Short answer: the Revel F226Be, if you are buying new. The KEF R5 Meta measures as well as it (#14 vs #15 of 228 floorstanding speakers, 4.6/5 vs 4.6/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Revel F226Be is still sold new at $5,999.90.
What the Revel F226Be does well: Compact, highly accurate three way towers with a beryllium tweeter and remarkably clean drivers. The tradeoff: 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.
What the KEF R5 Meta does well: Highly accurate floorstanding speakers with a coaxial driver for smooth, even sound across the room, now discontinued but worth buying used. Watch for: Low-frequency extension (F3 of 52Hz, F10 of 38Hz) requires pairing with a dedicated subwoofer crossed over at 80Hz for high-output home theater or bass-heavy music performance.
Buy the Revel F226Be new; the KEF R5 Meta is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
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Measured Differences
- Efficiency: the Revel F226Be is rated at 89.7 dB sensitivity against 86 dB for the KEF R5 Meta, so it plays as loud with roughly half the amplifier power.
- Close enough not to matter: bass extension (36 Hz vs 38 Hz, 10 dB down).
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Specifications Side By Side
| Revel F226Be | KEF R5 Meta | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,999.90 per pair | $3,999.99 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #15 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #14 of 228 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 56Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 41.3”H x 9.8”W x 13.7”D (1049 x 248.9 x 348 mm) | 42.2”H x 10.7”W x 13.6”D (1073 x 273 x 346 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal |
| 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. vented aluminum dome tweeter with MAT, 5 in. aluminum cone midrange, two 5.25 in. hybrid aluminum cone woofers |
| Sensitivity | 89.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 58.2 lbs (26.4 kg) each | 54 lbs (24.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.96 (spinorama.org) | 6.33 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.15 (spinorama.org) | 8.07 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Revel F226Be: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
- KEF R5 Meta: 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.
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