Thanks everyone for all the replies so far! Millercarbon, no way I can fit speakers that large in my small room. I often think the revels overpower it, however, switching to monitors and not having enough bass would be equally bad imo.
Trying a Raven amp with the Revel is not a bad idea since I could return it in 45 days (I'd just hate to be that guy). Unless others are more convinced than I am (and voice it strongly here), I feel it's just a guess if a hybrid like Pathos, Vincent, Unison Research etc. would yield better sound with the Revels than just getting the nighthawk/Celeste combo. I really don't want to waste time and $$ doing a bunch of random guessing that can't be evaluated side by side. Hence my "toying with" the idea of the Raven matched combo. Oh well, what I have now isn't terrible, but I know it can be better... and once it is, I'll want to get a new dac Chord Qutest or denafrips ares etc. Ugh! I'm never satisfied but too broke to try it all. Sometimes I wish I'd just enjoy the music more rather than thinking about better sound, but I guess my sound still isn't where I want it. That's why I suspect my gear isn't as synergistic as it should be and I am inclined to try a more "manufacturer matched combo" rather than randomly attempting to create sonic euphoria a la carte and failing. Jeez this stuff is harder than you'd think. Simply buying good gear doesn't necessarily guarantee good sound. I mean it helps obviously, but it doesn't guarantee it.. cuz the room doesn't care... and the equipment doesn't know what you want from it. 😉
Trying a Raven amp with the Revel is not a bad idea since I could return it in 45 days (I'd just hate to be that guy). Unless others are more convinced than I am (and voice it strongly here), I feel it's just a guess if a hybrid like Pathos, Vincent, Unison Research etc. would yield better sound with the Revels than just getting the nighthawk/Celeste combo. I really don't want to waste time and $$ doing a bunch of random guessing that can't be evaluated side by side. Hence my "toying with" the idea of the Raven matched combo. Oh well, what I have now isn't terrible, but I know it can be better... and once it is, I'll want to get a new dac Chord Qutest or denafrips ares etc. Ugh! I'm never satisfied but too broke to try it all. Sometimes I wish I'd just enjoy the music more rather than thinking about better sound, but I guess my sound still isn't where I want it. That's why I suspect my gear isn't as synergistic as it should be and I am inclined to try a more "manufacturer matched combo" rather than randomly attempting to create sonic euphoria a la carte and failing. Jeez this stuff is harder than you'd think. Simply buying good gear doesn't necessarily guarantee good sound. I mean it helps obviously, but it doesn't guarantee it.. cuz the room doesn't care... and the equipment doesn't know what you want from it. 😉