[gongos]

Well, here’s my long overdue SP Technology Revelation review. A little hard to find time working 6 days a week and coming home to a hyperactive 20 month old. I bought them as an obsolete finish special from Bob. But my wife left town, and I’m home alone. I won’t even tell you how much I paid–you’ll be sick. But my wife left town, and I’m home alone.  I’ve owned the Revelations for about 6 months now. Before the SP’s showed up I was without speakers for about 4 months–sold my VMPS RM2's and waited for the Rev’s to arrive. During that time I sold everything in my system except the cables. Amps gone, preamp gone, source gone. To be honest, I barely remember what I use to have. Since my entire system has changed, it’s a wee bit difficult to review the speakers individually. I had no experience with any of the components when the Revelations arrived. Here’s my current setup:

SP Technology Revelations w/ internal wire upgrade & Mundorf basic external xovers
Empirical Audio modified SB3, Pace-Car, and Northstar 192 DAC
Odyssey Audio Extreme Monoblocks–super deluxe editions w/ every conceivable upgrade
EVS Ultimate Attenuators
Reality Speaker Cables, Power Cables & Interconnects
Lots of room treatments      

A personal note: My idea of a great system is one that reproduces recordings as they are. If it’s crappy it should sound kind of crappy. If a recordings amazing, I want to hear the glory. If a system makes bad recordings sound good, what’s it doing to great recordings? It must be altering there sound in some way. With the Revelations there’s no problem separating the good recordings from the bad.

The Revelations are monoliths, but I love them. They have a great flat industrial finish and copper trim–hell I clean them with Armor-All. Now for the sound, oh sweet Jesus the sound. When I first heard music through them, I couldn’t get past the bass response–I still can’t. It’s simply the best I’ve ever heard. Sometimes bass can sound muddy, have very little impact, or every bass producing instrument sounds the same. Bob has bass down to a T. It’s deep with absolutely no bloating. It has authority that will make your cloths bristle. And every bass-type instrument sounds exactly as it should. You can easily hear the difference between the bass drums being used from one recording to the next. It’s a remarkable achievement, and easy to stay fixated on. I’d bet a good sum most audiophiles that listen to the Revelations will realize how bass deprived their systems have been.      

If people separate the notion of bass from midbass, don’t worry. The midbass is equally impressive. Every note will thump you in the middle of the chest.

As for the rest of the sound, it seems like an injustice to use words to describe the aural experience. I should mention the Rev’s sound fantastic at low or high volumes, but if you really want the magic–crank em’ up. There’s no falling apart or blurring of the sound at high volumes. The music becomes more focused. The soundstage the Revelations throw is enormous from top to bottom, side to side, and front to rear. Imaging is spot on with every instrument taking its rightful place. The highs are crystal clean–snares snap, keyboards zing, and notes carry on into the void, trailing off as every good note should. If you close your eyes, it sounds like the singer standing right in-between your speakers. Every note, high, low, or in the middle sounds as it should. The balance between the frequencies is uncanny. You just sit there at receive an amazingly lifelike performance with every track. I could keep going on, but I’d start drooling all over my computer and short it out. The Rev’s are the bomb diggety and should be experienced not read about.

A short overview of my other components:

The Odyssey Monoblocks are amazing. Compared them to a number of other high-end amps. A AVA Ultra 550 or a Pair of Nuforce REF9 V2 monoblocks couldn’t come close to the authority, dynamics, or balanced natural sound. The Nuforce’s and AVA sounded quite a bit alike and were pretty flat sounding compared to the Odyssey’s.

The Empirical Audio gear is amazing. Stunning dynamics, eerie separation and blackness between instruments. Steve’s gear gets to the heart of what a recording’s intended to sound like.

The EVS Ultimate Attenuators are amazing. These little are nobs are the most surprising part of my system. I thought I was using them as a stopgap between the purchase of an active preamp, but they’re still my preamp of choice. I compared them to a AVA Ultra with the new upgrades, a Welborne Ultrapath, and a high end Lamm pre. The AVA and Ultrapath were inferior–just didn’t have the clarity and blurred the soundstage. The Lamm gave it the best challenge, but the best I can say is the comparison was a wash. And for 1000's of dollars more, keeping the Attenuators is a no-brainer. I know a lot of people suggest a lose of dynamics and bass with a passive pre–not in my system. The bass thumps you right in the middle of the chest, and the dynamics will make your hair stand on end. My system must be a perfect match for a passive preamp.

Long story short. Before I had my current setup, I would look on Audiogon everyday–multiple times a day–constantly read the forums and professional reviews, and would buy and sell equipment incessantly. Now I look at Audiogon and Audiocircle once a week–maybe–and haven’t bought a piece of gear in months. I simply can’t imagine my system sounding better, and the Revelation’s are the pillar of that enjoyment and piece of mind. Thanks Bob.

P.S. The Revelations due justice to every genre of music. From death metal to jazz, that’s my motto. Or ambient to country? Or Industrial to folk? or...

