Short answer: the Revel F228Be for better sound quality, the Magnepan LRS+ for the lower price. The Revel F228Be ranks #28 of 188 floorstanding speakers, rated 4.5/5, at $11,000. The Magnepan LRS+ ranks #149, rated 3.5/5, at $1,300, $9,700 cheaper.
The case for the Magnepan LRS+: Thin, two-way planar-magnetic open-baffle/dipole panel design (about 48” tall, just 1” deep). The catch: Extremely current-hungry and power-hungry: even a pair of 600W Macintosh monoblock amplifiers only averaged about 90dB output.
The Revel F228Be is the more accurate, deeper-bass choice. CEA2034 spinorama shows an essentially flat on-axis response with very nice directivity. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.01 against 1.27 for the Magnepan LRS+. Its bass reaches about 61Hz before falling 3dB, against 74Hz for the Magnepan LRS+. Watch for: Minimum impedance dips to 3.4 ohms with a secondary rise around 2kHz, calling for an amplifier comfortable with a demanding load.
Buy the Magnepan LRS+ if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Revel F228Be if sound quality matters more than the price.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Magnepan LRS+ | Revel F228Be | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1300 per pair | $11,000 per pair |
| Ranked | #149 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #28 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 25Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 61Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 89.3dB (300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review; 90dB manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | Full-range planar magnetic dipole panel (48” tall x 13.5” wide); quasi-ribbon design, two-way with separate mid/bass and tweeter ribbon sections | Dual 8” (200mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cones, with cast frames woofers, 5-1/4” (130mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cone, with cast frame midrange, 1” (25mm) Beryllium dome, with acoustic lens waveguide tweeter |
| Weight | 30 lbs (13.6 kg) | 112.4 lbs (51 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | open baffle | ported, front |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms |
| Dimensions | 48”H x 13.5”W x 1”D (1219.2 x 342.9 x 25.4 mm) | 50.9”H x 13.5”W x 17.6”D (1292.9 x 342.9 x 447 mm) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 1.27 | 6.01 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 4.32 | 7.51 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 9, 2026 at 8:01 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Magnepan LRS+: $1300 per pair Magnepan eBay
Pros: Thin, two-way planar-magnetic open-baffle/dipole panel design (about 48” tall, just 1” deep). Delivers a uniquely dramatic and enveloping soundstage with genuinely three-dimensional depth effects that work across all music genres, not just classical or orchestral material as commonly assumed. Extremely tight, locked-in center-phantom imaging when set up correctly. Open-baffle design avoids the “boxy” enclosure coloration of conventional cabinet speakers. Multitone distortion is remarkably consistent from low to high frequency, a characteristic the reviewer hasn’t observed in conventional cone-and-dome speakers. Compression at high output stays modest (about 0.5-1dB) through the midrange and treble, giving roughly 20-26dB of usable dynamic range in that region. At its price, a strong contender for a dedicated secondary listening room, even if not a main-system replacement. Measured bass extension of 74Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85.1dB.
Cons: Extremely current-hungry and power-hungry: even a pair of 600W Macintosh monoblock amplifiers only averaged about 90dB output. A robust, high-power amplifier is essentially mandatory, and budget amps won’t cut it. Bass rolls off very quickly (F3 74Hz, F10 67Hz, described as falling off “like a rock”), making a subwoofer an absolute requirement for any low-end content. A roughly 3dB dip in the mid-bass (100-300Hz) region thins out vocal body and fullness compared to a conventional bookshelf speaker. A resonance/bump around 400Hz adds a mild boxy quality, though it responds well to about 2dB of EQ correction. Extraordinarily fussy about exact positioning: both seating height (must align with the acoustic reference point between the panel’s lower tie-down points) and horizontal aiming are unusually critical; moving just a couple of inches can cause treble content above roughly 500-600Hz to nearly vanish. Distinct off-axis cancellation zones exist directly to the sides of the panel, where very little sound is audible at all. Fails badly under extreme dynamic-transient testing in the bass, and the reviewer blew fuses pushing the speaker during testing: not built for high-volume or highly dynamic playback. A genuinely different category from conventional hi-fi speakers, requiring more setup patience and experimentation than a typical monopole design.
Full Magnepan LRS+ review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 48”H x 13.5”W x 1”D (1219.2 x 342.9 x 25.4 mm) |
| Drivers | Full-range planar magnetic dipole panel (48” tall x 13.5” wide); quasi-ribbon design, two-way with separate mid/bass and tweeter ribbon sections |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 1.27 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 4.32 |
| Weight | 30 lbs (13.6 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | open baffle |
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Revel F228Be: $11,000 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Older model: the Revel F208 (ranked higher, rated 4.5/5).
Same family: the Revel M126Be (bookshelf, rated 4.3/5), the Revel F226Be (smaller floorstanding, ranked higher, rated 4.6/5), the Revel F328Be (larger floorstanding, ranked higher, rated 4.7/5) and the Revel C426Be (center, rated 4/5).
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows an essentially flat on-axis response with very nice directivity. Predicted in-room response is nearly perfect, with a smooth slope down from bass to treble. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±70 degrees is wide and holds up well until narrowing above 8kHz. Vertical directivity offers more degrees of listening-height freedom than a typical bookshelf design, a benefit of this tower’s driver layout. Distortion is extremely low across the full audio range at 86dB SPL/1m and stays comfortable even at 96dB SPL/1m. Near-field measurements of the individual drivers show nice, well-integrated crossover behavior with only low-level resonances. Measured bass extension of 61Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 89.3dB.
Cons: Minimum impedance dips to 3.4 ohms with a secondary rise around 2kHz, calling for an amplifier comfortable with a demanding load. Very expensive and very heavy (51 kg each).
Full Revel F228Be review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 25Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 50.9”H x 13.5”W x 17.6”D (1292.9 x 342.9 x 447 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual 8” (200mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cones, with cast frames woofers, 5-1/4” (130mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cone, with cast frame midrange, 1” (25mm) Beryllium dome, with acoustic lens waveguide tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 89.3dB (300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review; 90dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.01 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.51 |
| Weight | 112.4 lbs (51 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons