Welcome to AudioCircle, Mathin!
I have 3F and I love it. Both are well engineered and quality construction. 3F made in Canada, 226 made in Mexico or China.
Main advantage of 3F is the Be midrange driver. Main advantage of the Revel is the tweeter waveguide, imo.
3F has a dispersion screen over the tweeter which seems to work well.
Revel is all 4th order Linkwitz Riley crossover filters, while the Paradigm is all 3rd order xo filters.
All Revels have a tighter, more controlled "hifi sound" while Paradigm is a little more open and loose, imo.
They both have overachieving bass, meaning small box, small bass drivers, big WAF, tries to compensate for lack of cone area with reflex port. Forward facing port on Revel is technically more correct (louder, punchier) but the downward facing partially obstructed port of Paradigm tries to tame the traditional reflex punchy sound to make it a little more musical. But spikes are required on carpet as the port shoots out the bottom.
Revel might have an advantage in slightly cleaner bass, only based on my past Revel listening experiences, as I have not heard 226. But physics rules bass and they are pretty similar design.
The detail from the Be drivers are amazing. Personas are the only speaker that has a Be midrange and it is astonishing.
Revel has ceramic coated aluminum cones which are very stiff and self damping like Be.
The Be midrange really reveals the character of the amplifier. A receiver amp/DAC might not do it if you have a golden ear.
They are both speakers worthy of high end electronics.
I heard the 5F and bought the 3F. The 5F has cleaner bass. I am trying to avoid hearing the 9F.
It's nice that you have the choice between two great speakers. I think you'll be happy with either.
Enjoy!
