Revel F228be- will my amp be enough?

I have worked my way up the speaker lines, for me Sonus Faber… but Focal is a great line. If you can upgrade to the Focal Sopra 2, I would do it. You will not regret it. Then consider the rest of your system. Once you have speakers in that league… the sound you can experience is amazing… then look at the rest of your system to optimize your speakers. Well worth the leap.

I can help I own the 228be (picture under my profile) and have owned Focal Chorus speakers and currently use Marantz receivers in my home theater (highpassed through my two channel).

-your marantz will drive the Revels with easy. They are very easy to drive but are a 4 ohm load. The Marantz PM- 11S3 doubles down at 4 ohms and should be super stable. If your interested I am happy to hook up the speakers directly to my old Marantz receiver (SR5005) and tell you want I think. It is not near as good as the PM-11S3 and has had no problem driving even some tough loads like Thiels I have had on it for a short time (on the wife’s TV…)

-I am amazed at how loud the revels can play. I mean obscenely loud I was hitting 100+db peaks today and don’t think my meters ever went above 4.5 watts. They sound so clean all the time no matter how loud they are played. No since of compression of any kind.

-as for playing quite, they are fine but nothing special. Tonally they stay the same but I feel like the soundstage starts to open up at 75db and by 85db has spanned the room. I kind of feel this way about ever cone in a box speaker though…

-revel vs your current Focals? It will be a huge upgrade in every way. 228be vs the Sopra well it will be pretty close. At the same cost I like the Sopra’s better but they are a lot more money. They are very close but I feel there is a bit more texture in the upper bass with the Sopra’s and maybe a hair sweeter mids. But the Revel’s mid are very transparent and natural. Focal is tuned a bit more maybe and Revel is a bit more just the facts.

-down side of the Revel 228be (and also tue sopra) is they lack bass extension. They have both given up bass extension for efficiency. I feel like both speakers need subs but I think everything needs subs lol.

-as for pairing I use McIntosh gear on the revels and I enjoy it. Takes just a bit of edge off and sweetens them a hair compared to my class-D amps. I feel like marantz is McIntosh’s long lost brother with a similar sound so it should be a good paring.

Thanks for the comments / opinions.  I should clarify that this is a planned upgrade to my second system.  I have a nearly identical system in my vacation home using the same PM - 11S3 amp paired with Focal Electra 1028Be speakers and a Focal SW800 sub.   

Since covid, I rarely travel to that home and have considered just making the trip to swap speakers, since I now spend virtually all of my time at my primary home.  I have been very satisfied with the Electra speakers and was hoping that the Revels would be their equals if not significantly better.  They have very similar specs, although the Focals are slightly more efficient. They are easily driven by the Marantz.

I have been debating stepping up to the Sopra 2's for a few years, but am always weighing the price / benefit proposition.  When I bought the 1028Be's, I A/B demoed them with the Focal Kanta 2's and they 1028be were significantly better to my ear.  I have often seen the Revel F228be compared to the Kanta 2.  If they are in fact comparable, I am not sure if I will just be better off retrieving my 1028's. 

Hmm ok. I have heard the 1037be and 1028be a good bit.

What did you like better about the 1028be over the Kanta?  
 

I am of the opinion that the 1028be is an overachieving speaker and will be hard to upgrade without spending a bunch of money. It’s short comings are lack of bass and a bit of extra treble energy. Once you add in subs you are splitting hairs between it and the Sopra. I would imagine the Sopra has more bass impact but subs trump the speakers ever time. 
 

-the 228be will most likely have softer highs than the 1028be. The mids might be a wash with slightly different tone. The bass on the 228be is a bit light for it size and could use some front all gain. What you will gain is the ability to play silly loud with more dynamics on the 228be. Whether that is an advantage to you or not… probably not. 
 

-what I would say is the standout feature of the 228be is a very natural midrange with exceptional center focus and a wide stable soundstage. The vocals just float in mid between the speakers with the 228be. They do no wrong but there are more flashy fun speakers to listen too. I would take big focal or Wilson’s over my revels if cost were not an issue. If you move from focal to revel you might miss the liveliness of the Focal. But if you find the focal bright you might enjoy the slightly softer Revel. 

I have the same amp as you (Marantz PM11s3) driving a pair of Raven Audio Celest' Towers (90 db 4 ohms). I'm in a 20X14 room with 7' foot ceilings and the amp has no trouble driving the Ravens. I like to let it rip once in a while and the Marantz has no trouble. As you stated the amp doubles down into 4 ohms and in less you are a total headbanger (which you are not) or in a very large room (which you are not in) in my opinion you should be fine.

   As a side note the PM11s3 is a very underrated amp. I've had mine for over 6 years and for people that know me that is a world record. The PM11s3 was KI's final top of the line Reference Series AB amp, every thing after that was class D (which I've never heard, but heard very nice things about). The phono stage is outstanding. I use an Ortofon Quintet Black LOMC with excellent results. In my opinion you would have to spend a whole lot more money to get a better sounding SS integrated (and it may just be different, not necessarily better) especially one with as good phono stage. Your Pm11s3 is definitely a keeper.