Description: Three-and-a-half–way, floorstanding, ported, bass-reflex loudspeaker. Drive-units: 2" (55mm) ribbon tweeter, 1" (25mm) silk-dome tweeter, two 6.5" wood-fiber/pulp-cone woofers. Crossover frequencies: 700Hz, 3kHz, 13.5kHz. Frequency response: 31.5Hz–27kHz, ±3dB. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Sensitivity: 88dB/2.83V/m.
Dimensions: 40.4" (1027mm) H by 10.6" (268mm) W by 19.8" (502mm) D. Weight: 70.4 lbs (32kg).
Finishes: Rosenut or Cherry high-gloss lacquer.
Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed: 7720037 Left & Right.
Price: $6300/pair.…
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Sidebar 1: Specifications
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable, Cobra tonearm, Castellon stand; Continuum Audio Labs Criterion turntable, Copperhead tonearm; Graham Phantom tonearm; Lyra Titan, Air Tight PC-1, Koetsu Vermillion, Soundsmith SMMC-1, Ortofon Windfeld cartridges.
Digital Sources: Musical Fidelity kW SACD/CD player, BPT-modified Alesis Masterlink hard-disk recorder.
Preamplification: Manley Steelhead, Einstein Turntable's Choice phono preamplifiers; Musical Fidelity kWP preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: Musical Fidelity kW monoblocks, Music…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Given that the ribbon supertweeter should be quite directional in its top-octave passband, I measured the Helicon 400 Mk.2 primarily on that axis. The speaker offered a higher-than-average voltage sensitivity, at an estimated 90dB(B)/2.83V/m, though its impedance was fairly low overall, ranging mostly between 4 and 6 ohms (fig.1), with a minimum magnitude of 3.8 ohms at 150Hz. The electrical phase angle is also usefully low, with perhaps the worst-case condition at 100Hz, where a magnitude of 4.1 ohms is accompanied by a capacitive phase angle of –25°. Overall,…
This is my fourth review of a Revel loudspeaker, and I was even more excited by the arrival of the Ultima Studio2s ($15,999/pair) than I was when their predecessors, the original Ultima Studios ($10,799/pair when first reviewed; $15,000/pair when last listed in "Recommended Components"), were delivered in 2000. (See my review in the December 2000 Stereophile, Vol.23 No.12.) After all, the Studios were my reference speakers for years and, along with the larger Ultima Salons, were statement products that were the product of the talented designer Kevin Voecks and the considerable resources of…
My usual practice with a new speaker is to play it constantly but not pay too close attention to it: I turn on the radio or pop in CDs while I go about the other businesses of my life, and wait for a few weeks before I sit down to focus on critical listening. What usually happens is that, by then, the speaker has told me a lot by calling my attention to the things that stick out—usually, not good things.
After a week or two, the only thing I'd noticed about the Studio2 was a recurring impression, in the listening room or in an adjacent one, that the bass had unusual impact and clarity.…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way bottom-ported, floor-standing loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" beryllium-dome tweeter in waveguide front plate, 5.5" inverted titanium-dome midrange driver, two 8" inverted titanium-dome woofers. Crossover frequencies: 230Hz, 2kHz. Anechoic frequency response: 32Hz–45kHz, –3dB. Frequency response on axis: 33Hz–20kHz, ±1dB. In-room response relative to target response: 31Hz–18kHz, ±0.5dB. Low-frequency extension: –10dB at 21Hz, –6dB at 25Hz, –3dB at 32Hz. Impedance: 6 ohms nominal, 3.7 ohms minimum. Sensitivity: 88.7dB/2.83V/m (2 pi anechoic).…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Sony XA-9000ES and APL-modified Philips SACD1000 SACD/CD players, Bel Canto PL-1A and Esoteric DV-60 universal players.
Preamplifier: Bel Canto Pre6.
Power Amplifiers: Bel Canto eVo 1000 monoblocks, Classé D-3200, Mark Levinson No.433.
Loudspeakers: B&W 802D.
Cables: Interconnect: Crystal Cable Cinemax multichannel, AudioQuest Cheetah/DBS balanced. Speaker: AudioQuest Mont Blanc/DBS biwire. AC: JPS Aluminata.
Accessories: APC S-15, Environmental Potentials EP-2450 power conditioners.—Kalman Rubinson
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Revel Studio2's bulk meant that I wasn't able to lift it very far off the floor for measuring. The resolution of the data in the midrange will therefore not be as fine as I usually achieve. All the farfield measurements were performed on the tweeter axis, which is a high 43" from the floor. My estimate of the Revel's voltage sensitivity was 89dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is within experimental error of the specification.
I measured the Studio2's impedance with all of its controls set to Normal (fig.1). The magnitude ranges between 4 and 6 ohms for much of the…
Fred Kaplan wrote about the Studio2 in December 2009 (Vol.32 No.12):
Toward the end of a highly favorable review in the March 2008 Stereophile, Kalman Rubinson wrote, "What's not to like—indeed, love—about the $15,999/pair Revel Ultima Studio2?" Having listened to these speakers for a few months now, I'd say my colleague underrated them.
As far as Kal goes, I agree with his assessment of the Ultima Studio2: top marks on highs, lows, midrange, dynamics (macro and micro), depth, and imaging. But what impressed me as much as any of those, if not more, was a quality KR didn't mention…
Sidebar: FK's Associated Equipment
Analog Source: VPI Classic turntable & tonearm, Lyra Argo i cartridge.
Digital Source: Krell Evolution 505 SACD/CD player with CAST outputs.
Preamplification: Nagra BPS battery-powered phono preamplifier.
Integrated Amplifier: Krell FBI.
Cables: Nordost CAST interconnects, Nirvana interconnects and loudspeaker cables.
Accessories: Bybee Technologies Signature Power Purifier, Black Diamond Mk.4 Racing Cones, Mapleshade pucks, VPI HW-19 record-cleaning machine.—Fred Kaplan