Stereo Subwoofer Pairing

As promised, here is Rel's response about using the T and the T/i models together:

With careful tuning using the rear panel controls, it's very possible to tune in a T/I with an older T. Just remember that the T/I will sound much faster and more lear/forceful down low so it will be down to careful placement and tuning but, yes, with little good judgement, you should be able to pull them together into a very good result.

Because room acoustics take precedence I can't give you a "turn this knob to this setting" sort of cookbook set-up. Just take it slowly--get the first unit dialed-in to its speaker, then unplug the Speakon and do the same for the other side. Then it will just be down to turning the volume on each REL down util the combined gain is right since the subs will be a little hot once both RELs are plugged back in.

Thanks for the question!

Hi rjb1101,

     Overall, that's good news.  I still think you'll get the best bass response in your room by following the sub locating method I outlined on my 1/28/18 post.  
     Since REL has confirmed what you already knew (that the T/1 is a better performer than your older REL) that means the T/1 will likely be the predominate influence on bass response performance you perceive in your room.  I'd therefore suggest that you consider your T/1 as sub#1 and locate it in your room 1st with all its controls set at midpoint settings.
     Even though your older REL is not as good of a performer, I still think its inclusion as sub#2 (also with all is controls set at midpoint settings) will help reduce bass nodes in your room and result in better bass response overall if you follow the setup procedure faithfully.
     Just in case you're not completely satisfied with overall bass response from your listening position after completing the setup procedure, you may want to try increasing the volume on sub#2 by about 5% and repeating steps 4 and 5. 
     Then keep doing this, increasing sub#2's volume by about 5% until you are completely satisfied wth the overall bass response in your room.
     If you never reach a point of complete satisfaction with the overall bass response. I think you'll only have a few additional options to try:

1. Sell your older REL, upgrade to 2 T/1 subs and start the sub lcating procedure from the beginning.  

2. Add a third REL as sub#3, set all 3 subs at midpoint settings and start the sub locating procedure from the beginning.

3. Sell both your subs, by an Audio Kinesis 4-sub Swarm or Debra system, set it up, sit back and enjoy great bass response in your system(s) for the rest of your life no matter what stereo 2 channel or surround speakers you use and no matter what room you're ever using.

     I completely understand not being able to afford, and then not wanting to spend, $3K for a state of the art bass system.  I actually started out many years ago in my search for better bass by borrowing a 2nd sub from a friend and spent many hours researching about room bass response on-line and experimenting with positioning these subs trying to attain better bass in my system.   
     The best bass I ever attained with 2 subs was with 1 along the front wall and 1 along a side wall 2/3rds of the way from the front wall, fairly close to my listening position.  I was honestly satisfied with the bass response in this setup for awhile for both music and ht.

     I never tried 3 subs but was seriously considering buying 2 new hi-end subs (like JL, Vandersteen or REL) when I became aware of the distributed bass array systems using 3-4 subs. I increasingly became tempted to try one the more I read about them, by the great professional reviews and by James Romeyn at James Romeyn-Music and Audio, LLC  in Utah who offered me a 45 day free in-home trial on the Audio Kinesis Debra 4-sub system he sells.
      I still considered $3K a lot of money for good bass but rationalized it by the fact I would spend that much or more for 2 of the larger traditional hi-end subs I was considering and there was no financial risk.
     I had my friend. Dave, help me faithfully position each sub according to the procedure.  The result was that 2 subs wound up along the front wall (one behind each of my panel front l+r spkrs a few feet away from each corner) and the other 2 along the side walls (one on each wall a few feet away from the rear corners).
      We were both a bit lazy after hours of moving the 4 50lb. subs around my room  and hooking everything up. So we just threw in that Brad Pitt tank movie I had watched the night before in the Bluray player to test things out a bit. It only took listening to one of the first previews, of the movie Whiplash about a drummer, to have us both smiling and gushing about the great bass response.  Bass so 'live in the room' real, sounding so pitch perfect good and solidly physically felt in our chests that we both were left just shaking our heads in disbelief with the dopiest smiles on our faces.
     With this system's performance in the 2 years since, I don't think I can overstate how good the bass response is; I could go on and on but I've done so long enough and will just state that, in my experience in my room, the difference in performance of 2 decent subs and the 4-sub Audio Kinesis Debra system driven by a dedicated 1,000 watt amp is like night and day. 
     I related the above to emphasize how well the distributed bass array 4-sub system actually performs but I realize my words will always fall short of  experiencing one properly setup. I can assure you you'll not have a desire or need to ever consider buying another sub again.
     Sorry about all the superlatives and going on so long,
             Tim   

noble100,

That swarm subwoofer system looks interesting.  I'll have to give it a listen at some point and keep it in mind for the future.  $3k isn't really out of my budget, but I was planning on using that $3k to split my 2ch setup from my HT setup and I don't currently have enough space for 4 subs as I live in a 1 bedroom apartment.  Plus those won't pass the WAF and toddler test with the exposed front facing cones.

One day when I own a home with a dedicated listening room, I will have to circle back to them.

I might be able to swing 4x T5 subs because the Paino Black Gloss finish and compact form factor are WAF approved.

Note that one should try listening with the subs and main speakers placed well out into the room while you wedge yourself into a corner to listen. This might seem ridiculous, but as an audiophile (and hey…aren't we all?) you should try everything possible to hear all sonic options, or, like myself, don't.

I've heard of putting the subs speakers in the listening position and moving around the room to find the ideal spot for each speaker.  (Mostly for subs).