Revel Performa F328Be

Description

The Revel PerformaBe F328Be is a flagship floorstanding speaker from Revel’s PerformaBe series, developed to deliver exceptional resolution, dynamic capability, and accurate musical reproduction. Introduced in 2019, the F328Be combines advanced driver materials with carefully engineered crossover networks and cabinet construction. Designed for demanding two-channel audiophile systems and premium home theaters, it offers the scale and authority of a large floorstanding loudspeaker while pursuing the tonal consistency and precision for which Revel has become known.

The most distinctive feature is its 1-inch (25 mm) beryllium-dome tweeter. Beryllium offers an unusually favorable combination of stiffness, low mass, and damping, allowing the diaphragm to reproduce high frequencies with excellent detail and reduced distortion. Revel couples this tweeter to its sixth-generation Acoustic Lens waveguide, designed to control dispersion and improve integration with the midrange driver. The result is intended to provide crisp transient reproduction, spacious imaging, and consistent tonal balance across a broad listening area.

The midrange is handled by a 5.25-inch (130 mm) Deep Ceramic Composite (DCC) aluminum-cone driver. This construction uses ceramic layers on both sides of an aluminum core to help control unwanted cone resonances. The midrange is particularly important for natural vocal reproduction, the body of acoustic instruments, and the fine texture of musical recordings. Revel’s engineering approach seeks to maintain clean, controlled output through the critical vocal range while integrating smoothly with the tweeter and bass drivers.

Low-frequency reproduction comes from three 8-inch (200 mm) DCC aluminum-cone woofers. Their combined cone area and optimized motor systems allow the F328Be to move substantial quantities of air, producing powerful bass while maintaining definition and composure. The published frequency response extends down to 26 Hz at −6 dB, with extension to 24 Hz at −10 dB. This gives the speaker the potential to reproduce much of the deep bass in music and film soundtracks without necessarily requiring a subwoofer in a suitably sized room. Room acoustics and placement, however, strongly influence actual bass performance.

The crossover network uses high-order filtering, premium film capacitors, and air-core inductors in the midrange and tweeter circuits. Crossover points are 240 Hz and 2.1 kHz. This careful integration helps the three driver sections behave as a coherent system, preserving instrumental timbre and stereo imaging rather than drawing attention to individual drivers. The cabinet is substantial, weighing approximately 112.6 pounds per speaker, and is offered in high-gloss black, white, metallic silver, and walnut finishes.

Listening impressions from professional reviewers have been especially enthusiastic about the F328Be’s refinement, scale, and bass authority. HomeTheaterHifi found it more expansive in-room than the smaller F228Be, with improved midrange and treble refinement. The F328Be is a compelling choice for listeners seeking a revealing, full-range loudspeaker capable of handling delicate acoustic recordings as convincingly as large-scale orchestral music and cinematic material.

“Hands down, this is the finest speaker I have had the opportunity to audition at home”

— Stephen Hornbrook, Reference Home Theater, quoted by Harman Luxury Audio News.

“The lower frequency extension and increased bass performance are great”

— Stephen Hornbrook, commenting on the F328Be’s advantages over the smaller F228Be.

HomeTheaterHifi also highlighted its “Potent bass reach” and described the speaker as “Heavy and solidly built.”

Product specifications

• Manufacturer: Revel

• Model: PerformaBe F328Be

• Type: Three-way, bass-reflex floorstanding loudspeaker

• Introduction: 2019

• High-frequency driver: 1-inch (25 mm) beryllium-dome tweeter with sixth-generation Acoustic Lens waveguide

• Midrange driver: 5.25-inch (130 mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cone

• Low-frequency drivers: Three 8-inch (200 mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cones

• Frequency response: 26 Hz–40 kHz (−6 dB)

• Low-frequency extension: 24 Hz (−10 dB); 26 Hz (−6 dB); 35 Hz (−3 dB)

• Sensitivity: 91 dB at 2.83 V/1 m

• Nominal impedance: 8 ohms

• Recommended amplifier power: 50–400 watts per channel, according to the owner’s manual; some published specification sheets list 50–300 watts

• Crossover frequencies: 240 Hz and 2.1 kHz

• Crossover design: High-order networks; film capacitors and air-core inductors in midrange and tweeter circuits

• Enclosure: Bass-reflex, dual-port design

• Speaker terminals: Dual gold-plated binding posts with shorting straps

• Grilles: Magnetically attached

• Dimensions (H × W × D): 50.9 × 13.5 × 17.6 inches (1,294 × 341 × 449 mm), including base and grille

• Weight: 112.6 lb (51 kg) per speaker

• Intended applications: High-end stereo listening and premium home theater