The S30 surround sound speakers still exist in their first incarnation. They
perform surround duties in my reference setup, and they were used here as
well. You can read my
previous review to learn more about the S30.
The original B15 subwoofer now has the suffix "a" as part of its name. The
B15a has the same driver and amplification section as the original B15. You
can read about the B15's muscular capabilities in a
previous Revel Performa
system review.
In this article, I will focus on the back-panel modifications
that are part of the B15a. The most obvious change is a cleaner layout of
the controls on the back-panel. Controls that are logically tied together
are grouped together and enclosed by a black outline. There are also a
number of new controls on the B15a.
The B15a retains the three-band parametric equalizer from the original
design, but adds a bypass switch. To disengage the parametric equalizers on
the B15 required setting the level control to 0. Having a switch makes the
bypass operation easier and cleaner. This switch is labeled "EQ ALL" and has
two positions, "In" (on) and "Out" (off) settings.
The second new control is the "Contour" switch which provides three
convenience settings: "Film", "Music", and "External Trigger". The Film
setting can be used to provide a boost at the low-frequencies which some may
find desirable while watching movies. The Music setting does not alter the
subwoofer's response. The External Trigger option allows you to switch
between the Film and Music settings by using an external trigger. On the
B15, one needed the Revel LFO software to help choose parametric equalizer
settings to yield the effect of the new Contour control. Adjusting
multiple dials to switch settings to get a boost or a flat response is
cumbersome. The new Contour switch solves this problem, and the external
trigger option allows you to do this from the comfort of your seat.
The final modification is the addition of a "Power On Mode" switch with two
settings: "Auto" and "12V Trigger". Auto turns the subwoofer on in the
presence of a signal and takes it into standby mode in the absence of a
signal for some length of time. The 12V Trigger option can be used to turn
the subwoofer on/off by applying a trigger voltage through an external
device such as your SSP. I used the Auto setting in my setup. There were a
couple of instances where the B15a would not come out of standby mode. I had
to power the subwoofer on/off a few times to get it to come out of standby
mode. At one point, I tried to see if there was a particular sequence that
would result in this problem, but I was unable to reproduce it.
When the B15 first came out, it was among a small group of subwoofers which
offered this level of customization. In fact, it still offers a three-band
parametric equalizer where many offer either a single-band parametric
equalizer or no such control at all. But there are several manufacturers who
are now offering a microphone-based automatic set-up procedure. At this
price-point, I would certainly like to see Revel add this functionality to
their subwoofer offerings.
Click Here to Go to Part IV.