Short answer: the Revel Performa M22 for better sound quality, the Yamaha NS-10 for the lower price. The Revel Performa M22 ranks #63 of 84 bookshelf speakers at $600. The Yamaha NS-10 ranks #82 at $499, $101 cheaper.
What the Revel Performa M22 offers: Very flat frequency response from 200hz to 10khz. Watch for: 3dB bass boost around 100hz.
What the Yamaha NS-10 offers: Legendary studio reference monitor with a well-documented history; Yamaha’s original spec sheet included genuine measured data (frequency response, distortion, impedance, polar response) rather than just marketing numbers… Watch for: A pronounced peak of about 7dB above the midrange average around 1.7kHz gives the sound a forward, bright, or “tinny” character - this is the real underlying issue, and it wasn’t actually fixed by the “Studio” revision.
Buy the Revel Performa M22 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Yamaha NS-10 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 84 bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel Performa M22 | Yamaha NS-10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About $600 used | $499 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #63 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #82 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 75Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 126Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms nominal, 5.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB | 90.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + 200mm woofer | 7.1" woofer, 1.4" soft dome tweeter |
| Weight | 41.7 lbs / 18.9 kg | 9.5 lbs / 4.3 kg |
| Dimensions | 14.5"H x 8.6"W x 11.9"D (368.3 x 219.1 x 301.6 mm) | 15"H x 8.5"W x 7.8"D (382.0 x 215.0 x 198.0 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | sealed |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- ELAC DB63 vs Polk R200
- KEF Q350 vs HSU Research CCB-8
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs HSU Research CCB-8
- ELAC DB63 vs Revel Performa M22
- Revel Performa M22 vs Polk Reserve R100
The Two Speakers In Full
Revel Performa M22: About $600 used
Pros: Very flat frequency response from 200hz to 10khz. Distortion is well controlled through most of the range, with only a modest crossover-region bump around 2-4kHz.
Cons: 3dB bass boost around 100hz. On-axis response also droops below 150Hz and peaks above 4kHz, which the reviewer thought may sound a bit bright/light. Distortion rises substantially below 100Hz when driven hard.
Full Revel Performa M22 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 14.5"H x 8.6"W x 11.9"D (368.3 x 219.1 x 301.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + 200mm woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 85dB |
| Weight | 41.7 lbs / 18.9 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Yamaha NS-10: $499 Discontinued
Pros: Legendary studio reference monitor with a well-documented history; Yamaha’s original spec sheet included genuine measured data (frequency response, distortion, impedance, polar response) rather than just marketing numbers, unusually transparent for the era. Distortion, compression, and multitone performance all measured better than the reviewer expected for a decades-old design - in some respects competitive with newer speakers he’s tested. Vertical dispersion holds up reasonably well for a speaker of this vintage. The redesigned “Studio” cabinet is more robust than the original, with crossover tweaks and nicer binding-post terminals. Sealed cabinet design allows placement close to a wall without added boominess, though at the cost of overall bass extension.
Cons: A pronounced peak of about 7dB above the midrange average around 1.7kHz gives the sound a forward, bright, or “tinny” character - this is the real underlying issue, and it wasn’t actually fixed by the “Studio” revision. Comparing the Studio version’s measured response to the original NS-10M’s published data, the original arguably measures more linear - Yamaha’s fix (lowering tweeter level by 2-3dB) left the core midrange peak largely untouched, addressing the wrong problem. The famous “tissue paper over the tweeter” mixing-engineer trick doesn’t actually help - testing it directly showed it adds diffraction and comb filtering rather than correcting the real midrange peak. Poor horizontal directivity, especially in its designed on-console orientation - usable window is only about ±20° off the tweeter axis before tonal character shifts noticeably. Directivity mismatches between direct and reflected sound make this difficult to properly correct with EQ in a typical farfield listening setup with nearby wall reflections. Bass is quite limited (F3 around 100Hz in most rooms once corrected for the inflated on-axis sensitivity reading), typical of a small sealed monitor design. Correcting the main midrange peak with EQ likely requires two bands rather than a single simple filter, since the peak isn’t perfectly symmetrical. Possible age-related tweeter compression at very high output, potentially from degraded ferrofluid affecting heat dissipation in these decades-old drivers. Discontinued.
Full Yamaha NS-10 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 75Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 126Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 15"H x 8.5"W x 7.8"D (382.0 x 215.0 x 198.0 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 7.1" woofer, 1.4" soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 5.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 90.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 9.5 lbs / 4.3 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons