Short answer: the Revel W228Be. It ranks #5 of 18 in-wall speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $7,699.90. The JBL Synthesis SCL-4 ranks #12, rated 3.6/5, at $7,259.90, $440 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
What the Revel W228Be does well: Revel’s own measurement, published on spinorama.org, gives a preference score of 6.79, or 8.33 with a perfect subwoofer. The tradeoff: Audio Science Review’s independent Klippel measurement was far weaker than Revel’s own (preference score 2.31, or 6.15 with a subwoofer, and -3dB at 108Hz), so real bass depends heavily on the installation and enclosure.
What the JBL Synthesis SCL-4 does well: JBL’s own measurements show a 1.85 directivity-index deviation, the most even directivity of the JBL Synthesis in-walls, with 0.35dB average on-axis deviation. The tradeoff: Bass is the weakest here, at 83.7Hz for -3dB and about 61.9Hz for -10dB in free air, so it needs a subwoofer.
Buy the Revel W228Be. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $440 with the JBL Synthesis SCL-4 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel W228Be | JBL Synthesis SCL-4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7,699.90 per pair | $7,259.90 per pair |
| Ranked | #5 of 18 in In-Wall & In-Ceiling Speakers | #12 of 18 in In-Wall & In-Ceiling Speakers |
| Drivers | 2x 8” DCC aluminum woofers, 5.25” DCC aluminum midrange, 1” beryllium dome tweeter with acoustic lens waveguide (3-way) | 7” aluminum matrix cone woofer, 1” 2409H compression driver on HDI horn (2-way) |
| Enclosure | In-wall, 27-54L enclosure (optional W228BEBB back box sold separately) | In-wall, integrated MDF back box |
| Mounting Cutout | 309W x 896H mm | - |
| Dimensions | 37”H x 13.9”W x 4.1”D (939 x 353 x 105 mm) (96mm mounting depth) | 25”H x 16.1”W x 3.7”D (636 x 409 x 93 mm) |
| Weight | 31.5 lbs (14.3 kg) | 27.6 lbs (12.51 kg) |
| Sensitivity | 90dB | 91dB (2.83V/1m) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4 ohm minimum) | 6 ohms |
| Power Handling | 50-400W RMS at 4 ohms | 200W RMS maximum recommended amplifier power |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz-40kHz (-6dB, manufacturer) | 45Hz-33kHz -6dB (manufacturer, on-axis) |
| Maximum SPL | 115dB (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Crossover Frequency | 220Hz, 2,500Hz | 1.3kHz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43.4Hz (measured, Revel vendor data on spinorama.org) | 83.7Hz (measured, JBL data on spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26.9Hz (measured, Revel vendor data on spinorama.org) | 61.9Hz (measured, JBL data on spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.79 | 3.56 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.33 | 6.55 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Revel W226Be vs Revel W228Be
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- Revel W228Be vs JBL Synthesis SCL-3
- Revel W228Be vs MartinLogan Tribute 5XW
- JBL Synthesis SCL-3 vs JBL Synthesis SCL-4
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Revel W228Be: $7,699.90 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Revel’s own measurement, published on spinorama.org, gives a preference score of 6.79, or 8.33 with a perfect subwoofer. Bass measures to 43.4Hz at -3dB and 34.3Hz at -6dB, exceptional for an in-wall, and predicted in-room response is very smooth (0.91 smoothness) with tightly controlled directivity (SPDI deviation 1.89dB). Its three-way design uses dual 8” aluminum woofers, a 5.25” midrange and a 1” beryllium tweeter, rated for 115dB output, and the midrange and tweeter module rotates for vertical or horizontal mounting. Measured bass extension of 43.4Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Audio Science Review’s independent Klippel measurement was far weaker than Revel’s own (preference score 2.31, or 6.15 with a subwoofer, and -3dB at 108Hz), so real bass depends heavily on the installation and enclosure. The Revel figures are manufacturer supplied and digitized. At $3850 each a stereo pair costs twice that, and the speaker is about 939mm tall and 14.3kg with a 27 to 54 liter enclosure requirement, with the back box sold separately.
Full Revel W228Be review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26.9Hz (measured, Revel vendor data on spinorama.org) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43.4Hz (measured, Revel vendor data on spinorama.org) |
| Crossover Frequency | 220Hz, 2,500Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 37”H x 13.9”W x 4.1”D (939 x 353 x 105 mm) (96mm mounting depth) |
| Drivers | 2x 8” DCC aluminum woofers, 5.25” DCC aluminum midrange, 1” beryllium dome tweeter with acoustic lens waveguide (3-way) |
| Enclosure | In-wall, 27-54L enclosure (optional W228BEBB back box sold separately) |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz-40kHz (-6dB, manufacturer) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4 ohm minimum) |
| Maximum SPL | 115dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Mounting Cutout | 309W x 896H mm |
| Power Handling | 50-400W RMS at 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 90dB |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.79 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.33 |
| Weight | 31.5 lbs (14.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JBL Synthesis SCL-4: $7,259.90 per pair Audio Advice eBay
Pros: JBL’s own measurements show a 1.85 directivity-index deviation, the most even directivity of the JBL Synthesis in-walls, with 0.35dB average on-axis deviation. The preference score rises from 3.56 to 6.55 with a subwoofer. A 7-inch aluminum woofer and 2409H compression driver on JBL’s imaging horn give 91dB sensitivity, and bi-wire and bi-amp terminals suit custom home theaters. Measured bass extension of 83.7Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Bass is the weakest here, at 83.7Hz for -3dB and about 61.9Hz for -10dB in free air, so it needs a subwoofer. Listening-window smoothness is 0.59 inside a 3.1dB reference band, and the data is manufacturer supplied and digitized from graphs. At $3630 each it costs twice as much as the better-measuring SCL-6.
Full JBL Synthesis SCL-4 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 61.9Hz (measured, JBL data on spinorama.org) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 83.7Hz (measured, JBL data on spinorama.org) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1.3kHz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 25”H x 16.1”W x 3.7”D (636 x 409 x 93 mm) |
| Drivers | 7” aluminum matrix cone woofer, 1” 2409H compression driver on HDI horn (2-way) |
| Enclosure | In-wall, integrated MDF back box |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz-33kHz -6dB (manufacturer, on-axis) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Power Handling | 200W RMS maximum recommended amplifier power |
| Sensitivity | 91dB (2.83V/1m) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.56 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.55 |
| Weight | 27.6 lbs (12.51 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons