The mighty mouse of audio, aka The REL T5 subwoofer

I have now owned the new REL T5 subwoofer for about a month and wanted to write a mini review of this subwoofer.

Things did not start off too well with my acquisition of this sub, my dealer was back-ordered over a month and apparently the supplier...Sumiko US, has problems with acquiring enough supply to meet demand.

The subwoofer can be ordered in piano black or gloss white...( gloss white??? would you really want this color option...Really?) BTW, the gloss white was not as back-ordered as the piano black...can't imagine why

To get back to my little escapade, after five weeks, the dealer calls me and we are ready to go.

The subwoofer is delivered in a standard size cardboard box, upon opening the box, one is greeted with a cloth covering of exceptional quality....a good sign so far. The box also has an interesting warning, to be careful not to mar the finish of the product as Sumiko won't be responsible if you do

Next I note that this subwoofer is designed in the UK and in California and made in......China

The subwoofer is appx 12"X12"x12" with four small aluminum feet supporting the box. I looked at the 8" driver and was pleased to see that it features a full rubber surround (not the dreaded foam) and is of the long throw design. On the back panel is a standard iec, rotary controls for adjusting the x-over , a Neutrik connector and two gold plated RCA's for high level input along with a phase reverse switch. The RCA's appear to be of a little better quality than one usually sees at this price point, another good thing.

The manual is fairly straight forward and an easy read...I opted to connect up the subwoofer directly to my amp(s) as suggested in the manual....vs. connecting to the preamp output, which would be done via the RCA connections and a Y-splitter ( not a good thing IMO).

There are three wires that are connected to the left and right Positive speaker outputs and a ground wire that is connected to the negative amp speaker output terminal on the amp.

With this simple connection completed, all that is needed to be done is to plug in the sub to the wall and set the x-over slope and volume. Herein lies the fun The manual is fairly helpful with this,BUT it has taken me the better part of two(2) weeks to get this blend correct.
Firstly, one has to experiment with the positioning of the subwoofer in the room, once that is satisfactory, a lengthy listening session with various types of music is required. Much fiddling and adjustment is required to get the blend exact...( although one can get close with not too much effort, to get the blend exact needs more time and experimentation).

In my next mini installment, i will relate as to the various hook-up options and questions that I had in regards to this subwoofer and my older ARC D-series tube amp , which uses a 4ohm speaker hookup as a ground and is a balanced design due to that aspect. Also, I will be talking more of the influence of how the Subwoofer impacts the presentation of my main speakers

Mark, I am NOT connecting the REL using the preamp to Sub connections. If you do this, apparently you need to use a Y connector as the output from the preamp is stereo and the input via the RCA's to the subwoofer is mono ( If you are using only one sub). Therefore, the necessity for the Y connector ( to sum to mono).
Instead, I am using the Neutrik connection method ( NOT the RCA's and the Y connector), wherein the Subwoofer sees the signal directly from the amp speaker outputs. REL suggests this method as the preferable hook-up method if at all possible, and I concur that this would seem to be a more true signal of what the speakers are seeing.
IF you are using two REL subs, I would think that the answer would be to hook up each sub with it's own left or right connector to the requisite amp speaker output and each grounded as appropriate.

This is the second installment of my "mini" review of the REL T5 subwoofer.

For this installment, i am using only one CD for listening purposes.....BUT, this CD is IMHO, VERY VERY SPECIAL..... It's called '30 YEARS FIDELITY BY Kirkelig Kulturversksted', a Norwegian Company founded in 1974 and until a few months ago, all but unknown to me. That is, until Peter Noerbaek of PBN fame introduced me to it. Not only does Peter use this CD for listening tests at his factory, but the SEAS factory and Manfred Diestertich of Audio Physic's apparently also utilize it for the same purpose.

Ladies and Gents, this CD is a MUST ACQUIRE if you have any interest in the realistic sound of recorded instruments.....I cannot recommend it highly enough.

So onwards: After placing and adjusting the x-over and the blend of the T5 to my mains, along with various room placement variations which took the better part of two weeks of minor changes to get correct, I now have a virtually seamless presentation. At first listen, the sub is fairly easy to blend approximately with the mains, but most experienced listeners are going to be able to pick up the transition from mains to sub and be able to hear the slight difference that the incorrect blend brings to the table. Therefore, patience and lots of trial and error are the call of the day.

With the subwoofer in the system and playing track 6 ( En Elsker I Berlin, by Kari Bremnes) the overall sound of Ms Bremnes voice is so beautiful that I have to wonder if audio can really get any better in the home! What is so impressive, is that the sub does not intrude in any way on the clarity of her voice or impact the air that surrounds it. However, when the music calls for a foundation, as when the percussion enters into the fray, then the T5 anchors the stage and allows the mains to fly free and not be encumbered with any strain that might be wrought from having to present the foundation of the music. This is where the T5 does its thing so very impressively, a disappearing act that is only there when needed. To hear what I am referring to, listen to track 14 ( Manens kraft again with Kari Bremnes). The bass is subtle but when needed, the T5 energizes the room so much that I have to shake my head in disbelief The drums of Audun Kleive are simply believable and palpable....one can hear the skins as they are struck, the Bass as it is plucked with pitch perfect definition!!

One of the main concerns that I had inserting a subwoofer into my system was how would it impact the clarity and 'magic' of my SF GH"s. With ALL other subs that i have inserted with the speakers in the past, including the JL112,the PSB Sub 5i and the ML Depth, the subwoofer was audible and had to a greater or lesser extent a detrimental impact on the GH's. I think what sets the REL apart form these other subwoofers, at least in my room, is the ability of the subwoofer to match the 'speed' of the mains. Some people don't believe in 'speed' of a subwoofer, to whom I say, please determine this for yourself in a small room. Because, in my experience this is a highly critical factor with achieving a realistic and seamless blend with a fast speaker like the GH's.

In my next mini review, i will delve into the intricacies of matching the REL to a tube amp vs a ss amp.
Believe me, therein lies the rub

Tim and Micro, my goal in inserting the REL was to blend it as invisibly as possible so that no one could hear the x-over and detect any sub playing at all. I think that I have been successful in this endeavor, but it has taken a lot of fiddling. To me, the last thing I want to hear in a music only system is a Booming bass. One of the real pluses of the T5 is that it is small enough and has a small enough driver to be easily placed in a small room and it is unlikely to over-drive said room. The bigger subs that REL and others offer are more appropriate for larger rooms IMO. I always try and respect the listening space and acoustics that I have to deal with in the room, when i audition new gear. As an example, a friend recently wanted me to try his new Maggie 3.7's in my room. I was curious, BUT declined his very nice offer, as I could not really see these working in the space I have available. As they say...."horses for courses"...which IMHO is paramount in system building in our hobby.

Ron, Thanks that would be the most likely upgrade path for smoother bass response. OTOH, I have a few other upgrades that need to be addressed first, so onwards and upwards.
I'm pleased with the system now, however I will be upgrading the transport and possibly cabling in the near future.