REVELL Performa F52 Owner's Manual

Revel Performa F52 Loudspeaker

Owner’s Manual

®

™

REVEL Performa F52
OWNER’S MANUAL

2

“Revel,” “Performa,” and the Revel logo are registered
trademarks of Harman International Industries.U.S.patent
numbers and other worldwide patents issued and pending.

©2005 Harman Specialty Group.All rights reserved.

This document should not be construed as a commitment on
the part of Harman Specialty Group.The information it
contains is subject to change without notice. Harman Specialty
Group assumes no responsibility for errors that may appear
within this document.

3 Oak Park
Bedford, MA 01730-1413 USA
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.revelspeakers.com

Customer Support

Telephone: [phone]
Sales Fax: [phone]
Service Fax: [phone]

Part No. 353739-001 | Rev A | 02/05

REVEL Performa F52
OWNER’S MANUAL

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Documentation Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

About the F52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Highlights • Product Registration

Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Loudspeaker Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Driver Complement • Cabinet • Filter Network • Woofer Port •
Input Panel

Installation Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Loudspeaker Placement • Listening Room Acoustics •
Adjustable Spikes

Making Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Single-Wired Connections • Bi-Wired Connections • Vertical
Bi-Amplified Connections • Horizontal Bi-Amplified Connections

Optimizing Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Loudspeaker Volume Levels

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Dimensions & Weight

Obtaining Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

REVEL Performa F52
OWNER’S MANUAL

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DOCUMENTATION CONVENTIONS

This document contains general safety, installation, and operation instructions for the Revel
Performa F52 Floor-Standing Loudspeaker. It is important to read this document before
attempting to use this product. Pay particular attention to safety instructions.

Appears on the component to indicate the presence of uninsulated,
dangerous voltage inside the enclosure—voltage that may be sufficient
to constitute a risk of shock.

Appears on the component to indicate important operating and
maintenance instructions in the accompanying literature.

WARNING Calls attention to a procedure, practice, condition, or the like that, if

not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in injury or death.

CAUTION Calls attention to a procedure, practice, condition, or the like that, if

not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in damage to or
destruction of part or all of the product.

Note Calls attention to information that is essential to highlight.

This owner’s manual assumes that two F52s are included in the loudspeaker setup.

5

REVEL Performa F52
OWNER’S MANUAL

ABOUT THE F52

Thank you for purchasing the Revel
Performa F52 floorstanding Loudspeaker. A
true full-range reproducer, the F52
delivers an impressive combination of wide
frequency range, uncompressed dynamic
range, and low distortion across the entire
audible spectrum. Five proprietary
transducers, sophisticated filter networks,
and an acoustically inert cabinet allow the
F52 to achieve acoustical precision and
performance befitting the most demanding
home entertainment systems.

The F52 features advanced woofer and
midrange motor structures that include
two high-grade Neodymium magnets
placed at the center of the motor structure,
inside the voice coil, for improved magnetic
shielding. Inside the motors, black-plated
steel shield cups facilitate heat dissipation
for higher power handling. Integrated
aluminum flux stabilization rings minimize
modulation inside the motor static gap
flux fields, greatly reducing distortion.
Copper rings inside each motor gap
reduces distortion even further. Both rings
are optimally sized and placed to maintain
constant linear voice coil inductance with
forward and backward cone motions.

Combining superior form and function,
the F52 transducers feature a distinctive
design that allows for smoother frequency
response. The woofer and midrange cones
are constructed with Organic Ceramic
Composite cone material to reduce distortion,
while the spiders are constructed with a
high-strength Nomex blend with optimized
geometry for increased linearity.

A three-way design, the F52 transducers
accurately reproduce the entire audible
spectrum. Three 6.5-inch (165mm) woofers
deliver highly refined and dynamically
authoritative low frequencies down to the
very lowest octaves. Housed in its own
sub-enclosure, a 5.25-inch (133mm)
midrange handles critical mid-band

frequencies with natural tonal balance
over a wide operating range. A 1-inch
(25mm) aluminum-dome tweeter,
incorporating a custom-designed wave
guide, blends perfectly with the midrange
and reproduces high frequencies well
above audible levels. The tweeter is vented
for improved cavity damping and low­frequency mechanical resonance.

High-order filters at 200Hz and 2.3kHz
optimize loudspeaker on and off-axis
response, helping to ensure smooth octave­to-octave balance and timbral accuracy.
Separate woofer, midrange, and tweeter
filter boards prevent mutual interference
between filter network components,
dramatically reducing distortion over a
wide dynamic range. Separate Low
Frequency Compensation and Tweeter
Level switches allow precise adjustment for
less-than-ideal listening room acoustics
and loudspeaker placement. Removable
shorting straps and gold-plated binding
posts accommodate single-wired, bi-wired,
and bi-amplified connections.

The F52 cabinet is constructed with
1-inch (25mm) thick walls and extensive
internal bracing to reduce cabinet-induced
colorations. Rounded baffle edges minimize
diffraction and optimize off-axis response
for smoother high-frequency reproduction.
Adjustable spikes are attached to the
bottom of the cabinet for optimal stability,
accommodating installations on tile,
hardwood, or carpeted floors. A sonically
optimized grille is also included.

