Short answer: the Revel Concerta2 F35. It ranks #30 of 188 floorstanding speakers by sound quality (rated 4.5/5) at $900 and is still sold new; the Sony SS-CS3 ranks #177 (rated 2.8/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Sony SS-CS3’s replacement, the Sony SS-CS3 M2, is rated 3.0/5.
The Revel Concerta2 F35 is the more accurate option. Two-and-a-half-way, four-driver design: a 1” aluminum dome tweeter on a waveguide, a 5.25” mid-range, and dual 5.25” mid-bass drivers in a rear-ported cabinet. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.35 against 4.11 for the Sony SS-CS3. The tradeoff: F3 of 61Hz and F10 of 39Hz mean a subwoofer is needed for real bass extension.
What the Sony SS-CS3 does well: Affordable entry-level floorstanding tower offering solid sensitivity (88.6dB SPL at 2.83V/1m), making it easy to power with standard budget AVRs. The tradeoff: Severe cabinet and driver resonances plague the passband between 100Hz and 600Hz, imparting audible coloration and chesty resonances to male vocals and acoustic instruments.
Buy the Revel Concerta2 F35. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Sony SS-CS3 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel Concerta2 F35 | Sony SS-CS3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $900 per pair | $450 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #30 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #177 of 188 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 72Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.3”H x 8.4”W x 12.2”D (1023.6 x 213.4 x 309.9 mm) | 36.3”H x 9.1”W x 10.2”D (922 x 230 x 260 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (3.8 ohms minimum, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 89.4dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 90dB manufacturer specified) | 88.6dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 3x 5.25” deep anodized aluminum cone woofers, 1” Aluminum Tweeter | 0.75 in. supertweeter, 0.98 in. polyester main tweeter, dual 5.12 in. MRC woofers |
| Weight | 41 lbs (18.6 kg) each | 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, front |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.35 | 4.11 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.30 | 6.65 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Revel Concerta2 F35: $900 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Same family: the Revel Concerta2 M16 (bookshelf, rated 4.1/5), the Revel Concerta2 F36 (larger floorstanding, ranked higher, estimated 4.6/5) and the Revel Concerta2 C25 (center, rated 4.1/5).
Pros: Two-and-a-half-way, four-driver design: a 1” aluminum dome tweeter on a waveguide, a 5.25” mid-range, and dual 5.25” mid-bass drivers in a rear-ported cabinet. Measured sensitivity of 89.4dB closely matches the 90dB spec, and distortion looks good at both 86dB and 96dB, holding up well even with a high-pass filter applied. At its sale price of $900/pair, down from full retail, the reviewer calls it a “no-brainer,” undercutting comparable budget floorstanders like the ELAC DF63. Frequency response and directivity mismatches are largely EQ-able, since most of what shows up in measurements traces to physical tweeter/mid-range separation rather than a fundamental flaw. Compression is fairly well controlled for the price: about 1dB of loss around 100Hz under long-term compression, described as “par for the course” at this cost. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 89.4dB.
Cons: F3 of 61Hz and F10 of 39Hz mean a subwoofer is needed for real bass extension. A dip in the lower midrange/2-3kHz region reduces attack and detail, and a peak around 5kHz adds some edge and sibilance in the lower treble. A peak in off-axis energy around 3kHz reflects off sidewalls at roughly 60-70° off-axis and arrives louder than the direct sound: this specific issue can’t be fixed with EQ (boosting the direct sound would boost the stronger reflection too) and would need acoustic absorption to properly address, though the reviewer considers it a minor, optional fix at this price. A couple of minor resonances appear in the impedance plot, including one around 300Hz that may partly explain a subtle sense of vocal warmth noticed in listening, though it’s more likely room-related. Minimum impedance around 3.8 ohms. Short-term compression testing shows some increased distortion in the tweeter and higher-frequency compression at loud output.
Full Revel Concerta2 F35 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 40.3”H x 8.4”W x 12.2”D (1023.6 x 213.4 x 309.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 3x 5.25” deep anodized aluminum cone woofers, 1” Aluminum Tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (3.8 ohms minimum, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 89.4dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 90dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.35 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.30 |
| Weight | 41 lbs (18.6 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Audio Science Review Revel Concerta2 F35 More from Audio Science Review →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Revel F35 Review: Great Sound, Lower Price! More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Review Website Revel Concerta2 F35
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Erin’s Audio Corner: You’ve Never Seen a Review Like This. Revel F35 Review (Part 1).
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Sony SS-CS3: $450 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Sony SS-CS3 M2, ranked higher, estimated 3/5.
Same family: the Sony SS-CS5 (bookshelf, rated 3.5/5).
Pros: Affordable entry-level floorstanding tower offering solid sensitivity (88.6dB SPL at 2.83V/1m), making it easy to power with standard budget AVRs. Harmonic distortion remains reasonably low at moderate listening levels (86dB SPL) when high-pass filtered above 80-100Hz with a dedicated subwoofer. Front-ported design allows relatively close placement to front boundaries without excessive port occlusion. Measured bass extension of 72Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 88.6dB.
Cons: Severe cabinet and driver resonances plague the passband between 100Hz and 600Hz, imparting audible coloration and chesty resonances to male vocals and acoustic instruments. Irregular frequency response peaks and dips make automated receiver room correction difficult to equalize effectively. Poor low-frequency extension (F3 of 72Hz, F10 of 39Hz) for a floorstander, combined with rapid distortion escalation below 80Hz at higher SPLs (96dB+). Supertweeter driver adds crossover complexity without providing audible high-frequency benefit within the human hearing spectrum. Discontinued.
Full Sony SS-CS3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 72Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 36.3”H x 9.1”W x 10.2”D (922 x 230 x 260 mm) |
| Drivers | 0.75 in. supertweeter, 0.98 in. polyester main tweeter, dual 5.12 in. MRC woofers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 88.6dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.11 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.65 |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons