Even though I'm helping Bob out with moderating his circle, I'm not *really* a manufacturer and don't work for SP Tech (or anyone else for that matter). I also know that both NuForce and SP Tech have a lot to gain from their joint venture, so regardless of what's said here, both stand to gain.
Nice situation, huh?
Anyway, the thing about the S-9 is that no one has heard it yet. Will it be an amazing speaker? No doubt, because Bob Smith told me it is, and if there's one guy in the world whose ears I trust, it's Bob's. He also said they image better than any speaker he's ever heard. Hopefully the feedback from this weekend's LA Audio Society meeting will justify Bob's confidence. I don't know anything about their room, but hopefully the speakers will be given sufficient opportunity to strut their stuff.
That said, as good, clean, and honest as the midrange and highs are with the Revelations, the most noticeable thing about them is the lower midrange and bass. Never, ever have I heard a speaker or subwoofer produce and convey the level of information the proprietary T-line of the Revelation offers. The amount of bass you hear is commensurate with the rest of the audio spectrum, but the tonal accuracy, subtle nuances and shadings you hear will all but transport you to the live event. It is simply outstanding, IMHO.
Additionally, the Revelations will go lower (approximately 23-25Hz), and will retain a lot more energy even into the upper teens due to their 12dB per octave slope. I believe the S-9 employs the use of a 24dB/octave slope, and consequently their bass energy will dissipate more quickly.
But the Revelation is a large speaker, and the bass output may be too much if you try to force a pair into a small room. The S-9s are more wife-friendly, have aesthetics purposely designed for the audiophile market, and in all likelihood they will perform at a level far exceeding their price point. Unless they're placed in a really large room, they should cover everything this side of organ music with the greatest of ease, and they'll look good doing it.
It's all in what you want. At their respective price points, each will be tough to beat IMHO. It all comes down to you, your room and your budget.
Hope this helps.
Jim
