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REL R328 & R305 -- are these two REL subwoofers close enough as a match?

I bought a REL 328 as my subwoofer.
I have been been looking for a second one.
Recently, a REL R305 came to my attention.

QUESTION: In a high end music listening system: would this used REL 305 match well enough with my REL 328? Otherwise, I’d like to wait.

The passive radiator is only on the 328. That seems like the biggest difference, but I’m not sure. 
The 328 has the following:
Enclosure Type: Sealed, with Passive Radiator
Driver: 10” Long Throw, steel chassis
Passive: 12" Carbon Fiber VariCone™
Crossover: Variable, 30-120 Hz Stepped
Input Connectors: Neutrik Speakon High-Level input, RCA low level input, .1/LFE RCA input with separate volume control
Amplifier: 350W High Current REL-designed Class D
Dimensions (HWD): 13.5x15.1x15.2"
Weight: 45 lbs

The 305 has the following:
Enclosure Type: Sealed box
Drive Unit: 10" Heavy Duty Long Throw Cast Frame
NO PASSIVE
Crossover: 25Hz to 100Hz
Input Connectors:
Neutrik Speakon - High Level
Phono - LFE Phono - LINE
Amplifier Type: High-Speed, High-Current, Digital Switching Amplifier
Input Impedance
High Level: 150KΩ (Two Channel Unbalanced)
Low Level: 33KΩ (LFE Unbalanced)
Line Level: 10KΩ (Unbalanced)
Input Sensitivity
Low Level: 40dB
High Level: 22dB

Power Output: 300 Watts RMS
Phase: 0 and 180 Degrees
Voltage: 117VAC @ 60Hz
Protection: Over Current, Over Voltage
Fuse: 3.15Amp Slow Blow Small
Dimensions(WHD) 12.5x14.25x13.5
includes feet, controls and grille
Net Weight: 41lbs

This will help you compare the two:

https://www.musicdirect.com/Store/rel-r-305
https://www.musicdirect.com/speakers/rel-r-328-subwoofer
128x128hilde45
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,824 posts
 
Thanks, wolf. Boy there are some folks, including REL, who say subs are like speakers and have to be matched exactly. But the reasons against that are quite convincing. It’s not an expensive experiment to do, however. 
wolf_garcia
6,631 posts
 
If you're using them as a stereo pair they likely should be matched, but I send the same signal to both of mine as basically a mono signal to help tame standing waves and take advantage of "multiple" sub advantages...works amazingly well at the 58hz level that matches my main speaker's low end limits.
usery
131 posts
 
@hilde I don’t think 10 years is too old. Assuming you’ve confirmed the 305 wasn’t used as pet/toddler trampoline the specs are so close to the 328 (sans radiator) that it seems low risk for mismatch effects. Certainly less than pairing a 328 and S/3.

wrt Wolf’s mono signal to his Q subs that’s also how Syzygy subs work, right out of the box. The "mystique" of stereo signal to a sub (which REL kinda promotes) is in large part just that: mystique. From Syzygy’s setup guidance:

"The [wireless] transmitter has LFE (single RCA) and stereo L&R RCA inputs; whichever you want to do is fine. LFE is typically used in Home Theater systems with receivers that have a dedicated LFE output. Connect with RCA line out (variable) from your preamp - either single or stereo RCA in. The transmitter actually sums the L&R input signal to mono.

* The only time subs actually accept and process discrete stereo signals is when you’re using the low level RCA inputs and outputs as a low pass / high pass filter between the front speakers and the sub. This is rarely practiced - so we did not add a low level HP out on the sub. Syzygy Acoustics subwoofers, like virtually every other brand, sums the input signal to mono as bass below 100Hz isn’t recorded in stereo."

hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,824 posts
 
Thanks. The only reason it seemed that REL was saying something indisputable was because of that direct connection between high level speakon connector and left and right channel outputs. But that would then go back to whether the mix of the recording was stereo on those lower frequencies, I guess.
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