SVS vs REL and experiences with both: your comments and preferences...

After comparing his $9K Studio III to a JL Audio F113 and my 18" our friend was so disappointed he sold the huge 2-10" the very next week. That was some years back.

Since then the company was sold and judging by the essentially unchanged setup procedure I would question the new ownership just how effective crowning the drivers and adding chrome bits has improved their product? 


maxboy00, are you currently using the same wall outlets and line level source that you used for the JL Audio E-112s to your S/510s? 

@bacardi I don’t know which models they were. I’ve heard one of their smaller subs at the showroom of the dealer where we have our music club. It was one of the smaller ones, maybe one of the T series? We were listening to Klipsch La Scalas. I was actually surprised that little sub could add some meaningful bass to those speakers in a fairly large listening room. One of my friends has one of the larger Rel subs paired with a JL Audio sub. Maybe the best bass I’ve heard in a home system. Having said that, the same friend has been to my house and had very complimentary things to say about the bass my system. Two Rythmik F25s and two SVS SB13 Ultras.

Nice. I’ve looked at the Rythmiks but haven’t heard them. I’ve always been curious of them but nobody I know has had one.  Do you use all four subs for theatre movies too? 

Yes, and I add in a HSU MBM-12 for movies. Better than most theaters! 

I replaced my JL Audio E-112 (2), with a pair of REL S/510, due integration issues. I was running my speakers full range with the subs working underneath, altho the subs sounded very good on some material I just could not eliminate some bass boom and hum. At times I thought it just might be the individual tracks. So I decided to get the REL.s, and the integration, for me, is much better, after getting the subs setup, I no longer have bass issues.

 

Maxboy00, I just looked at the photos in your system page. The REL S510s look great. May I ask if you have compared the dual REL S510s with SVS SB-3000 before going with the former.

The REL specifically the S510 is high in my shortlist based on its aesthetics and high build quality. I can imagine the high gloss black finish and silver cone to match the main speakers in my system. Other subs look slightly cheap and less elegant although sound quality may be stellar. Apart from sound quality, looks do matter in my book.

The only thing I don’t like about the REL is the price. One S510 can get me two units of SVS SB-3000.