Boufgr my long sought aftter hales rev III, in july 2011. Im so pleased with them. My listening sessions last foreve with my modded er, my wife sits with me and loves Arron Neville and Rick Braun just to list a couple. If you really want to hear something listen to David Lanz Christophories Dream highly recommended u will be moved. My speaker quest is officialy over. I sold the classe and now use a Belles 150 refrence v2 along with a modified melos 110b line stage. I have finnally found musical nirvana. Try the rest then listen to the hales rev. III

Full range, unforced, open soundstage.

Those damn grill cloths! Also they weigh in at 96 pounds.

I bought these about 5 years ago. I was looking for an affordable full range speaker to replace my B&W Matrix 2's, which I loved but did not have the low end I really wanted. The B&W models I liked were just too expensive. Then I heard these. Revelation is a great name for them, as performance like they offer is unusual at this price. They have a very natural, full, satisfying presentation that puts you at ease right away. The first thing that grabbed me was the sound of voice. So real and natural. I tend to like speakers that err towards the warm side of the spectrum rather than being bright and extremely detailed. These are very slightly tilted to the warm side, and are not as detailed as some other systems I have heard, for example the big Magnepans or some of the NHT's. However, these will not wear you out like some other systems either. During my time with the Revelations I have heard a number of other speakers that have impressed me. Then I come home and fire up the Hales and I'm no longer so impressed with the other speaker. I don't have fancy electronics either, just mid range Denon stuff. These speakers were a bargain at full price. Now I see them used occaisonally for $1000. Too good to pass up at that price.

Similar Products Used:

B&W Matrix 2, Magnepan 3 series, NHT 2.5

Soudstage. Warm, complete frequency extension from the top to the deeeeeeep low end.

I believe that the biggest weakness of these speakers is that they have not glaring coloration. Speakers that have a special "sound" seem to earn a reputation either good or bad. Speakers that have little to no coloration draw little attention. Therefore, Paul Hales goes out of business.

These speakers are complete. The soundstage is decided by my components and tweaks. When I auditioned them, I could NOT hear the crossover points. This was a new experience for me. Even though I have owned them since 1999, they continue to surprise me... and I still can't hear the crossover points! You can find these speakers for around $750 now. Replacement drivers are available. I replaced one of my woofers after an abusive listenning to Stravinsky's Right of Spring. I am proud to own these new classics.

Similar Products Used:

B&W Nautilus 801, a friend's Hartsfields (not mine unfortunately), Thiel CS6 with my amps for an in-store audition, Thiel CS2.3 at home for a week, Klipsch Reference 3 bookshelf

Hair on arms goes up when these go on..

Do not use bright cables or cheap amplification....

This speaker is the EIGHTH wonder of the world. No wonde Hales went out of business. How can any company sell a speaker that rivals products selling for $6,000 to $10,000 for $2,195! If you got the power(mimimum 150w per channel)...You can't find a better value anywhere....these speakers do it all....crystilline highs....lifelike mids ..aand room shakin' bass.

Similar Products Used:

sonic frontiers..rogue audio

Hair on arms goes up when these go on..

Do not use bright cables or cheap amplification....

This speaker is the EIGHTH wonder of the world. No wonde Hales went out of business. How can any company sell a speaker that rivals products selling for $6,000 to $10,000 for $2,195! If you got the power(mimimum 150w per channel)...You can't find a better value anywhere....these speakers do it all....crystilline highs....lifelike mids ..aand room shakin' bass.

Similar Products Used:

sonic frontiers..rogue audio

Absolut korrekte Raumabbildung, mit sehr plastischem Klangbild. Sie versetzen einen wirklich in die Musik. Sehr schöner, tiefer Bass ohne das die Musik dadurch überlagert wird. Ein sehr feines, differenziertes Klangbild zum Stundenlangen Hören.

Die obersten Höhen sind bei manchen Aufnahmen etwas hart, die kann aber auch an meinem CD-Player liegen.

I write my text on german because my english is not the best ! Die Hales R 3 haben mich nach vielen anderen, zur Probe gehörten Lautsprechern, erstmals begeistert. Angetrieben von Top-Elektronik und guter Aufstellung stand für mich nach einer Stunde Hören fest: die müssen es sein. Ich habe allerdings noch über 3 Jahre gebraucht, um sie mit entsprechender Elektronik auf die Spitze zu treiben - es hat sich gelohnt. Ich habe noch keine andere Kette gehört, die mich so begeistert wie meine jetzige, daran haben die Hales R3 einen grossen Anteil. Meine Kette: Amp Symphonic Line RG 10 Mk 3/2000 (C37-Behandelt), CD Sony 50 ES (umfangreich getunt, u.a. C37-Behandelt, Kabel JH 88 von Jürgen Hensler, die besten weil neutralsten Kabel der Welt, siehe unter http://www.hensler-kabel.de Erst diese Kabel haben die Hales wirklich ausgereizt. Die Hales R3 sind auch C37-Behandelt, die Abbildung ist dadurch noch klarer und etwas räumlicher geworden. Über kurz oder lang werde ich an der Quelle (CD-Player)noch etwas tun, habe bisher aber noch keinen CD-Player gefunden, der mir besser als der getunte Sony gefallen hat. Über Tipps freue ich mich, auch auf Englisch ! Auch Fragen beantworte ich gerne.

