Subwoofers with current source First Watt?


All, I’ve got a rather esoteric question that I hope those of you more technically minded than me might be able to help answer.

Today, I tried hooking up a pair of REL subs in stereo configuration to my First Watt F2-J via the high level Speakon connection. I won’t bore you with all the details of my daylong adventure, but both the subs and the amp behaved strangely connected this way; the sub seemed to significantly reduce the amp’s volume in one channel, while the subs themselves appeared to be receiving very little signal. This was consistent even when swapping the subs to different channels, changing the cords out, etc. Strangely, plugging in and unplugging the sub would change the amp’s volume, even if the sub was turned off. Unsettling stuff.

The F2-J is a current source amp - would that explain these strange results? Is it just not possible to run subs from this amp? Is there any danger to amp or subs here?

I also tried the subs with my SIT-3, which seemed to work appropriately. (Results were still unsatisfying, on the whole, but that’s an entirely different topic.)
I know there are some issues with running subs from Pass Labs amps, so I just want to make sure I’m not trying anything stupid with my First Watts. I can email Nelson about this as well but thought others here might have some thoughts to offer.

Thanks!
zm
REL subs are hooked up differently to SE and Balanced amps, but on some SE amps they need to be hooked up as if balanced...Pass should easily answer this, as they are often asked...my friend has 2 REL subs hooked up to an X250.8 and it works great
buy a splitter for you pre amp outs. Send one set to the amp and one set to the REL. 
Have you reached out to REL’s support desk?  They are very responsive. I had a similar question and they responded fairly quick. Not sure with the holidays though
Hello,
I own two REL T 9s. If the amp is differential, linear balanced you only connect the positive red, yellow, or both for more power to the amp. It is bad for the amp to use the neg or black wire. The best is to call Pass. If you have one sub( you should have at least two.) just connect the red to rt pos terminal and the yellow to the left pod terminal. Cap the black with a wire nut, tape, or plastic bag. The only place you would connect it would be the screw on the balanced connection. But it won’t work for one sub due to getting info from two differential terminal. So you just use the pos (red, yellow) and leave the black alone. Please call pass before hooking up the black wire. Happy Holidays!