not recommend. Avoid!

Remanufactured replacement parts for the old line do not seem to getting the proper priority.
My friend beats drives his F206's hard.

- Rich

 

[MidnightSensi2]

High priced Chinese junk. Note to self, do not recommend. Avoid!

Revel in general?

 

[Cos]

Rich,

How is Revel support. Holy Jebus for what those speakers cost, you would think they would at least go out of their way to help you. Is there a Revel dealer you can take them to close to you who can get them fixed, though I am sure it will cost an arm and leg, maybe a second arm too.

Between your A51 / AV8801 and now this you should be able to write a book on dealing with technical support. This is why I will always work with my dealer, besides the fact he is really close, he does his best to help me out with my stuff when I do have issues. My Sesimic 12 sub has had the amp replaced 2 times and he helped me get it fixed the last time for free. Of course that's a 2k Sub vs a 40k set of speakers.

 

[RichB]

Rich,

How is Revel support. Holy Jebus for what those speakers cost, you would think they would at least go out of their way to help you. Is there a Revel dealer you can take them to close to you who can get them fixed, though I am sure it will cost an arm and leg, maybe a second arm too.

Between your A51 / AV8801 and now this you should be able to write a book on dealing with technical support. This is why I will always work with my dealer, besides the fact he is really close, he does his best to help me out with my stuff when I do have issues. My Sesimic 12 sub has had the amp replaced 2 times and he helped me get it fixed the last time for free. Of course that's a 2k Sub vs a 40k set of speakers.

Revels are expensive but not that expensive

Revel support is good. My dealer is no longer in business.
Even so, these are not easily transported so it is better to fix them in place.

Parasound support is excellent.

Marantz, meh. I got a little PO'ed after the second trigger fix when the repair shot said that Marantz asked if I was using them to charge my Prius. Especially, after my dealer told me that 10 out of the 200 he sold had trigger issues. I found a local dealer that I like. So if I decide to buy a Denon/Marantz in the future, I'll use him.

- Rich

 

[TLS Guy]

Revel in general?

Far Eastern speaker drivers in general, yes. This is a high priced speaker and this number of failures is a disgrace.

When I was with Billy Woodman at his ATC factory, he told me that they had had no more than five failures of their famed dome mid range since production started. I think that is at least 25 years for that driver and the production of thousands of those them. We have three failures for one customer here. So draw you own conclusions.

I certainly think members here should be more discerning in their purchases.

I would consider owning very few of the products hyped here.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Harman is a very different company than when I bought my Revels in 2009. Production was in CA, Sidney was in charge. I doubt I'd make the same choice today, just as I wouldn't with a Mark Levinson brand that is letting ATI do some of the amps. It makes me wonder how Crown is faring.