Short answer: the Revel Concerta2 F35 for better sound quality, the Sony SS-CS3 for the lower price. The Revel Concerta2 F35 ranks #23 of 68 floorstanding speakers at $900. The Sony SS-CS3 ranks #59 at $450, $450 cheaper.
What the Revel Concerta2 F35 offers: 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 (around $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. Watch for: 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.
What the Sony SS-CS3 offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
Buy the Revel Concerta2 F35 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Sony SS-CS3 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Sony SS-CS3. It ranks near the bottom of the 68 floorstanding speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel Concerta2 F35 | Sony SS-CS3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $900 | $450.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #23 of 68 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #59 of 68 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 |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Revel Concerta2 F35: $900 Crutchfield eBay
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 (around $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.
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) |
| 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) |
| 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)
- Reddit Search for Revel Concerta2 F35 Review
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Sony SS-CS3: $450.00 Discontinued eBay
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.
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) |
| Dimensions | 36.3"H x 9.1"W x 10.2"D (922 x 230 x 260 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| 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) |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons