Deep discount on Revel on-wall Concerta speakers (M8 @ $150 & M10 @ $250 ea)

[KEW]

I don't know how long this has been happening, but the Revel Concerta M10 is discounted 50% from $500/ea to $250/ea and the smaller M8 is discounted 40% from $250 to $150/ea.
This puts the price of these close to what I would look at as inexpensive surrounds while putting my money into the front three...except these are Revels, not budget surrounds!
Crutchfield is currently out of stock, but they estimate new inventory to arrive by 8/10/2020:

revel concerta at Crutchfield

Shopping for revel concerta? Get FREE 2-day shipping. Since 1974 our Virginia-based Advisors have loved helping folks find the right gear. Call or chat with us today for free expert advice.

www.crutchfield.com

I am curious about them, so further investigated them and decided to share what I found to help others. There is no doubt that this is a good deal, but the question is whether they would serve your needs!

Pros:
1) According to @TheWarrior , Floyd Tool had these in use for his home system!

"Ceramic" tweeter - Canton Vento 820.2 vs Paradigm S2

I am not sure I addressed this directly. IMHO, while the technology may be similar, the Vento ceramic tweeter is a step above the Infinity CMMD tweeter. The CMMD tweeter used in the Infinity Reference R162 is an outstanding tweeter especially considering it is in a speaker with a MSRP of...

forums.audioholics.com

2) Flush mount, compact (M8 is 3.5 pounds), and front ports makes for an easy mount (steady, @Danzilla31 ).
3) Harman/Revel pedigree - we can assume it is very well engineered - I can't recall anyone ever identifying any JBL/Infinity/Revel as a poor speaker/design!
4) Deep discount

Cons:
1) Older design - I'm not sure this is really a "Con", but Revel has essentially been making this speakers for around two decades (it was previously sold under the Infinty moniker) ! I think it is also a testimony to it being a great design that Revel did not see easy opportunity to redesign!
2) 3" woofers. IIRC, THX standard crosses to LFE at 120Hz and I suspect Revel had that in mind when they designed these (Revel specifies -3db at 110Hz). I suspect they can play reasonably loud down to 120Hz, but they will never compete with larger speakers for max SPL! Edit: For more on this, see FirstReflection's comment quoted below!
3) Flush mount with ability to "aim" requires that you have the right mounting locations available on your walls.
4) Subwoofer absolutely required!

Also here is a review by FirstReflection. I do not believe he still participates on the forum, but I can vouch for him having depth of experience and a trained ear. I trust his opinions (it was because of PM's with him that I got my Focal Solo6Be's!).

Revel On-Wall M10, C10, M8 - First Impressions

I recently brought home a 5 speaker set of Revel On-Wall M10 Front, C10 Center and M8 Surround speakers for an audition. I'm planning on some theatre changes this year and the plan includes on-wall speakers so that I can have a wall-mounted 70" LCD for lights-on TV and videogame viewing with a...

forums.audioholics.com

You will see in post #12 that he returned them because he wanted to save up more and get his ultimate system ... however,
1) he was using them as his front three, and
2) they weren't being heavily discounted when he bought them like they are now. I suspect if he had got them at these prices, he would have kept them and flipped them after he saved up for his ultimate system.

I think the 3" drivers are likely a big concern, so quoted FirstReflection's comments on their output capability:

I'll just cut right to the chace and say that Revel's specs are spot on. They say you can pump 125-150 Watts into them and that seems right about perfect. No trouble hitting 85dB average levels at the seat and cranking them to hit 105dB peaks (which would call for around 100Watts at this seating distance and the stated efficiency of the speakers) basically had the speakers tapping out with the high frequencies getting very shrill and the high end of the midrange starting to sound really "crunchy" and brittle. In other words, they're about what you'd expect just by looking at them. Four 3 inch drivers and a 1 inch tweeter in a very small, light-weight package just isn't meant for a large room! But in my small room, from a little under 10 feet away, they can just barely hit reference volume, and I honestly wouldn't want to push them an inch further!

I am very much in the camp of "save money on surrounds, but get the best front 3 you can afford". I think these represent an excellent option for doing this without compromising on the sound quality of surrounds (as long as you are comfortable with their SPL limits)!

OTOH, if you (because of WAF or whatever) are committed to on-wall speakers for your 5.1 or 7.1 system, I am not sure anything else competes at his price.

 

[TheWarrior]

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/advice-audio-insider

This was Floyd's previous HT with the Infinity branded, now Revel M10 7.4 system. All the subs are hidden, but I believe they're all JBL 8 and 10 inch sealed woofers.

The tweeter in the Infinity/Revel M 8 or 10, is not the same as the lower priced Infinity R162. They measured mostly flat to beyond 30khz.

On wall speakers come with their own hassle of needing to hide all the cables, but with these discounts, anyone looking for surrounds or a full system should jump on this as they are excellent speakers!

 

[RickyT]

I don't know how long this has been happening, but the Revel Concerta M10 is discounted 50% from $500/ea to $250/ea and the smaller M8 is discounted 40% from $250 to $150/ea.
This puts the price of these close to what I would look at as inexpensive surrounds while putting my money into the front three...except these are Revels, not budget surrounds!
Crutchfield is currently out of stock, but they estimate new inventory to arrive by 8/10/2020:

revel concerta at Crutchfield

Shopping for revel concerta? Get FREE 2-day shipping. Since 1974 our Virginia-based Advisors have loved helping folks find the right gear. Call or chat with us today for free expert advice.

www.crutchfield.com

I am curious about them, so further investigated them and decided to share what I found to help others. There is no doubt that this is a good deal, but the question is whether they would serve your needs!

Pros:
1) According to @TheWarrior , Floyd Tool had these in use for his home system!

"Ceramic" tweeter - Canton Vento 820.2 vs Paradigm S2

I am not sure I addressed this directly. IMHO, while the technology may be similar, the Vento ceramic tweeter is a step above the Infinity CMMD tweeter. The CMMD tweeter used in the Infinity Reference R162 is an outstanding tweeter especially considering it is in a speaker with a MSRP of...

forums.audioholics.com

2) Flush mount, compact (M8 is 3.5 pounds), and front ports makes for an easy mount (steady, @Danzilla31 ).
3) Harman/Revel pedigree - we can assume it is very well engineered - I can't recall anyone ever identifying any JBL/Infinity/Revel as a poor speaker/design!
4) Deep discount

Cons:
1) Older design - I'm not sure this is really a "Con", but Revel has essentially been making this speakers for around two decades (it was previously sold under the Infinty moniker) ! I think it is also a testimony to it being a great design that Revel did not see easy opportunity to redesign!
2) 3" woofers. IIRC, THX standard crosses to LFE at 120Hz and I suspect Revel had that in mind when they designed these (Revel specifies -3db at 110Hz). I suspect they can play reasonably loud down to 120Hz, but they will never compete with larger speakers for max SPL! Edit: For more on this, see FirstReflection's comment quoted below!
3) Flush mount with ability to "aim" requires that you have the right mounting locations available on your walls.
4) Subwoofer absolutely required!

Also here is a review by FirstReflection. I do not believe he still participates on the forum, but I can vouch for him having depth of experience and a trained ear. I trust his opinions (it was because of PM's with him that I got my Focal Solo6Be's!).

Revel On-Wall M10, C10, M8 - First Impressions

I recently brought home a 5 speaker set of Revel On-Wall M10 Front, C10 Center and M8 Surround speakers for an audition. I'm planning on some theatre changes this year and the plan includes on-wall speakers so that I can have a wall-mounted 70" LCD for lights-on TV and videogame viewing with a...

forums.audioholics.com

You will see in post #12 that he returned them because he wanted to save up more and get his ultimate system ... however,
1) he was using them as his front three, and
2) they weren't being heavily discounted when he bought them like they are now. I suspect if he had got them at these prices, he would have kept them and flipped them after he saved up for his ultimate system.

I think the 3" drivers are likely a big concern, so quoted FirstReflection's comments on their output capability:


I am very much in the camp of "save money on surrounds, but get the best front 3 you can afford". I think these represent an excellent option for doing this without compromising on the sound quality of surrounds (as long as you are comfortable with their SPL limits)!

OTOH, if you (because of WAF or whatever) are committed to on-wall speakers for your 5.1 or 7.1 system, I am not sure anything else competes at his price.

Small world.....after several years with 3 Focal Solo6 be's as LCR in my main HT system, I recently sold them and switched to Revel. Two M106s, a C205 (might upgrade to C208 later)...and ordered two M8s in white from Crutchfield for my two rears onwalls (they might ship tomorrow).

I already have 4 Focal Sib mounted on the ceiling for atmos speakers.

 

[afterlife2]

Man I like those black M8. Sigh. Did you get them KEW?

 

[dolsey01]

If you want a LCR setup, the C10 is really hard to find. I'm sure you can modify the bracket on the M10 to work horizontally as long as you are not OCD about the logo being oriented wrong.

On a side note, has anyone noticed how "similar" these are to Definitive Mythos and Paradigm Millenia of the same era? They all look like they came out of the same factory with slight driver changes.

 

[KEW]

Man I like those black M8. Sigh. Did you get them KEW?

Yeah, I picked up a pair of the M8's, but in white. The white has less visual mass and I have always liked the idea of having powerful sound coming from unostentatious speakers!
The Revel speakers seem to be a little more muted on the top end than I like/am used to, but the detail is excellent. I think I would prefer the Canton Chrono SL-516.2 if I was seriously into HT, but at $300/pr, when I think about how seldom I watch a movie where I would detect the difference, the Revels are probably the practical solution, but the jury is still out!

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

 

[KEW]

On a side note, has anyone noticed how "similar" these are to Definitive Mythos and Paradigm Millenia of the same era? They all look like they came out of the same factory with slight driver changes.

FirstReflection mentioned those (I have to assume those are the models, since they are on-wall) in the third link of my post #1 above! Here are his relevant comments:

A few in-store auditions have left me mostly very unimpressed. Def Tech and Paradigm on-wall speakers have failed to sound like normal speakers - completely lacking any soundstage depth, almost never having a perfect sonic match between the front L/R speakers and the center (despite the center often being nothing more than an identical front speaker placed horizontally), and generally lacking that uncanny sense of realism where instruments and voices simply sound like the real thing being played in the room in front of you.

Only two on-wall speakers that I heard in store impressed me, and those were the Paradigm Signature W5 on-walls - which are very large and very expensive - and these Revel on-walls, which are very reasonably priced at around $500 each retail (less, of course, when you ask for a better price )

What impressed me about the Revel on-walls in store was the virtually perfect sonic match across the front three speakers, with pans sounding natural and very nearly flawless. No alteration of the panning sound as it travelled from front speaker to center speaker to the other front speaker. The Paradigm W5 on-walls clearly played louder with better dynamics. The Beryllium tweeter was also a cut above and there was substantially more bass. Of course, everything from the size, to the number of drivers, to the price made this difference entirely predictable. The Revel speakers were not as impressive in an absolute sense, but with their low price, I felt - in store at least - that they were a very good value.

 

[KEW]

If you want a LCR setup, the C10 is really hard to find. I'm sure you can modify the bracket on the M10 to work horizontally as long as you are not OCD about the logo being oriented wrong.

Damn I love how thorough FirstReflection's posts were!
His second post addressed this (although this is his subjective determination, not verified by Revel ... but he is knowledgeable with an experienced ear):

Where these speakers shine though is the midrange. The M10 and C10 are 2.5 way designs with twin 3" mid-range/mid-bass drivers and additional twin 3" mid-bass only drivers. Sticking my ear right up against the speakers and hearing each driver pseudo-individually, I found what makes the C10 different from the M10 (other than the position of the binding posts and the little Revel logo on the front ) It seems that the C10 puts both mid-range/mid-bass drivers on the right hand side and both mid-bass only drivers on the left, whereas the M10 vertical speakers have a mirrored placement as you would expect (one mid-range/mid-bass above the tweeter and one below and then one mid-bass only driver above and below each mid-range driver). Having the mid-range drivers both on the right hand side seems to be what makes the C10 "intended for horizontal installation" as Revel puts it.

And this little tweak works! I found that standing above or laying below the level of the tweeter changed the timbre and voice of the M10 vertical speakers - as one would expect with a WMTMW design. But the C10's sound changed much less dramatically when moving side-to-side, which is excellent! The high frequencies naturally rolled off a bit and there was some change to the timbre, but it wasn't anything like putting an M10 on its side. Like I said, a lot of other on-wall systems from other brands are just three completely identical speakers and the center doesn't match sonically when it's horizontal. Revel's simple solution works. It isn't completely flawless, but it's a much better sonic match for anyone who is sitting to either side of dead center.

So, you can buy the third M10 and swap the two drivers and you are set! This should be a very simple job. The worst case I can think of is that you may need to splice in a bit more length of wire if the XO is at one end of the speaker and the wire is not long enough.
DOH! What am I thinking! I'd bet the 3" drivers are all identical (you can match driver part numbers once you open them up)! So you can probably simply leave the drivers as they are and swap connections!

I decided to take my M8 apart to see how difficult this would be (assuming that the M10 has the same construction). I am generally pretty good at figuring out how to get things apart, but these have stumped me!
FirstReflection commented that the removal of end caps was required for wall mounting, so I went to the manual. Apparently the mounting method has been changed, because it is now much easier, not requiring removal of the end caps! I looked under the foot pads on the bottom end and there are no screws being hidden under them. I tried to pull off the end caps pulling on one side then the other to wiggle it loose, no dice. The only screws are four screws at the terminal plate on the back. I removed them which freed the plate (with XO attached), but vision is limited by the fiberfill stuffed inside to be able to see how end caps are attached. I ran a wooden dowel from the terminal plate opening down to the end cap and so the dowel functioned as a "drift pin" to push the end cap off from the inside. Several gentle taps with a 7 oz. hammer, but no gap formed where the end cap meets the grill/speaker housing. I am out of options, short of risking damage to the speakers. So unless someone else figures it out, swapping the drivers/leads does not seem to be a viable option!

