SPRINT 3 loudspeakers win 'Best Buy' Award review from The-Ear.net

Renowned audio critic Trevor Butler for the-ear.net audiophile news & review site bestowed high praise upon Revival Audio's SPRINT 3 bookshelf loudspeakers, awarding them a 'Best Buy' award. Despite their sub-£1000 price tag, these speakers offer superb performance, beyond that of many higher priced rivals, thus representing exceptional value.

Butler, an owner of Revival's more upscale ATALANTE 3 two-way speakers, commended the SPRINT 3 for its contemporary design and pragmatic aesthetics, with emphasis on superior sound quality. The speakers, were developed in collaboration with A+A Cooren Design in Paris, aiming to encapsulate modern French elegance and minimalistic aesthetics.

"They are of a contemporary design and produce a contemporary sound with vivid imaging that reaches out to draw the listener in. In its class it sets something of a new reference and offers amazing value for money”

"They were a dream on speech-based material, a delight on classical repertoire and yet, with their bass credentials, a breeze when it comes to rock and pop (across several eras) when played in a moderately-sized room”

Key features include the proprietary Elytron front baffle, uniquely shaped to enable directivity control and diffraction optimization for enhanced high-frequency performance. The 7-inch woofer, unique to the brand, utilizes basalt-sandwich construction, offering stiffness akin to glass fiber but with greater rigidity.

During the listening evaluation, the SPRINT 3 demonstrated its prowess, delivering a sound experience comparable to much more expensive models, impressing with its openness, transparency, and neutrality. The bass performance, clean and deep, stood out, showcasing the speakers' capability for superb soundstaging.

"From the first note, the Sprint 3s handled the speed, agility and dynamics of this rather demanding track. Many a lesser loudspeaker struggles with the complexity here, but not the Revivals. To their credit, they created a hugely believable rendition of a song that reveals the imperfections in many a more costly design.”

"Intending to enjoy just the first movement, I ended up almost mesmerised by the entire work and the sheer realism that was being produced. The concert venue really was being brought to my listening room in an incredibly believable way, such that the performers could have been in front of me at, not least during the invigorating and triumphant climax”

"The bass was certainly enough to excite the audience and, here again, pace, rhythm and timing was shown to be among the Sprint 3’s strengths”

Notable musical selections, including JS Bach's choral prelude "Sleepers Awake," highlighted the Sprint 3's exceptional imaging abilities and the listening panel, under Butler's guidance, appreciated the speakers' rhythmic abilities across diverse genres, from Avril Lavigne to Tom Jones.

Butler's comprehensive review emphasizes the SPRINT 3's ability to handle various tracks with speed, agility, and dynamics. The speakers excelled in reproducing complex material, with specific praise for their handling of female vocals and intricate instrumentals.

In his conclusion, Butler expressed enthusiasm for the SPRINT 3, stating that, if he didn't already own the pricier Revival model, he would readily purchase these bookshelf loudspeakers. He highlighted their modern design, contemporary sound, and the avoidance of common pitfalls in new loudspeaker designs, making them a new reference in their class. The loudspeakers' balance, according to Butler, allows the music to be enjoyed as intended by the recording engineer, solidifying their status as a 'Best Buy' and an exciting addition to Revival Audio's product line.

"Of particular note are the imaging abilities of this not extravagant loudspeaker, they are sublime and surpass those of much costlier models, even those from major brands” "I was also taken by the delicacy of the highs from that soft-dome tweeter which produced a sweet and detailed treble, managing to avoid brittleness and sharpness, albeit from what was an analogue recording that’s been digitally remastered” "the Sprint 3 balance allows the music to be enjoyed as intended by the recording engineer, you can’t ask for much more than that”