Revel Ultima Studio Floorstanding Speakers - Consignment

Revel Ultima Studio Floorstanding Speakers - Consignment

Condition: Good, some rusting on screws, discolouration on grills and minor scratches on base and rear (See photos)

Includes: Bi-Wire Jumpers

SN: STU2793 / STU2794

Made in USA

Overview

The Ultima Studio shares the core values of the larger Ultima Salon while offering a more budget-friendly option compared to the rest of the Ultima series. This speaker showcases advanced driver technology, elegant craftsmanship, and precise crossover networks. 

The Studio features a front panel equipped with a pair of 8" mica/carbon-filled copolymer inverted-dome woofers, concealed behind a fixed grille. While the grille can be removed, it's not a straightforward process. Positioned above the woofers is a 5¼" exposed titanium-dome midrange driver, featuring a 2" voice coil and a cast magnesium frame. Each Studio also includes two tweeters: an aluminum-alloy dome located just above the midrange driver on the front of the cabinet, and a cloth-dome tweeter on the rear with a small phase-correction plate. The rear tweeter is designed to balance the in-room response in the frequency range where the front tweeter exhibits more directional characteristics.

Being part of Harman International provides Revel with the resources for a dedicated lab focused on studying loudspeaker performance. This involves controlled experiments to understand how trained listeners perceive various aspects of sound reproduction. The Harman facility features workstations for sound identification and description, as well as an impressive controlled-listening lab overseen by experts Floyd Toole and Sean Olive. Panels of trained listeners evaluate prototype and production speakers to assess distortions, frequency variations, phase shifts, and polar response differences. This data allows for prioritizing acoustic parameters based on their significance and correlating parameter variations with audibility.

When Kevin Voecks, Revel's Director of Research and Technology, and head engineer Domenic Buonincontri began developing speakers, they had a clear understanding of the cost-benefit ratio for various performance criteria. They recognized that narrowband frequency deviations with higher amplitude affect sound less than broader, low-amplitude deviations. They understood that achieving a perfect on-axis frequency response in a real listening environment is less crucial if off-axis response creates irregular room acoustics. They also understood the relationship between reducing harmonic and intermodulation distortion and improving phase response. They knew when to shift focus from optimizing one parameter to another. This informed approach ensures that Revel prioritizes meaningful improvements while keeping the end consumer's affordability in mind.

Specification