Got the Rel T Zero MkIII this morning. Combined it with my Elac Debut B6.2 and I'm very happy. The thing that wowed me the most is the fact how the sub completes the sound of a piano or a guitar and just fills in the low end of the sound canvas with precise and articulate bass. And with it you can spot poorly mastered music. And this is all in a non acustically treated room.
I have two of the REL T-Zero MkIIIs - one in my living room for integration with my home cinema set up, and one in my library for dedicated (serious) music listening. They are astonishing - they are tiny, yet the quality, depth and breadth of the bass they produce is almost unbelievable. I had originally set them up as a stereo pair, but my room simply didn't warrant it, and the home cinema sub replaced and bettered in every way a larger and far more expensive sub that had been driving the wife potty for years with its footprint. The finish is gorgeous, and the ability to connect them at line level is a game changer for 2 channel music. So pleased you've reviewed something that fits in pretty much any budget and outperforms equipment costing hundreds of pounds more.
After discussing set up with REL, I bought a second T Zero to create a stereo pair with my front (tiny) Monitor Audio Radius 90s on their stands. These are very small and elegant speakers having a gold cam tweeter and a 4 inch mid/bass unit with a rear port. They roll off at about 90 to 100hz making them an ideal partner for the T Zeros. Larger RELs would leave a hollowed out frequency range. The impact of a second REL is a stronger stereo imaging and excellent bass for my musical taste. Given this includes Cathedral organ music, the set up is excellent in my mid sized room (19 x 11 ft). Physics comes into play in such a small space hence going for a bigger sub is a waste of time as really deep bass needs a large room of typically 25 to 30 ft. Both subs are in white and match the white Radius 90s and their superb stands really well. It’s not a cheap set up at about $1400 for the front speakers, but it matches the decor and my wife wanted very small rather than large floorstanders or stand mounted medium sized speakers. I guess my set up goes head to head with the MA Silver 200 7Gs but has less colouration due to the rigid boxes of the MA Radius 90s. As a classical music fan I wanted clarity over volume. I use a Marantz 8006 which at 70w is about right for the T Zero. Of course when you add on 100w per channel of bass amplifier within each REL that is still a lot a power for a small room. It’s been working for a year or so now and needed tuning in a specific way, as advised on the REL web site but it’s a great quality set up.
The addition of the T/Zero to my small listening room is perfect! I am hearing bass I haven’t heard in years. Thanks, Steve, for the review. Glad you had paired it with the Klipsch RP600. That took the guess work out of wondering if it would work for me. Made the Shelly Manne “My Fair Lady” album come alive! And it made Sharon Sable’s salute to Blossom Dearie sound like she and pianist Joe Holt were in the room!
I'm using a single T/Zero MKIII sub in a desktop system with Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ speakers. The B1+ has a noticeable bump at the bottom of their range, about 50Hz. Mixing with a sub (high and low level) just hade it worse. So I'm using an external crossover (Rolls SX45) to high pass the speakers, 65Hz seems to be the sweet spot. The high pass feeds the amp that is driving the speakers. The low pass is going to the low input of the sub. Once I got the output level on the sub right it just disappeared. I'm using the input pot on the crossover to control the system volume. In a previous iteration of my desktop system the high pass from the crossover was set at 90Hz and fed active speakers that only had 3" drivers. The sub blended right in, and the overall system sounded more dynamic.
I’ve used that Rolls crossover as well; it’s great for pulling out the lower frequencies when you have room gain issues. There should be more products like it.
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hi Steve , after watching your video I placed my order and zero this is in my hand.. my system;Kef ls 50 meta -node n130-accuphase e 206..my room is 25m2 and the bass performance of kefs was enough for me..I can't believe the result over high level connection right now :))) )great result announcing to you,great result,thanks to you and thank you for this magic box...
I have this sub working with a pair of Acoustic Energy 300 speakers. I only have a small room but love the sound I get from this combination. Really pleased with my purchase.
I am a bit late but do you still have that combo? I have AE300 in small room and want to know what do you think of that combo after having it for some time 😁
I've been using the first generation T-Zero subwoofer for many years with my Raidho C1.1s which are really not bad in the bass for the size, the sub gives me a little extension of the spectrum, I'm super happy.
I just picked up two of these for the price of one on US AudioMart... These things are unbelievable in regards to how much real bass these little gems put out. I use this with a pair of Maggie LRS+. They fill my medium sized room, no lack on the bottom, not with the music I listen to, Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock... They sound very natural, they disappear in the room, and blend beautifully with the Maggies. I cannot tell where the bass is coming from, it simply envelops the room. And I have a pair of SVS SB3000 subs in the mix too. These little T-Zeros are not going anywhere, the SVS can be for movie night, Music, T-Zeros. Oh, I am using the Rolls SX45 Active Crossover between my preamp and amplifier. I send all of the high and mid frequencies to the Maggies, everything else goes to the RELs. And yes, you need to use an RCA cable to the RELs when using this crossover.
I have (2) REL 212/SX's paired with my AV123 LS-6's and I am now hearing notes my previous AV123 15" subs never even output. The low end of my music is now so much fuller and substantial, ultra quick with zero decay, and has the output to make movies absolutely rock the house. It's amazing how fast and tonal they can make a 12" driver these days, and I couldn't be happier with the investment, just wish I had more funds for the true line array of 812's carbons. I will be adding some of these smaller REL subs to the Polk LSiM setup in my home office as soon as I get the money saved, as REL has really opened my eyes as to what a true quality subwoofer can bring to your system.
Nice review ! I'm running a REL strata 5 in conjunction with final electrostatic speakers. Very solid combination ! The REL is fast enough to keep up with the speakers.
I agree with the review. I'm no where near audiophile. I went to local premium well known audio store. I listen to rel instantly fell in love. And I loved it over other subs. Its soothing, doesn't give me headache. Yet to buy it. To pair up my old focal chorus speakers
LRS owner here, and I can definitely confirm that they feel complete with properly integrated subwoofers. In fact, I don't think it's a good idea to run the full signal to the magnapan... it gets really amazing when you high pass the LRS fairly high, like 80 or 90 Hz. Only if I was listening extremely quietly all the time, would I let the full range signal go to the Maggies.
It will become part of my system later as a partner to a set of Dynaudio Evoke 10 speakers, which have their strength in the soft round treble and natural sound image, but on some recordings, especially acoustic ones, I may well miss a little deeper bass. Here it will or perhaps two pieces, be a perfect choice without the bass being too boomy.
Been using a single REL T5 with my LRS and it is a good combination, crossed over just under 60hz. The LRS sounds good on its own but the REL just fills in the bottom nicely.
I think what I enjoy more about your videos is your shirts haha. Reminds me of some shirts I wore in the 80s. I get such a nostalgic feeling just looking at you wearing them.
I got mine about a 10 days ago. Incredible!, considering its size. Perfect match with my Sonus Faber Lumina 2's. I have a 16.5' x 15' room. Sounds amazing in this space. (I listen at or about 80dB +/- 1dB or 2dB max and mostly around 75dB). I also used High/Speaker Level input directly connected to the AMP. This sub is worth Every penny. I may get a pair of Magnepan LRS+'s as a 2nd speaker. I can not wait to hear them with this sub.
@@leonadarevic2069 I am still in love with it. For my space and use case (wanting bass but not shaking the neighbors' walls), it was and is a Great sub. I would buy it again. (I do understand Why others would want and 8' or even a 10' for more slam) I just wanted that lower bass without too much bass. Worth every penny.
Steve, I recently bought a pair of these after watching your review of the Magnepan LRS+ where you mentioned the REL Tzero Mark 3. I can’t thank you enough!! They are amazing! And it’s because of your review of the original LRS that I bought a Schiit: Vidar (eventually bought a second one) due to being more in my budget than the Pass Labs XA25. lol Thanks so much for your commitment to providing music lovers with such helpful advice! If I ever take a trip to NYC I’m going to hang out in one of Frank Prisinzano’s restaurants in hopes of running into you! 😉
Having added Klipsche’s RP600 M II’s, this may be the right sub for my small 12’x15’ listening room. Had been thinking about the REL 98 Classics but this may give me enough at a much lower price.
Thanks Richard, I’m so glad you like the shirts! The shirt in this video was made by my wife just a few months ago. It’s one of my favorites of hers for me. Some shirts are made of African fabric, I buy those from Ashanti Fields Etsy, and others I find at thrift stores.
@Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac my wife also makes quilts so I presume that your wife made the quilt in this video? The Mrs Audiophiliac Bass Trap Blanket Or is this a special sound diffuser blanket made by a high-end audio company?
I'm a true believer in subs. The setup is the key. It is there to support the main speakers and not be heard directly but complete the fullness of the sound. I run a pair of S5 SHO subs. Love them
Couldn’t have said it better my self. I have the Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 with the Elac 3010 sub and I know what you are saying. Once I got it positioned correctly in my room (which took a lot of trial and error) the sub just blended right in and it really compliments the speakers. I have the low pass on the sub set at 80hz because the speakers only go a little lower than that. But now it’s perfect and my 2ch system will stay this way for a very long time. Hope you enjoy your system, I bet it sounds awesome! Cheers!
@@AudioHead809 I have Sopra 3's which go flat close to 40 so my subs don't go much above 45. I'm very pleased. I would have subs with most speakers. I'm sure there are some that need very little help but having the extra foundation at the low end makes a lot of difference. Enjoy your setup too.
@@skipgordon5382 Thank you! My curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see what the Sopra 3s are and holy moly!!! Those are some very nice looking units. It’s also awesome they go that low. Focal knows what they’re doing that design is just gorgeous. Hopefully one day I can get something on that level for a dedicated listening room. That’ll be the endgame of endgames.
Another great review Steve, I've been using a pair of Mk1's for years with an old pair of Focal Electra 905's and they integrate seamlessly. The biggest revelation was the way vocals-especially female-really popped. Kate Bush was in my front room! The whole presence and depth of the presentation was just bigger with more midrange density. A few years later I added some Townshend Supertweeters and the whole presentation did the same again but with more air, space and dimensionality. Haven't a clue how it all does this but suspect it's got something to do with harmonics-doesn't really matter-I love it. Cheers from Sunny Scotland.
as a former Maggie LRS owner I know exactly what he's saying about the importance of sub matching. I tried a half dozen subs and ended up with rythmik servo sub and it did well enough but never disappeared. They were quick but still called attention to themselves and did not disappear.
I'm curious which rythmik sub you used and how you went about integrating them with the maggies. I'm really happy with the cheap L12 from them, but I also have a Minidsp SHD which made integration much easier than anything I've had before. Also did you use 1 sub or 2? Even with REL I've had better luck with 2 subs than 1.
@@orwhat24 we had two you children since I bought the LRS. My listening area was downsized from a large living room area to a spare basement bedroom. The Maggie’s just stunk in a small room with no space from the wall boundary. I switched to focal Solo6 be monitors for my smaller space now and it works well enough for me.
Agree 100% Adding a REL T9x to my B&W 606 S2 made them sound fuller, deeper, and the way it blends, the sub just disappears! I can’t imagine listening to music without it!
Steve, can you elaborate on the designed in the US aspect? I know REL's have been manufactured in China for some time but thought their research and development was in the UK?
I believe Rel was originally located in Wales then sold to Sumiko. There is an (I think) an American chap who seems to be the main spokesman now. Not sure of the details beyond this.
As others have mentioned, REL Acoustics subwoofers used to be designed and developed in the UK, but research and development for REL has been based in the US for several years now.
REL speakers for the UK/European market, at least, are labeled 'Bridgend, Wales', as shown in the video. I was, in fact, born in this town, grew up nearby and, coincidentally, actually passed the REL building only last summer, so its UK presence remains.
Interesting... my brother has had his KEF Reference 104/2 that he bought new about 30-years ago. And wow, we used to have a Kenwood KT-5500 tuner that I paired with my Sony TA-F40 amp. It was such a solid tuner.
What would a room at small to medium size look like? Those words are used regularly but can mean different things to different people, please give some dimensions ! Thanks
Your best bet is to invest in an active crossover to send the high frequencies to your speakers just prior to your amplifier. Rolls SX45 or one of the two that Sublime Acoustics manufactures. There are other units out there on the used market too that are no longer made, but do pop up for sale now and then.
Hi @Steve Guttenberg, What is the best subwoofer solution to connect with a pair of Tannoy Revolution XT8f? Is it worth upgrading a subwoofer in a stereo system with these speakers and Denon electronics? Thank you, from Portugal, for your comment.
I have this REL but not convinced that I have it placed correctly. Followed the guidelines for placement do where do you have your subs placed within your room?
Nice video, great review and sub. You used the speakers at full range but what crossover did you dial when used with the Klipsch? Beautiful viewer system of the day, all vintage stuff, something I can never get tired to look at.
Yeah Steve! You are the best! I have been watching for over a year yet I feel like I have known you my entire life. Thanks for sharing your passion for all things audio!
I have white Rel T/Zero that purchased from REL on sale about 18 months ago recently the amp died on me . Since it was under warranty rel sent me a MK 3 !!! amp I use it in a 10 by 10 foot home office with stand mount KEF LS50W they are a perfect match
a great little champ this REL. could you also start with one, then add 3 more. run them in stereo and stack them facing woofers forward? would this option scale compared to let's say two big subwoofers? i am betting that some dps to get the 20hz output would help. just some thoughts.
Not sure about the 20 Hz, you see, these small sealed subs (and I believe this one is no exception) are tuned on a slope of a low pass filter (Linkwitz transform), where one octave extension costs 4x the cone excursion and 16x the power - and this all already there. Hard to expect this little guy to go another octave deeper.
@@jdavis234 there might be a cone area benefit, im not sure. i do normally recommend a minimum price for subwoofers before stacking them so that you get more features and larger drivers, and better cabinets and parts. i just had a thought about this cheap rel sub, and what would happen.
Just curious. Do you use the same speaker output on your amp that are going to the main speakers, or do you use a second output, like B? Does it even matter?
I have two Tzero’s connected to my Klipsch Hersey IV’s. With this combo I feel like I could live with this set up for a long long time! With the Tzero connected to the Hersey’s the speakers will disappear.
Nice. I also have two of them, and was wondering how they would do mated to bigger size woofers like that. Because there's plenty of big high efficiency speakers out there that don't play below 50hz. Or even higher then that. Whereas these obviously do. But for some reason, it just seems strange to me anyway. To be mating a little 6.5 inch sub up to a big 12 inch mid-woofer like that. Even though it makes perfect sense really. ✌️
Not speaking about quality here , just comparing the two. I have always been a definitive tech supercube 3 fan. Im on my 5th failure now and am readynto move on. I had 2 supercube 3s in my room. I need a small sub in the room because of where it needs to go. I need something smaller than 11 inches to fit under my floating entertainment center. Is this close to the supercube 3? Obviously I would buy 2 of these. This is just for movies.
Not sure exactly why, but the LRS is a dipole design, It projects sound forward and back equally. Box speakers project most of their sound forward. And of course most subwoofers tend to integrate better with box speakers. None of this explains why the REL works so well with Maggies.
