Short answer: the Revel F226Be. It ranks #15 of 228 floorstanding speakers by sound quality (rated 4.6/5) at $5,999.90 and is still sold new; the JBL HDI-3800 ranks #26 (rated 4.5/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
Why pick the Revel F226Be: Compact, highly accurate three way towers with a beryllium tweeter and remarkably clean drivers. The catch: Minimum impedance dips to about 3.7-4 ohms below roughly 500Hz despite the 8-ohm nominal rating, so it wants a genuine 4-ohm-capable two-channel amplifier; budget AVRs rated only for 6 or 8 ohms may struggle.
The JBL HDI-3800 is the deeper-bass pick. A horn loaded tower with three 8 inch woofers, deep bass, high sensitivity and huge output for large home theaters. Its bass reaches about 37Hz before falling 3dB, against 56Hz for the Revel F226Be. The tradeoff: On-axis frequency response features a narrow upper-frequency elevation around 8-10kHz, performing noticeably smoother when toed out 10-20° off-axis.
Buy the Revel F226Be. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the JBL HDI-3800 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Measured Differences
- Bass depth: the JBL HDI-3800 reaches 28 Hz (10 dB down) against 36 Hz for the Revel F226Be, about half an octave deeper. You hear more of the lowest bass notes and kick drums.
- Efficiency: the JBL HDI-3800 is rated at 92 dB sensitivity against 89.7 dB for the Revel F226Be, so it plays as loud with roughly two thirds of the amplifier power.
Prices on this page were last checked November 14, 2026 at 6:17 PM 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel F226Be | JBL HDI-3800 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,999.90 per pair | $5,000 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #15 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #26 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 28Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 56Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 37Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 41.3”H x 9.8”W x 13.7”D (1049 x 248.9 x 348 mm) | 43.3”H x 11.8”W x 16.4”D (1100.5 x 300.0 x 417.8 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal (3.8 ohms minimum, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | Two 6.5” (165mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cones, with cast frames woofer, 5-1/4” (130mm) Deep Ceramic Composite aluminum cone, with cast frame midrange, 1” (25mm) Beryllium dome, with acoustic lens waveguide tweeter | 1 in. 2410H-2 Teonex compression driver with HDI horn, triple 8 in. Advanced Aluminum Matrix cone woofers |
| Sensitivity | 89.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 92dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 58.2 lbs (26.4 kg) each | 83.8 lbs (38.0 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.96 (spinorama.org) | 5.62 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.15 (spinorama.org) | 7.03 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Revel F226Be: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
- JBL HDI-3800: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Revel F226Be compares with other leading options: