S/812 Subwoofer

Description

For S/812, every aspect of the previous generation’s inner workings were examined without regard to its critical and customer-driven success. REL turned a fresh eye to power requirements, driver improvements, and specialty filters, upgrading each to extract all the extra performance possible. All this alongside the cabinet refinements necessary for those upgrades to emerge cleanly. This latest S range is a triumphant development that has exceeded every expectation of our design team.

REL’s requirements were for far stronger deep bass output between 19-35 Hz, vastly improved theatre dynamics, and an even more open and spacious soundfield which benefits both music and film. They turned to their NextGen5 amplifier, tuned to 800 watts, with huge reserves of power beyond this, added a light film of carbon fibre to the rear of the driver to handle the extra power, and developed two new sets of custom filters to extract the utmost in brute force and spaciousness. Finally, they imbued 812 with the ability to be stacked in 4- or 6-unit line arrays, just like the reference models.

S/812 required upgrades to its ContinuousCast™ Alloy Cone to allow it to survive the massive power upgrades. To permit its thin, aluminium cone to survive 800 watts and incredibly long stroke, REL added an ultra-lightweight backing of pure carbon fibre, strategically placed over portions of the rear surface of the cone. This produces two benefits; it strengthens and stiffens the cone and also eliminates reversion, wherein the backwave inside the cabinet is now prevented from interfering with the main launch of bass into the room. The result is more accurate and far louder deep bass.

At 800 watts the NextGen5 amplifier is borrowed from the  reference models and rocks huge reservoirs of power and current. The 45% increase in power (previous version was 500 watts) is needed to deliver both the profound output levels needed for modern theatre, as well as to produce the deepest bass in a high end 2-channel system. This increase in power is necessitated by the development on the musical front of an all-new circuit termed PerfectFilter™ that balance both frequency extremes.

PerfectFilter performs two seemingly disparate qualities; extending the strong, even response of the extreme low end of bass frequencies while simultaneously opening up air and delicacy in the middle and high frequencies of one’s system. Additionally, REL applied customised PureTheatre™ filters to allow S/812 to deliver the most awe-inspiring theatre effects ever offered in a classic REL.