Thank you! Does this mean that the relative placement and phase of dipoles and sub are much more critical in the case of planars? Compared to box speakers phase should go to a reverse on the backside of the dipole?
IMHO most REL subs are faster than many others. The quick, accurate response blends in well with Maggies. I had Def Tech and Yamaha subs previously and they were more muddy and slightly boomy compared to my Maggies...therefore they never "disappeared", sonically.
One would probably do better with 1 T/9 which last I saw was also on sale. But honestly your money would be better spent on Rythmik at that point. The -3 on the Buchardts is lower then these subs. And possibly even the T/9. The T/0, or T/9 will do them a lot cleaner though. So if you used a crossover (specifically a high pass on the mains) either one would probably help. But wouldn't necessarily be the best way to spend your money IMHO. Buchardts are a little different. I have a pair of S300's. My 2 T Zeros don't bother the neighbors. The Buchardts do though. Go figure.
I lived for a period of time in a condo, and passed on these, mostly because of the down firing driver and went with a pair of HT 1003’s instead. My background favors large amps, drivers and enclosures, but I’ve done a 180 on that. They were (and are) great subs (I still have them in my much larger space). I once thought as many do who’ve not actually heard them, that they’re over rated and over priced, but discovered that they truly do add nuance, detail and space to the entire presentation, it has to be experienced to be appreciated. I don’t see a reason they couldn’t be positioned on their side if they were creating excessive floor resonance.
Great review as usual. I also really like music suggestions...keep that up as I love to find new music (to me) that is well recorded......Thanks Steve.
@@photorolensoman8101 I'm pretty confident one wouldn't have any regrets purchasing this particular size subwoofer for such a small room. My rooms a little bit bigger than yours at 4 × 3.5m (13 × 11.5ft) and when I had the 8-in downfiring subwoofer (t5i) positioned near the corner, it was more than sufficient for my particular size room plus you could always get another one at a later date, Very often two or more smaller subwoofers will outperform a single larger unit. With more available headroom the bass quality will increase and there will be a sense of effortless bass due to reduced compression, lower distortion and greater dynamic range! The only regret I had when I purchased a Rel subwoofer was that I didn't purchase it earlier!
The Boston A400's broke me out of my Japanese mid-fi stupor back in '84, and I loved them so much. Incredible scale, dynamics, and LF extension launched from that big flat smooth front baffle. They had dual 8" woofers in a sealed cab, and seemed to go down forever. No sub needed.... powered with an NAD 3150 which I still own! Sadly, I only had the A400's for about 2 years.
Thank you Steve for this one - it confirmed my choice from two years ago, when I acquired a pair of SMG-c's - and I soon bought a used DALI sealed (Linquitz type) subwofer of the same size as the REL. This was also the time when I discovered your YT channel. The main difference here is that I'm using base management in my receiver, because I want to relieve those vintage Maggies from the lowest frequencies - and avoid de-lamination (I'm in Europe and I could not afford sending them back to manufacturer in the US for refurbishment). Integration was very easy indeed, Though I agree completely, that the Maggies were not lacking base on their own. I paid under $500 for my complete rig (used) and it puts a big smile on my face whenever I have time to listen. I must say here, that I was into physics and electro-accoustics since I was a kid and later I studied electronics. I would encourage all of you audio enthusiasts to learn the science of your hobby - this will help you get better results and more satisfaction for less money. And you may become an authority in hi-fi by helping others make informed purchase decisions.
So true! I recently hooked up a REL T5 to my Decware ZEN driving Club of 27 Amy Horn loudspeakers (Dutch brand) and the REL completes the sound. So funny that you see it is there but the bass comes from somewhere else. Great soundstage.
@@mrmessyjesse my room is 8 x 5 meters. The t5 works great in this room. I doubted for a long time what speaker I would pair with the Decware Zen. I looked at Lii open baffle but decided to go for the Horns.
Connecting the High Level cables for REL subwoofers directly to the binding posts on the system's main loudspeakers can work well, though is typically only the best option when using a stereo pair of subwoofers with one assigned specifically to each speaker. When using a single subwoofer in a 2-channel system, it is typically best to connect High Level to the amplifier's output terminals so that it can more easily draw signal from both the left and right output channels.
My Maggie's 1.7 with a REL sub sounded fantastic. You should try the big Soundlab A1PX the newest ones with two REL B1 Subwoofers if you like the sound of the Maggie's with a sub this combo i mentioned will blow you away and your opinion on electrostats will change mine did i used to feel like you did. Soundlabs do not sound like typical electrostats please try it your missing out.
I have the ATC SCM7 and glad to hear this one is working for you. I got a consultation from them but they keep pushing the REL T/5x (talking about upsale)...I'm not looking for thumping bass, but to fill the lower octaves in a medium to small room in which the effective listening portion, it is a shared space-living room, is comparable to small room
@@pennfootball71 I have a space of such dimension but because it is a common space, the effective listening area is about half of it. So smaller might be the way to not overpower the rest of the system in that room
I don't get it. These subs are dinosaurs compared to what SVS has with their app controls. SVS subs are easily as musical as my previous subs from REL, Martin Logan, JL and others. But the the app control allows for precise adjustments to help with the room, speakers and even recordings (with various saved settings). That's why I was finally able to get subs to match my Magnepans and the SVS app control is overtaking REL for matching in various systems. It should be standard on every good sub.
@@razisn You're right, which is why so many audiophiles are adopting the remote tuning tech for subwoofers. Have fun trying to tune a sub the old fashion way! LOL! REL makes good subs, but they're no longer state-of-the-art.
@@robertbrody4032 If you don't mind the digital signal processing that comes with the SVS software, you may well enjoy it. I like it the analog way REL is providing via the high level output signals of my single ended class A EL34 tube amp.
@@henni1964 What are you talking about? I had the SVS SB3000 side by side with my REL T9x and the SVS could actually reproduce great organ pedal sounds that the REL could not. Trying to match the REL to my Revel 126be's, Magnepan .7's or Kef R3s was tedious and even when I got it right, I was constantly making adjustments based on sources. The SVS was just as musical and went lower with superior articulation. My friend is now using SVS SB4000's with his Magnepan 3.7's for this very reason and they have become a top pick for planar and ribbon systems. I really doubt you heard these side by side and I've yet to hear a single review or owner make a comment about signal processing issues. For amps I've used everything from Manley to NuPrime.
Hi Steve. I value your opinion on all things audio. I just replaced my Vandy 2ces that I've had for 25 yrs, with sonus faber liuto monitors and a sumiko 5 sub. I'm moving to a smaller place. What are your thoughts on that combo?
It is plenty. I have two in my desktop setup with ls35a's and they're harder to integrate then the LS50's I'm told. They worked well together basically out of the box. Spent almost no time tuning them. They just work. The KC62 will go much lower. But there's not a lot of music that low, unless you listen to say hip hop. And two of these on sale is still 1/3rd less money. Although 1 will likely work fine I'm sure. ✌️
The listening Room in MD? I got 2 pairs of MG12 from there over 10~15 years ago. Added 2 x DSW 550 pro from Polk last year. Yea a 4.2 setup using speaker level to the front Left and right.
I use 2 Kicker L7 12” subwoofers one in each corner and they pound harder than that even just one shakes the house when I watch stuff on my Marantz receiver
Yea. And? Is there a point? Or just felt like throwing that low key brag out there? And I've heard setups like this. They sound like absolute dog schiit. But hey "it hits hard" right? If that's what you're into I suppose? 🤷 🙄 🤦♂️
@@amb3cog it’s not a brag at all I can reassure you that the point I was making was you can achieve great sound without having to spend as much on these expensive REL subwoofers 🔊 These Kicker L7s are a way cheaper alternative and in my honest opinion pound harder I don’t see what’s the fuss about my comment and I rarely comment mainly for this exact reason people are always so negative online we need way more positivity ya know :)
@@hariline8769 Because we're looking for Sound Quality. Pounding subs isn't sound quality. You obviously don't understand how all of this works. I've heard your type of setup. You hear the subwoofers. We're trying to NOT hear them. We want to hear our expensive speakers, that sound perfect to us already, go lower then they can. So we're not missing out on any information down there, and because a lot of spatial info is down there too. And this type of setup has the advantage of improving the sound stage/imaging. Likely because of that spatial information. Those subs are for kids who want to show off. They're not for playing quality music. I've heard them all. I used to be into car audio myself. And I've done the cheap setups at home too. I now have a pair of these in my desktop setup that match up to a pair of ls35a speakers. Which are famous for not mating up to subs. But these work perfectly with them. These have a specific purpose. In this hobby there is no "better". There's only what's best for you. You do you. And please have fun. But no one here is interested in those subs. Besides. Why would you think we don't already know about them? Because I assure you. We all do. And many, if not most, have played with them before. We've already moved beyond that though. We're older dudes in most cases who have wives, neighbors, and finer tastes. Our Kicker subwoofer days are long behind us. For some reason that's lost on certain people though. So now you know. Have a great day. ✌️
@@amb3cog 🙄😩 don’t be so self-indulgent nothing in this world is perfect that’s reality and your grammar is off you know absolutely nothing about my home theater setup the only thing you Know I own 2 kicker L7s but I also have a set of JBl L100 speakers so yea I own those speakers so someone like you would say those are better than your ls35a speakers but I don’t judge people’s set ups I am young but I have a lot of experience of audio for my age I have shown people your age a thing or two If I hurt your feelings I’m sorry people in here are too sensitive I guess but you took a shot at my L7s it’s true my L7s aren’t audiophile quality but in they have more bass and shake the house 2 voice coils are better than 1 I can’t believe you wrote an entire paragraph this really falls short on what I would expect from someone older you forgot audio is all about having fun not who has the most expensive crap anyways your not worth more of my time I’ve got way more important stuff to do than arguing with a stranger
@@hariline8769 I would never waste my money on any Junk But Loud speakers nowadays. I did that already when I was a kid. I just told you there's no better in this hobby. And there you go saying yours are better. They probably are for you. I want no part of them myself though. My listening room is too small anyway, even if I did have an interest in those old behemoths. And they're not better anyway. Ever notice the price of the small versions of those speakers? Under $1000. And ls35as are closer to 3 times that. So imagine what a big version would be? Now go look at the prices of them, and you'll see what I mean. There's plenty of English speakers that are basically big ls35as because they're the gold standard. And have been for decades. They also cost a small fortune. And not so much because they're overpriced either, which the JBL's clearly are (Nostalgia), but because they're so good. But that's not your taste obviously. So they're likely worthless to you, and that's okay. Because I'm not trying to force them on you at all. I like them myself, but you do you. Not everyone is using a big room, or thinks bigger is better either. Like I said. You do you. But stop thinking you know any better. You don't. You simply lack the experience to understand this I'll assume. And that's fine. I was young once too. But you're comparing Apples to Oranges here. And for some reason you aren't seeing it. As for writing big long paragraphs. I'm sorry everyone else is so lazy nowadays. I'm not. So to me, this is normal. I like to try to make my point as clear as possible. In the vain attempt at getting my point across. As for my grammar. I don't GAF. I've always hated the rules of the English language, and refuse to learn it by choice. My time is much better spent learning things I'm interested in. Again, you do you. I don't care about such things. If you do. Then fine break out your official rule book of the English language, all 3 trillion pages of it, and have at it. But I'll politely abstain thank you very much. ✌️
Got the Rel T Zero MkIII this morning. Combined it with my Elac Debut B6.2 and I'm very happy. The thing that wowed me the most is the fact how the sub completes the sound of a piano or a guitar and just fills in the low end of the sound canvas with precise and articulate bass. And with it you can spot poorly mastered music. And this is all in a non acustically treated room.
I have two of the REL T-Zero MkIIIs - one in my living room for integration with my home cinema set up, and one in my library for dedicated (serious) music listening. They are astonishing - they are tiny, yet the quality, depth and breadth of the bass they produce is almost unbelievable. I had originally set them up as a stereo pair, but my room simply didn't warrant it, and the home cinema sub replaced and bettered in every way a larger and far more expensive sub that had been driving the wife potty for years with its footprint. The finish is gorgeous, and the ability to connect them at line level is a game changer for 2 channel music. So pleased you've reviewed something that fits in pretty much any budget and outperforms equipment costing hundreds of pounds more.
Bought the REL T/x based on your recommendation and couldn't be happier. Brought new life to my 20+ year old Thiel 2.2. 's. Thank you!
After discussing set up with REL, I bought a second T Zero to create a stereo pair with my front (tiny) Monitor Audio Radius 90s on their stands. These are very small and elegant speakers having a gold cam tweeter and a 4 inch mid/bass unit with a rear port. They roll off at about 90 to 100hz making them an ideal partner for the T Zeros. Larger RELs would leave a hollowed out frequency range.
The impact of a second REL is a stronger stereo imaging and excellent bass for my musical taste. Given this includes Cathedral organ music, the set up is excellent in my mid sized room (19 x 11 ft). Physics comes into play in such a small space hence going for a bigger sub is a waste of time as really deep bass needs a large room of typically 25 to 30 ft.
Both subs are in white and match the white Radius 90s and their superb stands really well. It’s not a cheap set up at about $1400 for the front speakers, but it matches the decor and my wife wanted very small rather than large floorstanders or stand mounted medium sized speakers.
I guess my set up goes head to head with the MA Silver 200 7Gs but has less colouration due to the rigid boxes of the MA Radius 90s. As a classical music fan I wanted clarity over volume. I use a Marantz 8006 which at 70w is about right for the T Zero. Of course when you add on 100w per channel of bass amplifier within each REL that is still a lot a power for a small room.
It’s been working for a year or so now and needed tuning in a specific way, as advised on the REL web site but it’s a great quality set up.
The addition of the T/Zero to my small listening room is perfect! I am hearing bass I haven’t heard in years. Thanks, Steve, for the review. Glad you had paired it with the Klipsch RP600. That took the guess work out of wondering if it would work for me. Made the Shelly Manne “My Fair Lady” album come alive! And it made Sharon Sable’s salute to Blossom Dearie sound like she and pianist Joe Holt were in the room!
I'm using a single T/Zero MKIII sub in a desktop system with Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ speakers. The B1+ has a noticeable bump at the bottom of their range, about 50Hz. Mixing with a sub (high and low level) just hade it worse. So I'm using an external crossover (Rolls SX45) to high pass the speakers, 65Hz seems to be the sweet spot. The high pass feeds the amp that is driving the speakers. The low pass is going to the low input of the sub. Once I got the output level on the sub right it just disappeared. I'm using the input pot on the crossover to control the system volume. In a previous iteration of my desktop system the high pass from the crossover was set at 90Hz and fed active speakers that only had 3" drivers. The sub blended right in, and the overall system sounded more dynamic.
I’ve used that Rolls crossover as well; it’s great for pulling out the lower frequencies when you have room gain issues. There should be more products like it.
hi Steve , after watching your video I placed my order and zero this is in my hand.. my system;Kef ls 50 meta -node n130-accuphase e 206..my room is 25m2 and the bass performance of kefs was enough for me..I can't believe the result over high level connection right now :))) )great result announcing to you,great result,thanks to you and thank you for this magic box...
