Short answer: the Revel F228Be for better sound quality, the ELAC DF63 for the lower price. The Revel F228Be ranks #16 of 59 floorstanding speakers at $7000. The ELAC DF63 ranks #29 at $649, $6351 cheaper.
The case for the Revel F228Be: CEA2034 spinorama shows an essentially flat on-axis response with very nice directivity. Set against that: Minimum impedance dips to 3.4 ohms with a secondary rise around 2kHz, calling for an amplifier comfortable with a demanding load.
On the ELAC DF63 side: Three-driver floorstanding layout: two 6” dedicated midbase drivers plus a separate 6” mid-range driver (confirmed by measuring different driver impedance/inductance) and a 1” dome tweeter, each woofer given its own stuffed chamber inside the cabinet. Watch for: A genuine measured resonance around 200-300Hz (visible in frequency response, impedance, and group delay) causes an audible “droning” coloration on female vocals.
Buy the Revel F228Be if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the ELAC DF63 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel F228Be | ELAC DF63 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7000 | $649.00 |
| Ranked | #16 of 59 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #29 of 59 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 25Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 29Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 71Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 50.9"H x 13.5"W x 17.6"D (1292.9 x 342.9 x 447 mm) | 43.1"H x 7.7"W x 10.6"D (1094.7 x 195.6 x 269.2 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms nominal (3.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| 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 | Two 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 6.5" Aramid Fiber midrange, 1" Aluminum Dome tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 89.3dB (300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review; 90dB manufacturer specified) | 86.6dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 112.4 lbs / 51 kg each | 58.2 lbs / 26.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Revel F228Be: $7000 Crutchfield
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.
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) |
| 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) |
| Weight | 112.4 lbs / 51 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
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ELAC DF63: $649.00 Amazon
Pros: Three-driver floorstanding layout: two 6” dedicated midbase drivers plus a separate 6” mid-range driver (confirmed by measuring different driver impedance/inductance) and a 1” dome tweeter, each woofer given its own stuffed chamber inside the cabinet. The dedicated midrange driver keeps distortion low even at higher output, avoiding the intermodulation grain typical of two-way bookshelf designs. The waveguide keeps high-frequency directivity well controlled, and overall horizontal directivity is good up to about 2kHz. Harmonic distortion looks good at both 86dB and 96dB, and multitone distortion stays below the reviewer’s 3% threshold. A shallow bass rolloff (F3 71Hz, F10 29Hz) lets it extend fairly low without a hard cutoff. Preferred by the reviewer over the similarly-priced Polk R500 (too much high-frequency narrowing, less neutral) and considered ahead of the Polk R700 as well.
Cons: A genuine measured resonance around 200-300Hz (visible in frequency response, impedance, and group delay) causes an audible “droning” coloration on female vocals. A mild peak around 10kHz makes shakers and similar high-frequency percussion jump too far forward in the mix; needed about 2dB of EQ to tame in testing. A dip in the 1-3kHz range gives the speaker a warm, slightly veiled character - the reviewer suspects the tweeter crossover point (around 2-3kHz) is set a bit high and could be lowered to fill this in. Directivity shows a noticeable handoff mismatch around 2.5kHz where the midrange driver hands off to the tweeter, though it’s minor at the -6dB point. Vertical directivity is narrower than horizontal, so listeners need to stay close to the tweeter axis. Low EPDR (about 1.5 ohms minimum) means a Class AB amplifier should be well-ventilated. Best positioned pointed directly at the listener and closer to the front wall - toeing it out into the room causes too much high-frequency rolloff.
Full ELAC DF63 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 29Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 71Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 43.1"H x 7.7"W x 10.6"D (1094.7 x 195.6 x 269.2 mm) |
| Drivers | Two 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 6.5" Aramid Fiber midrange, 1" Aluminum Dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (3.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.6dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 58.2 lbs / 26.4 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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