Wonderful mids, excellent bass, value for money

None that I could think of

This is a follow-up review of this great speaker. It still has a hold of me even though it has been with me for close to 2 years. The speakers simply just allow me to enjoy the music, and I do think that is the whole point.

I've heard many speakers and all of them have their own strengths and weaknesses. I have also read all the reviews mentioned here. Frankly, for those who could not get enough bass from the Rev 3, I do think its either your associated equipment has a problem or your speaker placement is wrong. I have my speakers 30 inches from the back wall and 40 inches from the side walls in my room. Suffice to say, this placement gave me wonderful imaging and excellent bass extension. I am talking about bass that you can feel, especially when you play pieces like Refeerence Recordings' Stravinsky's Firebird Suite by the Minnesota Orchaestra. The timpani slams will definitely move you. Yet, the speakers are able to resolve even the most subtle nuances from intimate recordings like Linn recording's Best of Carol Kidd Vol. 2, I dream of you. I guess the Rev 3 will be as good as your associated gears will allow.

Word of advice : Be realistic when any of you make any speaker comparison. Don't compare it with something that is twice or thrice its price. Although there is a distinct possibility that the Rev 3 may perform / sound better, you must ask yourself is it an apple to apple comparison. As I mentioned earlier, every speaker built out there has its own set of merits. No speaker should be ridiculed or lamblasted. Instead, ask what are the qualities you are looking for, i.e. what type of drivers, aesthetics, price etc etc. Only then, will you be able to subjectively audition any gear and get the best or closest thing that your personal finanace will allow.

The changes I've made to my system since the last review are as follow :

CEC TL5100 belt-drive CD Tranport (replaced Parasound CDP-1000)
Parasound DAC-1600HD DAC
Anthem Pre-1L tubed pre-amp
Bryston 3B-ST
Cables : Replaced all stock power cords with Wireworld Aurora (Anthem & Bryston) and LAT Int AC-2 (CEC & Parasound), Silver Audio's Silver Bullet 6.0 interconnects (superb value for money pure silver interconnect), Symphony 48 speaker cables (definitely better than the AudioTruth Argent and Sterling) and Silver Stream 75 ohm digital cable (alternate duty between Illuminations D60).
Power cleaned by Audio Power Industries 212P power conditioner.
Miscellaneous : DH Cones (Large & Jumbo) and Squares, Vibrapods, RF ferrites clamps (RFI blocker) from Radioshack, Bedini Ultra Clarifier (CD treatment), home brewed speaker cable suspenders.

I'm sure the upgrades that I have done since the last review had contributed to the great satisfaction that I have now with my system but the wonderful thing is that the Rev 3 allowed me to hear the improvement each time I upgraded my system. It is therefore very aptly named Revelation 3, as that is precisely what it does, honestly revealing the music to the listener.

Similar Products Used:

NHT 2.5i, Vandersteen 2Ce, Martin Logan Aerius i, MG 2.7

Full but tight bass, smooth mids and highs

96 lbs. each (if you care)

My experience has been consistent with most of the positive reviews below. I heard the Hales at Sound by Singer in NYC and thought they were great. Bass was deep but not sloppy at all, only the Logans really matched it in its tightness. AudioPhysic's old Tempo was very sloppy in the bass, the new Tempo III is much cleaner, but is brighter than the Rev 3s in the highs (and $800 more expensive). I found the Logans to have great tonal accuracy but a much larger than life soundstage, as if you're sitting in the front row of a movie theater and everyone's face is 10 feet tall, and the Thiels to be so darn accurate and unforgiving as to make most recordings I listen to (rock, pop, jazz) sound like crap, and the rest just harsh (maybe great recordings would do them justice, I don't know). I thought the B&W Nautilus 805s sounded awful in the highs and had (by comparison) NO bass, and they're roughly the same price.

I haven't played the Rev 3s for the recommended 100 hour break-in yet, but I have noticed an improvement since I hooked them up, particularly in the bass. I've found numerous LF riffs in recordings I know well that were simply nonexistant on other speakers.

The only problems I've had with the Rev 3s are a six-week backorder and a slight blemish in the finish which the factory was quick to offer to fix if I'd send them back, but with their size and weight, getting them home in the first place (in a NYC taxi) nearly killed me. I'm sure the concrete baffles which add so much weight really help the sound, so I'm very willing to deal with it (though the screw-in spikes make little holes in my hardwood floor). I guess the cloth covers are a bit of a pain, but well worth it. Also, the natural cherry finish looks great.