REL ran a sale on these about 2 years ago on the T-Zero and they were $250 each! I hope they do that again.
That wasn't the mark 3
I have this sub working with a pair of Acoustic Energy 300 speakers. I only have a small room but love the sound I get from this combination. Really pleased with my purchase.
I am a bit late but do you still have that combo? I have AE300 in small room and want to know what do you think of that combo after having it for some time 😁
I've been using the first generation T-Zero subwoofer for many years with my Raidho C1.1s which are really not bad in the bass for the size, the sub gives me a little extension of the spectrum, I'm super happy.
I just picked up two of these for the price of one on US AudioMart... These things are unbelievable in regards to how much real bass these little gems put out. I use this with a pair of Maggie LRS+. They fill my medium sized room, no lack on the bottom, not with the music I listen to, Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock... They sound very natural, they disappear in the room, and blend beautifully with the Maggies. I cannot tell where the bass is coming from, it simply envelops the room. And I have a pair of SVS SB3000 subs in the mix too. These little T-Zeros are not going anywhere, the SVS can be for movie night, Music, T-Zeros.
Oh, I am using the Rolls SX45 Active Crossover between my preamp and amplifier. I send all of the high and mid frequencies to the Maggies, everything else goes to the RELs. And yes, you need to use an RCA cable to the RELs when using this crossover.
i have 2x zero MK3 w magnepan 1.7,w upgrade crossovers, they are perfect with the speakers, they blend so nicely, you don't even know they are there!!
Yes they are! I have a pair of the T-Zeros with my Maggie LRS+, active crossover along with the Danny Ritchie upgrade.
I have (2) REL 212/SX's paired with my AV123 LS-6's and I am now hearing notes my previous AV123 15" subs never even output. The low end of my music is now so much fuller and substantial, ultra quick with zero decay, and has the output to make movies absolutely rock the house. It's amazing how fast and tonal they can make a 12" driver these days, and I couldn't be happier with the investment, just wish I had more funds for the true line array of 812's carbons. I will be adding some of these smaller REL subs to the Polk LSiM setup in my home office as soon as I get the money saved, as REL has really opened my eyes as to what a true quality subwoofer can bring to your system.
My experience is limited for sure, but I have yet to hear a set of speakers that havent or wouldn't benefit from a sub.
To me, the effect is akin to the townshend supertweeter effect on my system but from a fuller perspective/scale & speed are improved too.
Nice review ! I'm running a REL strata 5 in conjunction with final electrostatic speakers. Very solid combination ! The REL is fast enough to keep up with the speakers.
That is possibly the greatest shirt ever.
I too toss a thick quilt over my monitor when doing critical audio listening. It really does make a difference in soundstage and imaging.
Thanks Steve. How would you compare to the kef kc62? Both small subs but very different prices. Thanks!
I agree with the review. I'm no where near audiophile. I went to local premium well known audio store. I listen to rel instantly fell in love. And I loved it over other subs. Its soothing, doesn't give me headache. Yet to buy it. To pair up my old focal chorus speakers
Very smooth and clean bass. Not boomy or bloated!
@@HomeTheatre101 I agree. Maybe because I'm a not a.boomy person haha 😅
I have a small room but I love big sound. I have this connected to my NAD c3050 with the ls50 meta and i can report: best $500 I ever spent!
Really have enjoyed the mk1 version with Ampion Argon 1; don't notice it at all, easy to integrate, and fills out the sound very naturally.
LRS owner here, and I can definitely confirm that they feel complete with properly integrated subwoofers. In fact, I don't think it's a good idea to run the full signal to the magnapan... it gets really amazing when you high pass the LRS fairly high, like 80 or 90 Hz. Only if I was listening extremely quietly all the time, would I let the full range signal go to the Maggies.
It will become part of my system later as a partner to a set of Dynaudio Evoke 10 speakers, which have their strength in the soft round treble and natural sound image, but on some recordings, especially acoustic ones, I may well miss a little deeper bass. Here it will or perhaps two pieces, be a perfect choice without the bass being too boomy.
Been using a single REL T5 with my LRS and it is a good combination, crossed over just under 60hz. The LRS sounds good on its own but the REL just fills in the bottom nicely.
How many clicks on the crossover dial is 60htz @ its hard to tell
I’m currently listening to mine at 15 clicks up from 30hz. You can double check it by running a tone generator through your sub too.
I think what I enjoy more about your videos is your shirts haha. Reminds me of some shirts I wore in the 80s. I get such a nostalgic feeling just looking at you wearing them.
That’s nice to hear.
I got mine about a 10 days ago. Incredible!, considering its size. Perfect match with my Sonus Faber Lumina 2's. I have a 16.5' x 15' room. Sounds amazing in this space. (I listen at or about 80dB +/- 1dB or 2dB max and mostly around 75dB).
I also used High/Speaker Level input directly connected to the AMP. This sub is worth Every penny. I may get a pair of Magnepan LRS+'s as a 2nd speaker. I can not wait to hear them with this sub.
Hi, since you have them for about a month I would like to know what do you think after those initial impressions
@@leonadarevic2069 I am still in love with it. For my space and use case (wanting bass but not shaking the neighbors' walls), it was and is a Great sub. I would buy it again. (I do understand Why others would want and 8' or even a 10' for more slam)
I just wanted that lower bass without too much bass. Worth every penny.
The ESG Come Away With tip is gold.
Steve, I recently bought a pair of these after watching your review of the Magnepan LRS+ where you mentioned the REL Tzero Mark 3. I can’t thank you enough!! They are amazing!
And it’s because of your review of the original LRS that I bought a Schiit: Vidar (eventually bought a second one) due to being more in my budget than the Pass Labs XA25. lol
Thanks so much for your commitment to providing music lovers with such helpful advice! If I ever take a trip to NYC I’m going to hang out in one of Frank Prisinzano’s restaurants in hopes of running into you! 😉
Having added Klipsche’s RP600 M II’s, this may be the right sub for my small 12’x15’ listening room. Had been thinking about the REL 98 Classics but this may give me enough at a much lower price.
Had one with a set of vintage Sonus Farber Concertino’s and it was impressive for its size!
My B&W 606 S2 picked up the reverse beeping @13:19 and I thought someone was backing into my driveway 😂🤦🏻♂️
I do agree with you to a point on dynamics but that area has also been improved.
Sub use informs the old saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder". You should notice their absence but not their presence.
Can you do a review of your shirts? Talk about the stories behind them, what they're made from, what days of the week you like to wear certain shirts.
Thanks Richard, I’m so glad you like the shirts! The shirt in this video was made by my wife just a few months ago. It’s one of my favorites of hers for me. Some shirts are made of African fabric, I buy those from Ashanti Fields Etsy, and others I find at thrift stores.
@Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac my wife also makes quilts so I presume that your wife made the quilt in this video? The Mrs Audiophiliac Bass Trap Blanket Or is this a special sound diffuser blanket made by a high-end audio company?
@@miheadhurts Right, the quilt is a Mrs Audiophiliac original.
Steve the shirt is epic!
I have two of these in a small room system to augment my Dali Menuet SE's - sounds great.
I'm a true believer in subs. The setup is the key. It is there to support the main speakers and not be heard directly but complete the fullness of the sound. I run a pair of S5 SHO subs. Love them
Couldn’t have said it better my self. I have the Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 with the Elac 3010 sub and I know what you are saying. Once I got it positioned correctly in my room (which took a lot of trial and error) the sub just blended right in and it really compliments the speakers. I have the low pass on the sub set at 80hz because the speakers only go a little lower than that. But now it’s perfect and my 2ch system will stay this way for a very long time. Hope you enjoy your system, I bet it sounds awesome! Cheers!