 

[Hitchslapped]

Yeah, I picked up a pair of the M8's, but in white. The white has less visual mass and I have always liked the idea of having powerful sound coming from unostentatious speakers!
The Revel speakers seem to be a little more muted on the top end than I like/am used to, but the detail is excellent. I think I would prefer the Canton Chrono SL-516.2 if I was seriously into HT, but at $300/pr, when I think about how seldom I watch a movie where I would detect the difference, the Revels are probably the practical solution, but the jury is still out!

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

How do you like the M8’s? I got the Canton Chrono SL 596.2 tower with the free center in white (based mostly from your research, thanks), and am considering these for either my rear surrounds which are wall mounted or to possibly mount as on ceilings (I have a pan ceiling, so it would sit in an angle), since I can not go with in ceiling. Wanted to see your thoughts on the M8 and if they would look/sound well with the Cantons. Thanks

 

[KEW]

How do you like the M8’s? I got the Canton Chrono SL 596.2 tower with the free center in white (based mostly from your research, thanks), and am considering these for either my rear surrounds which are wall mounted or to possibly mount as on ceilings (I have a pan ceiling, so it would sit in an angle), since I can not go with in ceiling. Wanted to see your thoughts on the M8 and if they would look/sound well with the Cantons. Thanks

I've decided to send them back. They are totally nice surrounds for $300/pr, but for $450/pr, I can get the Canton Chrono SL 516.2 that closely matches the top end character of my favorite speakers (RAAL, BE, or other Canton Ceramic)! If the $150 is not easy to come by then the Revels are great, but for me, it makes more sense to spend the extra and not second guess it!

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

Edit: Just for the record, I am not buying the 516.2's just yet. I would rather have the white ones that are not currently available. I am going on faith that Accessories4less will get more in or something equivalent in white.

 

[mazersteven]

When he posted the the Question I was a bit confused as to why one would want to go with something other then the Canton DL516. There are other On-Wall Cantons if cost is a concern but they come with a Aluminum Manganese tweeter.

 

[VMPS-TIII]

I've decided to send them back. They are totally nice surrounds for $300, but for $450 I can get the Canton Chrono SL 516.2 that closely matches the top end character of my favorite speakers (RAAL, BE, or other Canton Ceramic)! If the $150 is not easy to come by then the Revels are great, but for me, it makes more sense to spend the extra and not second guess it!

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

@KEW - I am loving the Canton Vento Reference 9.2 DC speakers. At first when I got them they seemed a bit harsh with an older Denon receiver I used. But since I started driving them with a Hegel H90 integrated amp they are so beautiful, open and clear. I hear significant bass out of them down to 35Hz and solid strong bass at 60Hz. I usually set the volume around 45. They get really loud at 55. Even at higher listening levels they sound crystal clear and tight.

They offer a powerful full sound with extended treble. I'm really glad I didn't send them back when my first setup didn't thrill me. I'm even thinking about wanting a second pair now. Thank you for introducing me to these. It's a blind date that's become a lasting relationship.

 

[Hitchslapped]

I've decided to send them back. They are totally nice surrounds for $300/pr, but for $450/pr, I can get the Canton Chrono SL 516.2 that closely matches the top end character of my favorite speakers (RAAL, BE, or other Canton Ceramic)! If the $150 is not easy to come by then the Revels are great, but for me, it makes more sense to spend the extra and not second guess it!

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

Edit: Just for the record, I am not buying the 516.2's just yet. I would rather have the white ones that are not currently available. I am going on faith that Accessories4less will get more in or something equivalent in white.

That sounds like a good idea, I am interested in staying with the ceramic tweeter. I’d be looking for white too to match my towers. If you see them pop up, let me know if you remember, thanks.

 

[KEW]

Will do!

 

[Khashmi]

I’m thinking of getting the white M8’s as my rear surround to complement my newly acquired Klipsch front stage (RP-8000F and RP-504c). Any concerns with this approach? Assuming I get good enough dual subs, will they be a good sonic match to the front stage? The small footprint and angled wall mounting is super attractive compared to the big boxy Klipsch bookshelves as these speakers will be right above the couch, which will be placed right against the back wall.