Associated gear:

Sony CD/DVD
NAD Monitor Series 1300 preamp (10 yrs old)
B&K ST-140 amp (also 10 yrs old and 105wpc into 8 ohms but supposedly ineffective into 4, but working just fine w/R3s)

Overall, the Rev 3s are in my opinion excellent. The mids and highs are as nice as anything else I listened to and they have deeper, cleaner bass than anything I listened to even at several times the price. Very highly recommended.

Similar Products Used:

Auditioned Thiel CS1.5s, Martin Logans, AudioPhysic, Meadowlark, B&W N805, others

Very smooth/balanced response throughout audio range. Solid build.

7 1/2 week shipping delay. :(

Associated equipment:
Krell PAM3 preamp, Aragon 8002 amp, Yamaha CD player.
Cables: XLO twinax, Monster M1.
Speakers replaced: Martin Logan CLSIIA's due to serious
reliability problems with panels.( Mine started peeling badly after only 5 years of use)
Music: Jazz/Newage/Classical. With some classic rock.

I intended to to replace the M/L with a pair of the Maggie
1.6QR. I found the 1.6QR to be very smooth and detailed,
but I was simply not impressed with the bass. Without a
subwoofer it was too flabby sounding for my taste. I had
to run a sub with my M/L, but as I sold the sub, I wanted a speaker that would not require a subwoofer. This is my only
complaint against the Maggie. With a sub, I am sure it will
be an exceptional speaker. I just didn't wan't to go this
route this time around.

I auditioned the Hales REV 2 and 3 and was most impressed
with both of these speakers.
True, they don't image like the M/L, but
at 1/2 the cost, they really kept me involved with the music. I just couldn't find anything seriously wrong with
either of them.
I also liked the PSB stratus bronze, but the Hales were
more refined. I thought the PSB were just a little bright
for my taste. The JM labs (I forget the model) were really
lacking in bass. Totally uninvolving. They were way overpriced at $2100.00. The PSB beat the JM labs easily.

I also auditioned a pair of Klipsch KLF20's.
( I owned a pair of LaScalas many years ago, and am still a Klipsch fan!) There is absolutely no comparison between
the new Klipsch and the old. I couldn't believe that a
$1600.00 speaker could be built so poorly. They
should have been priced at $600.00 a pair due to the build
quality.( If you want Klipsch, buy a good used pair of
the older models. La Scala, Forte, Cornwall, Khorns etc.)

I decided on the REV3 over the REV2 only because I thought
the bass went a little lower, and had more authority than the REV2.
I did note that the REV2 bass was a little tighter than the REV3. I could not tell the difference between the
two when it came to the higher frequencys. The imaging was
excellent for both speakers, though not at the level as my
M/L. (I just haven't heard a conventional speaker that can
image the way an electrostat can)

If cost was my limiting factor, I would have gone with the REV2 without hesitation. Either speaker is tops in it's
price range as far as I am concerned.

One thing to note: These speakers need a lot of break-in time. Mine are sounding better each day I play them.

If you have hardwood floors, putting them on concrete or
cement slabs is a must. I took the advice of a previous
review and bought a couple of cement stepping stones. The
difference in bass response was immediate and dramatic!
I put some felt pads on the bottom of the stones to protect
the floor.
For under $10.00 a pair, the slabs are a must for anyone with wood floors.

The old issue of the Hales floor spikes has been resolved.
The speakers now come with 4 brass spikes that thread into
the bottom of the speakers, so you won't need to upgrade
them as was required before.

I rate them as a 5 for value and a 4 for overall, as you can get better (but not at this price range!)

Similar Products Used:

Hales rev2, Magneplaner MG1.6QR, Psb stratus bronze, JM labs, Klipsch KLF20.

Frequency Range, Balance

Bass slightly muddles the midrange compared to the clarity of the Hales Rev. 2's

I enjoyed this speakers overall balance, wide frequency range, and soundstaging. My two test CDs, Handel's Alexander's Feast and Saint Saens Organ Symphony to reveal a speaker that produces a solid soundstage and acoustic. The only complaint I had was that I found the bass to be less tight and the mid range slightly muddled, compared to the Rev 3's smaller brother, the Hales revelation 2's. I asked a Hales customer rep. about this and he indicated that other customers have made the same comment. He said the difference in crossovers probably accounts for this. I give the Rev. 3's "3 stars" and the Rev. 2's "4 stars" for overall rating.I think the Rev. 2's have been overlooked by the audio press.

Similar Products Used:

Hales Rev 2's, B&W 804 Nautilus, Paradigm Studio 100, PSB Stratus Golds, Mirage OM-6