@@AudioHead809 I have Sopra 3's which go flat close to 40 so my subs don't go much above 45. I'm very pleased. I would have subs with most speakers. I'm sure there are some that need very little help but having the extra foundation at the low end makes a lot of difference. Enjoy your setup too.
@@skipgordon5382 Thank you! My curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see what the Sopra 3s are and holy moly!!! Those are some very nice looking units. It’s also awesome they go that low. Focal knows what they’re doing that design is just gorgeous. Hopefully one day I can get something on that level for a dedicated listening room. That’ll be the endgame of endgames.
I have a pair of T zeros with my LRS. Love it. I have the subs behind me on either side.
Another great review Steve, I've been using a pair of Mk1's for years with an old pair of Focal Electra 905's and they integrate seamlessly. The biggest revelation was the way vocals-especially female-really popped. Kate Bush was in my front room! The whole presence and depth of the presentation was just bigger with more midrange density. A few years later I added some Townshend Supertweeters and the whole presentation did the same again but with more air, space and dimensionality.
Haven't a clue how it all does this but suspect it's got something to do with harmonics-doesn't really matter-I love it.
Cheers from Sunny Scotland.
as a former Maggie LRS owner I know exactly what he's saying about the importance of sub matching. I tried a half dozen subs and ended up with rythmik servo sub and it did well enough but never disappeared. They were quick but still called attention to themselves and did not disappear.
Former? How come?
I was using (2) T5i's and they work really well with the LRSs. In my new place I am not running subs, just LRSs
You don't need a half dozen subs, just a pair of RELs!
Just follow the manual & turn them down 1 click when they become obvious.
I'm curious which rythmik sub you used and how you went about integrating them with the maggies. I'm really happy with the cheap L12 from them, but I also have a Minidsp SHD which made integration much easier than anything I've had before. Also did you use 1 sub or 2? Even with REL I've had better luck with 2 subs than 1.
@@orwhat24 we had two you children since I bought the LRS. My listening area was downsized from a large living room area to a spare basement bedroom. The Maggie’s just stunk in a small room with no space from the wall boundary. I switched to focal Solo6 be monitors for my smaller space now and it works well enough for me.
Agree 100% Adding a REL T9x to my B&W 606 S2 made them sound fuller, deeper, and the way it blends, the sub just disappears! I can’t imagine listening to music without it!
Steve, can you elaborate on the designed in the US aspect? I know REL's have been manufactured in China for some time but thought their research and development was in the UK?
I believe Rel was originally located in Wales then sold to Sumiko.
There is an (I think) an American chap who seems to be the main
spokesman now. Not sure of the details beyond this.
As others have mentioned, REL Acoustics subwoofers used to be designed and developed in the UK, but research and development for REL has been based in the US for several years now.
REL speakers for the UK/European market, at least, are labeled 'Bridgend, Wales', as shown in the video. I was, in fact, born in this town, grew up nearby and, coincidentally, actually passed the REL building only last summer, so its UK presence remains.
@@williamevans9426 alright there butt 😁
just wondering what setup my fellow Welshman is using?
@@Hatebackgroundnoise Fairly basic, for now. A Cyrus Lyric 3 plus a pair of Monitor Bronze (stand-mounted) speakers.
Where are those accoustic panels from? They look amazing!
I'm running 2 15" REL Predators, absolutely love them.
Interesting... my brother has had his KEF Reference 104/2 that he bought new about 30-years ago. And wow, we used to have a Kenwood KT-5500 tuner that I paired with my Sony TA-F40 amp. It was such a solid tuner.
Great review! Did you have to max the gain in the sub to reach 40hz in your room?
What would a room at small to medium size look like? Those words are used regularly but can mean different things to different people, please give some dimensions ! Thanks
For the Triangle Aio Twins how should i setup the crossover?
Your best bet is to invest in an active crossover to send the high frequencies to your speakers just prior to your amplifier. Rolls SX45 or one of the two that Sublime Acoustics manufactures. There are other units out there on the used market too that are no longer made, but do pop up for sale now and then.
Hi @Steve Guttenberg,
What is the best subwoofer solution to connect with a pair of Tannoy Revolution XT8f?
Is it worth upgrading a subwoofer in a stereo system with these speakers and Denon electronics?
Thank you, from Portugal, for your comment.
I think this is a perfect sub for those who have room nodes at 35-37 Hz +10-15 dB. Which is common in mid-size (400 square feet) rooms.
Not for everyone, I like it a lot. Tight bass, less room rumble.
I have this REL but not convinced that I have it placed correctly. Followed the guidelines for placement do where do you have your subs placed within your room?
Nice video, great review and sub. You used the speakers at full range but what crossover did you dial when used with the Klipsch?
Beautiful viewer system of the day, all vintage stuff, something I can never get tired to look at.
Around 50Hz
Yeah Steve! You are the best! I have been watching for over a year yet I feel like I have known you my entire life. Thanks for sharing your passion for all things audio!
Thanks so much!
I have white Rel T/Zero that purchased from REL on sale about 18 months ago recently the amp died on me . Since it was under warranty rel sent me a MK 3 !!! amp I use it in a 10 by 10 foot home office with stand mount KEF LS50W they are a perfect match
Steve,
I’ve got the Outlaw 2160 with with the speaker EQ. It goes from 55 to 80hz. Will I benefit or move up to the 7x. I have a mid size room. Thx.
What of I put two in a large room ? Thank you!!
Buy a t7x instead
What a neat little sub!! I can think of a few small systems I’ve had in the past where this sub would have really benefitted!
I think Flea played bass on the Atoms album.
Exactly! REL`s are excellent.
0:35 Sealed subs and sealed speakers also have MUCH better transient response
Yes, I remember esg 👍 and all my diy subs are 6 or 8 inch drivers, still working on TL cabs 😵💫
Steve, witch one you prefer, the T/zero or the TX/5?
You have made me like this subwoofer, will it be the best to hook up with Audioengine A2+ Wireless 60W Powered Desktop Speakers? Cheers.
I’m listening to your podcasts and I’m loving ‘em. Just listened to your projectionist one.
Awesome, thanks so much
a great little champ this REL.
could you also start with one, then add 3 more. run them in stereo and stack them facing woofers forward? would this option scale compared to let's say two big subwoofers? i am betting that some dps to get the 20hz output would help. just some thoughts.
Not sure about the 20 Hz, you see, these small sealed subs (and I believe this one is no exception) are tuned on a slope of a low pass filter (Linkwitz transform), where one octave extension costs 4x the cone excursion and 16x the power - and this all already there. Hard to expect this little guy to go another octave deeper.
What’s the point when you could get a bigger driver
@@jdavis234 there might be a cone area benefit, im not sure.
i do normally recommend a minimum price for subwoofers before stacking them so that you get more features and larger drivers, and better cabinets and parts.
i just had a thought about this cheap rel sub, and what would happen.
Hey Steve..How well do you think this sub would pair with PSB Imagine X2T's in a 20x15 room. Used for music only. Is it too small?
The Zero is too small, move up to REL’s T 5
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Much thanks!
Just curious. Do you use the same speaker output on your amp that are going to the main speakers, or do you use a second output, like B? Does it even matter?
I have two Tzero’s connected to my Klipsch Hersey IV’s. With this combo I feel like I could live with this set up for a long long time! With the Tzero connected to the Hersey’s the speakers will disappear.
Nice. I also have two of them, and was wondering how they would do mated to bigger size woofers like that. Because there's plenty of big high efficiency speakers out there that don't play below 50hz. Or even higher then that. Whereas these obviously do. But for some reason, it just seems strange to me anyway. To be mating a little 6.5 inch sub up to a big 12 inch mid-woofer like that. Even though it makes perfect sense really. ✌️
ESG immediately put me in mind of The Ting Tings, We Started Nothing - different but also very similar.
