Both speakers represent some of the best of their types. In fact, I believe both are in a fairly small group of best speakers available.
The Everests have more power. Some would say that is obvious given that they are big horns with 2 big woofers. They move serious air. But it's not only the big dynamic stuff that they excel at, it's also the smaller dynamic contrasts, the low level stuff. Sometimes just a single piano note can be startling in its sudden attack, yet it's not just the attack. The realism in tone and structure are also very convincing.
They are also extremely high resolution with a lot of finesse. Lots of folks might not believe the finesse that a big JBL horn can have, but all who hear them walk away making comparisons to planar speakers in the area of detail and refinement.
Now to the Revel. A wonderful speaker with very even tone, low distortion, even having very deep bass for its size. But, comparing to the Everest, it has few advantages. One would be its ability to be gentler on hard driving sounds like loud brass or human voice at loud levels. In these cases the Everest can sound more harsh.
I need to put that "harsh" statement in context. They do not have a horn sound, they do not shout, ever, they don't honk, they don't quack. I would say Wilsons, all Magicos except the 7, and many other very well accepted speakers are harsher to my ears than the Everests. The Revel is also less prominent in the high frequencies.
After hearing the Everests, when I go to the Revels they sound much smaller, and, as integrated as they are, they sound more like a box of separate drivers to me.
It's only the prejudice against horn speakers, especially with much of the press (and maybe against JBL too) that keep the Everests from being much more popular in North America. They are adored in Japan and much of the Far East, for good reason.
Having both speakers optimized in my system (I use different amps with them, different positioning) I will say that every visitor, audiophiles and non-audiophiles, women and me, prefer the Everests. It is especially interesting to note how women and non-audiophile men immediately seize upon the sound of the Everests and remark about how much like music they sound.
The Everests have more power. Some would say that is obvious given that they are big horns with 2 big woofers. They move serious air. But it's not only the big dynamic stuff that they excel at, it's also the smaller dynamic contrasts, the low level stuff. Sometimes just a single piano note can be startling in its sudden attack, yet it's not just the attack. The realism in tone and structure are also very convincing.
They are also extremely high resolution with a lot of finesse. Lots of folks might not believe the finesse that a big JBL horn can have, but all who hear them walk away making comparisons to planar speakers in the area of detail and refinement.
Now to the Revel. A wonderful speaker with very even tone, low distortion, even having very deep bass for its size. But, comparing to the Everest, it has few advantages. One would be its ability to be gentler on hard driving sounds like loud brass or human voice at loud levels. In these cases the Everest can sound more harsh.
I need to put that "harsh" statement in context. They do not have a horn sound, they do not shout, ever, they don't honk, they don't quack. I would say Wilsons, all Magicos except the 7, and many other very well accepted speakers are harsher to my ears than the Everests. The Revel is also less prominent in the high frequencies.
After hearing the Everests, when I go to the Revels they sound much smaller, and, as integrated as they are, they sound more like a box of separate drivers to me.
It's only the prejudice against horn speakers, especially with much of the press (and maybe against JBL too) that keep the Everests from being much more popular in North America. They are adored in Japan and much of the Far East, for good reason.
Having both speakers optimized in my system (I use different amps with them, different positioning) I will say that every visitor, audiophiles and non-audiophiles, women and me, prefer the Everests. It is especially interesting to note how women and non-audiophile men immediately seize upon the sound of the Everests and remark about how much like music they sound.