SP Tech Revelation III - how good?

I meant Coincident Total Reference.

Springbok10,

You might try asking that question here:

AudioCircle

We have a pretty big following there and I'm sure there are several guys that would be glad to help!

Thanks and...

Take care,
-Bob

(1) Yes, they will fill your space with no problem.

(2) I know someone in Denmark who drove them with Butler Audio Monads (hybrid, ~110W/Ch in 8 Ohms) and loved 'em. They were his favorite amp with the Revs for quite a while, but I think he's moved on to a Spectron Musician III Signature Edition.

A common misconception is that SP Tech speakers don't work and play well with tubes. That's not the case at all. In fact, I've spent more time with tube-based amps in my system (Timepiece 2.1s) than SS.

However, what *is* true is they respond very positively to more and better power, but then that's true for most speakers. The the more you have, the more dynamics (particularly visceral) you'll realize.

That's not to say tube amps can't produce startling dynamics; they can. But as with all things, there are always trade-offs, and no two amps of *any* type are created equal.

(3) As is the case with any properly designed, very revealing speaker, SP Tech speakers must be fed well. That said, the midrange and HF are as natural and organic as any I've personally heard.

To my ears, IMHO, and all other standard caveats apply.

(4) Again, all standard caveats apply.

I've heard all but *maybe* the Coincident Total Reference (might've at RMAF, but I don't recall). To my ears, the Revelations are better than all of them.

As for other caveats, I own SP Technology speakers (2 pair) and have been a customer for almost 5 years. However, I am in no other way associated with SP Tech, period. I receive nothing in return for recommending SP Tech, nor do I receive a commission should someone decide to make a purchase based upon my recommendation.

Top to bottom, all things considered, the Revelations are the best speakers I've ever heard, and that is my one and only motivation for making this post.

Regards,

I own SP Tech Rev MR I Mark III's (the latest ones with the Ultimate Mundorf external crossovers). My room is 22'9" x 15'3" x 10'. They fill it without breaking a sweat. These beasts could fill your room just fine. I'm not sure how close to the front wall you are wanting to place them...they don't alter physics though. Too close and you lose soundstage depth and you probably get your midbass a bit too accentuated, but room treatments can alleviate most of that. I'm an owner, so take what i say with that grain of salt; these transducers are the best i've ever heard, with the speed of planars and electrostats, the musicality of the best midrange speakers out there, and the lf extension that moves air so well it's scary. I know folks who are trading in their $40k rigs for SP Tech speakers (but you can likely find those war stories with any speaker mfg so the proof is in finding and talking to those folks).

Check out the comments at Audio Circle. Ask Bob to put you in touch with other users. Ask Jim Merod, famed reviewer and recording engineer, why he wants them in his studio for their "sheer nakedness".

I use a McCormack DNA-500 ss amp to drive them, so I can't comment on your tubed amp question, but you seem to have the load math right.

Feel free to email me and we can chat, etc.

Springbok 10, even if you were looking for information regrading the Concident Total Reference and not the SP Tech Revelations III, I would highly recommend you put on your audition list the Revelations.

I wrote a review of the SP Tech Revelations III here on the GON, they offer world class performance and are one of the best speakers I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. They would effortlessly fill your room with music without breaking a "sonic sweat". For more details regarding their sonics go to my review. I have heard the Concident Total Reference, and their smaller brothers and found them to offer good performance, but don't believe they are on the same sonic level as the SP rev's.

Thank you all - I had read your great review, Teajay - one of the items that prompted me to look into SP Techs. It seems the only remaining issue is whether the Atma-Spheres will allow them to fulfill their potential. All current owners I've spoken to use ss.

I visited Bob at SP Tech last month, after hearing Ted's Revs at great length.

The Revs also put a live performance in an untreated 50'x 200' facility like nobodys business, my next speakers became a clear choice.