Will this pair well with KEF Q350? I have them in my office a small room
Yes
How does it compare to the SVS 3000 micro?
Not speaking about quality here , just comparing the two. I have always been a definitive tech supercube 3 fan. Im on my 5th failure now and am readynto move on. I had 2 supercube 3s in my room. I need a small sub in the room because of where it needs to go. I need something smaller than 11 inches to fit under my floating entertainment center. Is this close to the supercube 3? Obviously I would buy 2 of these. This is just for movies.
These are always such great reviews, and the new reveals in your taste in music always delight me. ESG are the best!
Steve, reviewers tend to comment on the LRS that it does not blend so easily with a sub. What is your take on that? Thank you so much! Hans
Not sure exactly why, but the LRS is a dipole design, It projects sound forward and back equally. Box speakers project most of their sound forward. And of course most subwoofers tend to integrate better with box speakers. None of this explains why the REL works so well with Maggies.
Thank you! Does this mean that the relative placement and phase of dipoles and sub are much more critical in the case of planars? Compared to box speakers phase should go to a reverse on the backside of the dipole?
@@quantumintegration2951 No, not more critical. With subs and speaker placement, you just have to experiment, every room is different.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Ok, thank you Steve!
IMHO most REL subs are faster than many others. The quick, accurate response blends in well with Maggies.
I had Def Tech and Yamaha subs previously and they were more muddy and slightly boomy compared to my Maggies...therefore they never "disappeared", sonically.
I wonder if it would add to the experience with the Buchardt's behind you in this video?
One would probably do better with 1 T/9 which last I saw was also on sale. But honestly your money would be better spent on Rythmik at that point. The -3 on the Buchardts is lower then these subs. And possibly even the T/9. The T/0, or T/9 will do them a lot cleaner though. So if you used a crossover (specifically a high pass on the mains) either one would probably help. But wouldn't necessarily be the best way to spend your money IMHO. Buchardts are a little different. I have a pair of S300's. My 2 T Zeros don't bother the neighbors. The Buchardts do though. Go figure.
I lived for a period of time in a condo, and passed on these, mostly because of the down firing driver and went with a pair of HT 1003’s instead. My background favors large amps, drivers and enclosures, but I’ve done a 180 on that. They were (and are) great subs (I still have them in my much larger space). I once thought as many do who’ve not actually heard them, that they’re over rated and over priced, but discovered that they truly do add nuance, detail and space to the entire presentation, it has to be experienced to be appreciated. I don’t see a reason they couldn’t be positioned on their side if they were creating excessive floor resonance.
Love the shirt !!!
Whoa when I saw that soul patch I thought it was Tom Waits for a second there.
So, size isn't the end all determining factor? There's hope for us!
Steve, with KEF LS 50 Metas? Or too small?
Probably too small, the REL
T/5 a better match!!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac gotcha - as always, thanks for the review and thoughts!
Great review as usual. I also really like music suggestions...keep that up as I love to find new music (to me) that is well recorded......Thanks Steve.
This sub woofer will blend beautifully with my small Elac BS-312 speakers, I am just not sure if the bass will be good enough.
Lol... for the ELAC.. I think so.
I think the question should be... would this size subwoofer be able to full up the size of my '???' room
@@Hatebackgroundnoise My room size is aroun 11 m2
@@photorolensoman8101 I'm pretty confident one wouldn't have any regrets purchasing this particular size subwoofer for such a small room. My rooms a little bit bigger than yours at 4 × 3.5m (13 × 11.5ft) and when I had the 8-in downfiring subwoofer (t5i) positioned near the corner, it was more than sufficient for my particular size room plus you could always get another one at a later date, Very often two or more smaller subwoofers will outperform a single larger unit. With more available headroom the bass quality will increase and there will be a sense of effortless bass due to reduced compression, lower distortion and greater dynamic range! The only regret I had when I purchased a Rel subwoofer was that I didn't purchase it earlier!
@@Hatebackgroundnoise I will give it a try!
This sub sounds great with the round Anthony Gallo a’diva’s.
The Boston A400's broke me out of my Japanese mid-fi stupor back in '84, and I loved them so much. Incredible scale, dynamics, and LF extension launched from that big flat smooth front baffle. They had dual 8" woofers in a sealed cab, and seemed to go down forever. No sub needed.... powered with an NAD 3150 which I still own! Sadly, I only had the A400's for about 2 years.
steve please review Mark Audio Tozzi One & Cesti MBR with this sub 🙏
Thank you Steve for this one - it confirmed my choice from two years ago, when I acquired a pair of SMG-c's - and I soon bought a used DALI sealed (Linquitz type) subwofer of the same size as the REL. This was also the time when I discovered your YT channel.
The main difference here is that I'm using base management in my receiver, because I want to relieve those vintage Maggies from the lowest frequencies - and avoid de-lamination (I'm in Europe and I could not afford sending them back to manufacturer in the US for refurbishment). Integration was very easy indeed, Though I agree completely, that the Maggies were not lacking base on their own.
I paid under $500 for my complete rig (used) and it puts a big smile on my face whenever I have time to listen.
I must say here, that I was into physics and electro-accoustics since I was a kid and later I studied electronics.
I would encourage all of you audio enthusiasts to learn the science of your hobby - this will help you get better results and more satisfaction for less money. And you may become an authority in hi-fi by helping others make informed purchase decisions.
So true! I recently hooked up a REL T5 to my Decware ZEN driving Club of 27 Amy Horn loudspeakers (Dutch brand) and the REL completes the sound. So funny that you see it is there but the bass comes from somewhere else. Great soundstage.
How big is your room? I am considering adding two subs to got with my Lii open baffle speakers and I am torn between the t5 and the tZero
@@mrmessyjesse my room is 8 x 5 meters. The t5 works great in this room. I doubted for a long time what speaker I would pair with the Decware Zen. I looked at Lii open baffle but decided to go for the Horns.
Tip: Use the speaker binding posts to flavour with the speaker cable that feeds the main pair.
Connecting the High Level cables for REL subwoofers directly to the binding posts on the system's main loudspeakers can work well, though is typically only the best option when using a stereo pair of subwoofers with one assigned specifically to each speaker. When using a single subwoofer in a 2-channel system, it is typically best to connect High Level to the amplifier's output terminals so that it can more easily draw signal from both the left and right output channels.
@@RELAcoustics 2 REL Q100Es, integrated a mite better at the binding posts.
My Maggie's 1.7 with a REL sub sounded fantastic. You should try the big Soundlab A1PX the newest ones with two REL B1 Subwoofers if you like the sound of the Maggie's with a sub this combo i mentioned will blow you away and your opinion on electrostats will change mine did i used to feel like you did. Soundlabs do not sound like typical electrostats please try it your missing out.
I use this REL under my deskt and it ties to my ATC SCM 12's thye go to about 37-38 htz
I have the ATC SCM7 and glad to hear this one is working for you. I got a consultation from them but they keep pushing the REL T/5x (talking about upsale)...I'm not looking for thumping bass, but to fill the lower octaves in a medium to small room in which the effective listening portion, it is a shared space-living room, is comparable to small room
@@barbaroja.mp3 Small room get the little guy. t/5 to t/7 won't work unless you got a bigger 15 by 13 foot room or bigger. It will be too boomy
@@barbaroja.mp3 Upscale is out to lunch on half their "advice"
@@pennfootball71 I have a space of such dimension but because it is a common space, the effective listening area is about half of it. So smaller might be the way to not overpower the rest of the system in that room
I don't get it. These subs are dinosaurs compared to what SVS has with their app controls. SVS subs are easily as musical as my previous subs from REL, Martin Logan, JL and others. But the the app control allows for precise adjustments to help with the room, speakers and even recordings (with various saved settings). That's why I was finally able to get subs to match my Magnepans and the SVS app control is overtaking REL for matching in various systems. It should be standard on every good sub.