[RodMCV]

Fantastic,

I was just reading Scott's Rev eval from last year
and wondering when someone else would put their
foot into the circle of sound.
Really great job.
Thanks,
Rod

[ted_b]

Gongos,
Great comments.  They mimic my findings almost to a tee.  I'm not sure if you have the same crossovers (external Mundorf Ultimates) or not, but other than that ours are quite similar (older non-production black matte finish...gotta get some Armor-All...Bob recommended it too).  I am now realizing that although my thread I started about the Revs arriving at my house is now seven pages deep it's really about the experience of setting them up and listening through the 5-600 hour break-in.  I owe you guys a full-blown review like Gongos's here.

I will second the bass, midbass and dynamics, at all volme levels.   And yet the speed and articulation these beasts handle are in the planar/electrostatic category.

Thanks for the review.  I'll follow up asap.

[IronLion]

Thanks for the review gongos.  I'm glad to know you're enjoying the EVS UA's, I just ordered a pair a week and a half ago and should be receiving them shortly.  I too will be using them with SP speakers, though with the Minis and not the gargantuan Rev's.  I'd be interested to know, whats the output impedance and volts of your source?  I think my setup should work out very well with the EVS UA's, much like it sounds yours has. 
 

[gongos]

Gongos,
Great comments.  They mimic my findings almost to a tee.  I'm not sure if you have the same crossovers (external Mundorf Ultimates) or not, but other than that ours are quite similar (older non-production black matte finish...gotta get some Armor-All...Bob recommended it too).  I am now realizing that although my thread I started about the Revs arriving at my house is now seven pages deep it's really about the experience of setting them up and listening through the 5-600 hour break-in.  I owe you guys a full-blown review like Gongos's here.

I will second the bass, midbass and dynamics, at all volume levels.   And yet the speed and articulation these beasts handle are in the planar/electrostatic category.

Thanks for the review.  I'll follow up asap.

You're right about the speed of the speakers--they make the music come alive. The one thing they have that the planars I've heard lack is a palpable 3 dimensional quality.

[ted_b]

I'm not sure you've heard the new NIN release, Ghosts I-IV, a dark ambient/industrial instrumental set of 36 tracks by Mr Resner and company (includes Adrian Belew, among others) but some of these cuts (hardly called songs) are freaking incredible on the Revs!!   Don't do drugs before listening...this is drugs!  Wow.  The almost limitless bandwidth and 3-d soundstage (including QSound effects, etc.) on this album (downloaded lossless FLAC for $5) is perfect fodder for the speed, dynamics, incredible frequency range and tonal balance of the Revelations. 

[2gumby2]

I also purchased the new NIN-Ghosts CD and the recording quality is absolutely outstanding. Trent Resner really knows how to make great sounding recordings. The NIN-Year Zero is also an excellent recording. Speaking of industrial/alternative music, I recently purchased a CD from a band called Hermano. I got the "Into the Exam Room" album. This is another fine recording. When I play these CDs, I get that room filling 3-D sound from my North Creek Vision speakers with dual North Creek subs. I've heard the SP Tech Revelations and they are fantastic with the best low frequency response I've ever experienced. If life circumstances were different, I'd probably own a pair.

[Double Ugly]

Nice review, gongos.  I don't have mine yet, but I hope to receive my Timepiece 3.0s in the coming weeks.  They offer a lot of the same goodness, but nothing I've heard quite matches the the aural gymnastics the Revelations afford you, Ted and a precious few others.  Simply stated, they are on a whole 'nother plane.

And welcome back from your 4-month hiatus, Rod.  It's good to see you posting again. 

[Aether Audio]

gongos,

Thanks!!!   Glad you like them.

Enjoy! 
-Bob

[gongos]

Haven't listened to NIN in a long time--a relic of my teenage years. I have a lot of great industrial/electronic music so I know what you're talking about. Try the Junior Boys - So This is Goodbye for some snap, crackle, pop.

I'm not sure you've heard the new NIN release, Ghosts I-IV, a dark ambient/industrial instrumental set of 36 tracks by Mr Resner and company (includes Adrian Belew, among others) but some of these cuts (hardly called songs) are freaking incredible on the Revs!!   Don't do drugs before listening...this is drugs!  Wow.  The almost limitless bandwidth and 3-d soundstage (including QSound effects, etc.) on this album (downloaded lossless FLAC for $5) is perfect fodder for the speed, dynamics, incredible frequency range and tonal balance of the Revelations. 

[lonewolfny42]

Nice review gongos !!! 

Yes....those Revelations are some speakers....
and a good equipment mix as well....enjoy...

Let me ask you....how big is your room ? Thanks...

                      Chris

[alotaklipsch]

I have rev's, now available, I want GRANDS BABY!!!!!

[zybar]

I have rev's, now available, I want GRANDS BABY!!!!!

Might help if you post something in the For Sale section with the proper info.

George

[alotaklipsch]

ZYBAR, not for sale till I get's the GRANDS