Revel Studio 2 vs. Salon 2

Cam -- Mon, 08/16/2010 - 05:58

Has anyone heard both of these speakers who can tell me about how they compare to each other?

The Salon 2 has been reviewed many times and very positively indeed. In fact, in 2007 it was TAS' Cost No Object Speaker of the Year and Mr. Harley called it "without question, a world class loudspeaker." Is the Studio 2 in the same league but without the same low frequency extension?

Thanks for your thoughts!

JLeeMD -- Tue, 08/17/2010 - 16:35

Stereophile gives the Studio a Class A rating (full frequency speakers) and a best buy rating as well...seems the only advantage of the Salon is if you have a large listening room.

Robert Harley -- Wed, 08/18/2010 - 13:11

I heard the two side-by-side at a press preview at a show. The venue was an off-site hotel room which provided a much better listening environment than a show floor. From that limited experience, along with what I know about both speakers, the Salon2 and Studio2 sound identical except for bass extension, bass dyanamics, and maximum sound-pressure level.

I'd like to reiterate that the Salon2 is not just a great loudspeaker, but perhaps the best value in upper-end speakers. It delivers so much performance, and in some areas is competitive with the best dynamic speakers in the world regardless of price. The Studio2 is probably an even greater bargain if you don't need the Salon2's additional bass extension.

Cam -- Tue, 08/24/2010 - 21:48

Thanks for your comments! I will be ordering my pair of Studio 2's tomorrow after a great in-home listening session from my local dealer today. Although my wife was not crazy about the modern style of the black version of the speaker (the words "80's" and "italian" came up several times) she was good enough to endulge my passion for sound!

Cam -- Thu, 08/26/2010 - 19:21

Unfortunately my wife is not crazy about the appearance of the Revel Studio 2s and is pleading with me to try to find a more "attractive" speaker for our living room (she even prefers the basic wood box stucture of speakers like ProAc over the "super modern" "plastic" look of the Revels). My Revel purchase has been put on hold until I check out a few other options to see if I can find something that pleases me as much as the Revels sonically and pleases my wife more asthetically.

Can anyone recommend speakers in the same league (and price range) as the Revel Studio 2s? I'm going to listen to Sonus Faber Cremona 2s and Wilson Sophia 2s this weekend as a couple of options. I've ruled out Usher 8571s - they sound incredible but they are too big. I might try to hear the Mini Dancer 2s to see if I can re-create the sound of the 8571s in a smaller package. any others you recommend I listen to? Someone recommended Canton Vento Refernce 3.3DC - anyone heard that speaker?

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

Cam