Yes, you don't get it.
@@razisn You're right, which is why so many audiophiles are adopting the remote tuning tech for subwoofers. Have fun trying to tune a sub the old fashion way! LOL! REL makes good subs, but they're no longer state-of-the-art.
@@robertbrody4032 If you don't mind the digital signal processing that comes with the SVS software, you may well enjoy it. I like it the analog way REL is providing via the high level output signals of my single ended class A EL34 tube amp.
@@henni1964 What are you talking about? I had the SVS SB3000 side by side with my REL T9x and the SVS could actually reproduce great organ pedal sounds that the REL could not. Trying to match the REL to my Revel 126be's, Magnepan .7's or Kef R3s was tedious and even when I got it right, I was constantly making adjustments based on sources. The SVS was just as musical and went lower with superior articulation. My friend is now using SVS SB4000's with his Magnepan 3.7's for this very reason and they have become a top pick for planar and ribbon systems. I really doubt you heard these side by side and I've yet to hear a single review or owner make a comment about signal processing issues. For amps I've used everything from Manley to NuPrime.
@@robertbrody4032 Fair enough. The SVS subs seem to nicely blend in with the Maggies. I do love my MG 1.4s and will give SVS a try.
Hi Steve. I value your opinion on all things audio. I just replaced my Vandy 2ces that I've had for 25 yrs, with sonus faber liuto monitors and a sumiko 5 sub. I'm moving to a smaller place. What are your thoughts on that combo?
Sorry, I never heard that speaker. When you get to your new place it might work out fine
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac it's a rel 5 clone
I never heard that Sonus Faber
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac
From reading reviews in the forums, they are similar to the Cremonas.
One of my favorite bargain basement sealed subs is the Andrew Jones-designed Pioneer SW-E10. Deep, tight, clean.
Love my Rel S5/10.
I was thinking about getting the Kef KC62 to go with the LS50 wireless in my office system, but frankly this might be plenty…and at 1/3 the price.
It is plenty. I have two in my desktop setup with ls35a's and they're harder to integrate then the LS50's I'm told. They worked well together basically out of the box. Spent almost no time tuning them. They just work. The KC62 will go much lower. But there's not a lot of music that low, unless you listen to say hip hop. And two of these on sale is still 1/3rd less money. Although 1 will likely work fine I'm sure. ✌️
Do you attach the high level connectors directly to where the main speakers are hooked up to?
You double up the connection at the amplifier end, easiest to do with piggybacking banana plugs.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac
So I got the 7X. What’s the best way to balance it to my stereo?
Did I miss it? What amplifier did Steve use during the test? Also, love his shirts!
Schiit Aegir
I have 2 REL T/9x's to go with my Magnepan 1.7's on the recommendation of my dealer, Michael Hoatson of The Listening Room. Very good match.
The listening Room in MD? I got 2 pairs of MG12 from there over 10~15 years ago. Added 2 x DSW 550 pro from Polk last year. Yea a 4.2 setup using speaker level to the front Left and right.
I use 2 Kicker L7 12” subwoofers one in each corner and they pound harder than that even just one shakes the house when I watch stuff on my Marantz receiver
Yea. And? Is there a point? Or just felt like throwing that low key brag out there? And I've heard setups like this. They sound like absolute dog schiit. But hey "it hits hard" right?
If that's what you're into I suppose? 🤷 🙄 🤦♂️
@@amb3cog it’s not a brag at all I can reassure you that the point I was making was you can achieve great sound without having to spend as much on these expensive REL subwoofers 🔊 These Kicker L7s are a way cheaper alternative and in my honest opinion pound harder I don’t see what’s the fuss about my comment and I rarely comment mainly for this exact reason people are always so negative online we need way more positivity ya know :)
@@hariline8769 Because we're looking for Sound Quality. Pounding subs isn't sound quality. You obviously don't understand how all of this works. I've heard your type of setup. You hear the subwoofers. We're trying to NOT hear them. We want to hear our expensive speakers, that sound perfect to us already, go lower then they can. So we're not missing out on any information down there, and because a lot of spatial info is down there too. And this type of setup has the advantage of improving the sound stage/imaging. Likely because of that spatial information.
Those subs are for kids who want to show off. They're not for playing quality music. I've heard them all. I used to be into car audio myself. And I've done the cheap setups at home too. I now have a pair of these in my desktop setup that match up to a pair of ls35a speakers. Which are famous for not mating up to subs. But these work perfectly with them. These have a specific purpose.
In this hobby there is no "better". There's only what's best for you. You do you. And please have fun. But no one here is interested in those subs. Besides. Why would you think we don't already know about them? Because I assure you. We all do. And many, if not most, have played with them before. We've already moved beyond that though. We're older dudes in most cases who have wives, neighbors, and finer tastes. Our Kicker subwoofer days are long behind us. For some reason that's lost on certain people though. So now you know. Have a great day. ✌️
@@amb3cog 🙄😩 don’t be so self-indulgent nothing in this world is perfect that’s reality and your grammar is off you know absolutely nothing about my home theater setup the only thing you Know I own 2 kicker L7s but I also have a set of JBl L100 speakers so yea I own those speakers so someone like you would say those are better than your ls35a speakers but I don’t judge people’s set ups I am young but I have a lot of experience of audio for my age I have shown people your age a thing or two If I hurt your feelings I’m sorry people in here are too sensitive I guess but you took a shot at my L7s it’s true my L7s aren’t audiophile quality but in they have more bass and shake the house 2 voice coils are better than 1 I can’t believe you wrote an entire paragraph this really falls short on what I would expect from someone older you forgot audio is all about having fun not who has the most expensive crap anyways your not worth more of my time I’ve got way more important stuff to do than arguing with a stranger
@@hariline8769 I would never waste my money on any Junk But Loud speakers nowadays. I did that already when I was a kid. I just told you there's no better in this hobby. And there you go saying yours are better. They probably are for you. I want no part of them myself though. My listening room is too small anyway, even if I did have an interest in those old behemoths.
And they're not better anyway. Ever notice the price of the small versions of those speakers? Under $1000. And ls35as are closer to 3 times that. So imagine what a big version would be? Now go look at the prices of them, and you'll see what I mean. There's plenty of English speakers that are basically big ls35as because they're the gold standard. And have been for decades. They also cost a small fortune. And not so much because they're overpriced either, which the JBL's clearly are (Nostalgia), but because they're so good. But that's not your taste obviously. So they're likely worthless to you, and that's okay. Because I'm not trying to force them on you at all. I like them myself, but you do you.
Not everyone is using a big room, or thinks bigger is better either. Like I said. You do you. But stop thinking you know any better. You don't. You simply lack the experience to understand this I'll assume. And that's fine. I was young once too. But you're comparing Apples to Oranges here. And for some reason you aren't seeing it.
As for writing big long paragraphs. I'm sorry everyone else is so lazy nowadays. I'm not. So to me, this is normal. I like to try to make my point as clear as possible. In the vain attempt at getting my point across. As for my grammar. I don't GAF.
I've always hated the rules of the English language, and refuse to learn it by choice. My time is much better spent learning things I'm interested in. Again, you do you. I don't care about such things. If you do. Then fine break out your official rule book of the English language, all 3 trillion pages of it, and have at it. But I'll politely abstain thank you very much. ✌️