REVEL Performa F52
OWNER’S MANUAL

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About the F52 (continued)

Since 1996, Revel has stood at the forefront
of loudspeaker design. Backed with Harman
International’s extensive research and
design facilities, all Revel Loudspeakers
benefit from cutting-edge tools.

•A multi-channel listening lab allows
for double-blind listening tests.

•A laser interferometer enables
detailed driver and cabinet analysis.

• Multiple large anechoic chambers
provide precise tests and measurements.

• Finite element analysis produces
advanced loudspeaker modeling.

•A stereo lithography apparatus helps
to achieve tight tolerances.

Adding to the proud lineage of Revel’s
Ultima and Performa Series Loudspeakers,
the F52 further advances Revel’s reputation
as the leading designer and manufacturer
of high-quality, high-performance
loudspeakers. Each F52 is individually
hand-tuned during manufacturing to
match the production reference standard
within a fraction of a decibel, ensuring
incomparable loudspeaker-to-loudspeaker
consistency. As a result, the F52 is an ideal
loudspeaker for the most demanding
listeners.

HIGHLIGHTS

• True full-range reproduction

• Three proprietary 6.5-inch (165mm)
woofers with Organic Ceramic
Composite cones

• Proprietary 5.25-inch (133mm)
midrange with Organic Ceramic
Composite cone

• Proprietary 1-inch (25mm) aluminum
dome tweeter incorporating a propri­etary wave-guide

• High output with low distortion

• Separate filter boards for each frequency
range

• Adjustable low frequency compensation

• Adjustable calibrated tweeter level

• Advanced woofer and midrange motor
structure

• Magnetic shielding

• Large voice coils for wide dynamic
range without compression

• Hand-tuned to match the production
reference standard within a fraction of
a decibel

• Adjustable spikes

• Elegant cabinet design in real wood
veneer finishes

• Removable gold-plated shorting straps

• Gold-plated binding posts.

PRODUCT REGISTRATION

Please register the F52 within 15 days of
purchase. To do so, register online at
www.revelspeakers.com or complete and
return the included product registration
card. Retain the original, dated sales
receipt as proof of warranty coverage.

7

UNPACKING

The F52 requires special care and handling
during unpacking. Pay particular attention
to the precautions that appear in this sec­tion and throughout this owner’s manual.

WARNING

Do not attempt to lift or move the F52
alone. Proper lifting requires at least
two strong people.When lifting the
F52, keep your back as straight as possi­ble using the leg muscles to lift.When
moving the F52,rock it side-to-side into
the desired position.Failure to follow
these procedures may result in person­al injuries and/or loudspeaker damage.

To unpack the F52:

1. Place the packing carton on its side
and fully open the top flaps as shown
in figure 1 (below).

2. Without allowing the top flaps to close,
stand the packing carton in an inverted
position as shown in Figure 1 (below).

3. Lift the packing carton off of the
loudspeaker. Use caution to avoid

REVEL Performa F52
OWNER’S MANUAL

Figure 1: Unpacking the F52

damaging the loudspeaker cabinet
and objects located above the
packing carton. At this point, the
loudspeaker will be upsidedown.

4. Remove the grille from the back
middle pad. Then remove the
bottom pad and the front and back
middle pads. These items are
identified in Figure 2 (next page).

Note

While the loudspeaker is upside-down, it
is recommended to adjust the spikes if
the F52 will be placed on a carpeted
floor. Refer to the “Adjustable Spikes”
section for instructions.

5. Grasping the sides of the cabinet, place
the F52 on its side. Then place the F52
in the upright position without allow­ing the protective bag identified in
Figure 2 (right) to become “stuck”
under the spikes.

6. When the F52 is in the upright posi­tion, remove the protective bag.

Save all packing materials for possible
future shipping needs.

Carton Dimensions

Width: 16.63 inches (42.24 cm)
Length: 28 inches (71.12 cm)
Depth: 49.63 inches (1.26 m)

BOTTOM

2

BOTTOM

3

BOTTOM

TOP

1

TOP

TOP

REVEL Performa F52
OWNER’S MANUAL

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LOUDSPEAKER OVERVIEW

Figure 2: Packing Materials

DRIVER COMPLEMENT

The numbers in Figure 3 (next page)
correspond with the numbered items in
this section.

1. Proprietary 1-inch (25mm) aluminum
dome tweeter incorporating a propri­etary wave-guide.

2. Proprietary 5.25-inch (133mm)
midrange with Organic Ceramic
Composite cone.

3. Three proprietary 6.5-inch (165mm)
woofers with Organic Ceramic
Composite cones.

CABINET

Reduces cabinet-induced colorations with
1-inch (25mm) thick walls and extensive

internal bracing. Adjustable spikes are
attached to the bottom of the cabinet for
optimal stability, accommodating
installations on tile, hardwood, and
carpeted floors.

The cabinet’s wood veneer finish does not
require routine maintenance. Cabinet
surfaces that have been marked with dust,
fingerprints, or other dirt can be cleaned
using a soft cloth and a high-quality
furniture polish. Use a high-quality wax
for a higher-gloss finish.

• To clean the cabinet, apply furniture
polish to a soft cloth; then use the cloth
to lightly wipe the cabinet surface.

• To clean the grille, gently vacuum
using a soft-bristled brush vacuum
attachment.

Protective Bag

Front
Middle Pad

Top Pad

Bottom Pad

Grille

Back Middle Pad