REL subs are support for lower end extension and do not provide a crossover to your main speaks, as others here have clarified. I think there is more debate on two vs. one sub and placement. Hearing where bass comes from is the issue -- it's impossible below certain frequencies, which are the frequencies the sub produces. REL recommends putting a sub at the place in the room where it maximizes low end extension at your seat. Hopefully that spot works in one's room. My experience is like @tantra4 in terms of integrating. The phase switch has always been adequate. Bass does change if you move your seat around the room in and out of of nodes. So you can play with seating position as well. Have fun experimenting!
Does a REL subwoofer make the speakers' job easier?
Gentlemen,
Let’s assume we are following REL’s recommendation by connecting the sub to the amp instead of the preamp through the high-level connection. Then which one of these two would be true?
1. The sub would make the speakers’ job easier by not sending the low bass signal (i.e., below the crossover point) to them.
2. The signal sent to the speakers would still include the low bass even when the sub is used. Therefore the speakers would still receive the full range signal.
If (1) is true, how is it accomplished electrically? I am asking this as someone who has little knowledge about how the signal flow between amp and speakers works.
Thanks in advance!
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+1 @hilde45 It continues to blow my mind that big sub manufacturers like Kef and Rel don’t even have a phase dial for exact phase matching. Only two opposite settings? It’s simply bizarre to me. Apparently there’s consensus out there there only the tiniest percentage of people are actually aware of how impactful precise phase adjustment is for integration with loudspeakers, having learned through experience with using precision phase adjustments. |
@gladmo I hear you and @bdp24 has written a post on subs for the Ages. Really fantastic. REL is clearly a good product and they have a very vocal and earnest fan base. As I said, I love my REL sub. BUT, as mentioned in bdp24's post, the ability to adjust phase in a variable way is an absolutely crucial feature for anyone without a dedicated listening room and the dozens of hours it takes to get a sub without variable phase placed. I agree it is just ridiculous for REL not to include this feature. |
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