REL T5X placement options

[Sopra]

hello i just got a REL to add to my stereo setup. currently i have it placed in one corner behind my speakers towards the wall. i tried various placements but none that made much difference. The base notes are subtle and not gut punching. Is this what i should be expecting from an 8inch or is there gut punching base from this tiny 8" that i should be expecting.

Couple of pics

 

[zeta148]

I bought a used ReL t9i last month to try a subwoofer and also didn’t feel much too bass initially even with bookshelves. I didn’t have much freedom in placement of the sub as well due to the room constraints so I just plonked it next to one of the speakers . But after fiddling around with the controls and playing some songs such as ‘Love is a bitch by two feet’, I started to feel the bass. YMV since I have bookshelves and you have floorstanders … I plan to use REW to check the frequency response and optimise further.

 

[efernand1]

hello i just got a REL to add to my stereo setup. currently i have it placed in one corner behind my speakers towards the wall. i tried various placements but none that made much difference. The base notes are subtle and not gut punching. Is this what i should be expecting from an 8inch or is there gut punching base from this tiny 8" that i should be expecting.

Couple of pics

Is the sub connected to a dedicated subwoofer out port of the stereo amp?

 

[reignofchaos]

Is the sub connected to a dedicated subwoofer out port of the stereo amp?

REL is supposed to be connected to the speaker binding posts not to a sub out. That is how they are designed.

@Sopra : I do not think that the tiny sub will add much to your full range floorstanders. You probably need a bigger sub. RELs anyways are very subtle in how they augment bass. T5x and T7x are meant bookshelf speakers.

 

[insane79]

REL is supposed to be connected to the speaker binding posts not to a sub out. That is how they are designed.

@Sopra : I do not think that the tiny sub will add much to your full range floorstanders. You probably need a bigger sub. RELs anyways are very subtle in how they augment bass. T5x and T7x are meant bookshelf speakers.

I agree, you should have at least the T9x for those speaker, check the speaker pairing section on Rel's website.

S/510 would be perfect blend i feel.

Cheers.

 

[shuv]

I've placed a T9x at the corner wall, behind the main left speaker. Actually, it's resting on top of a SVS sub
It's very unobtrusive, doesn't call attention to itself. But, when I switch it off, the difference is quite evident.
I think the wee T5 is being overshadowed by the main speakers.

 

[sandeepmohan]

The only suggestion I can make here is to place the sub woofer beside your listening chair and listen. I know that running a cable all the way isn't ideal. If you have a spare long speaker cable lying around, give this a shot. This will be a high level input.

I would also suggest bringing the sub woofer forward. No use pushing it behind and into a corner. Try placing on the speaker outer and then inner, between your record storage box and the right loudspeaker. You can place the sub right beside the speaker. The feet of the REL an inch or two ahead of the Focal's spikes. I have my setup like this and it works very well.

An 8" sealed sub woofer will offer only a bass fill. Its not going to over power the room. That isn't the goal anyway when you are trying to integrate a sub woofer into a stereo setup.

 

[DB1989]

hello i just got a REL to add to my stereo setup. currently i have it placed in one corner behind my speakers towards the wall. i tried various placements but none that made much difference.

The Focal Sopras go down to 34hz whereas the REL is rated to 32hz (-6db). You're not adding anything at all to your speakers with a T5x as the speakers are capable of reproducing the said frequencies.

To pair the T5x to your system, your best bet is:

(1) to dial down the crossover to the minimum allowed
(2) turn up the gain
(3) place them as close as possible to your listening position. If you're closer to the backwall, place it in the corner of the backwall instead of the front.


An even better bet is to get rid of the damn thing and buy something that extends lower.

The base notes are subtle and not gut punching. Is this what i should be expecting from an 8inch or is there gut punching base from this tiny 8" that i should be expecting.

Quite simply, yes. Unless KEF comes out with an 8" version of their KC/KF series, i don't think there are any single 8" woofers that deliver the visceral impact you're craving for.

What you need is a powerful 12" such as JL E112, REL S/812 or Rythmik FVX12.

The bare minimum would be a JL E110.

Couple of pics

Thats just one pic

 

[hydra]

You might need to experiment a bit with position. In my case (single T5/i) , its ideal position was along the right side wall, somewhat midway between the speakers and the seating position. In my room, there was more bass quantity in the corner behind the speakers (where REL advises us to start trying placement), but it was a bit too boomy and loud to my taste, and stood out too much.

DB1989's instructions above on blending the subwoofer in, are quite good!

Regardless of everything, a T5/x is meant for music only, and it will only augment the response of the speakers. There'll be quality bass, the kind that you don't know was there when the subwoofer is on, but will sorely miss when it's off. This is not even close to a brute-force-bass-response type subwoofer.

 

[Sopra]

Thanks. I definitely feel the difference when it’s off. Just not thumping base that I was hoping for. Anyway for a stereo setup these fill up the room nicely. Will experiment with placement .

 

[ankitbhargava]

hello i just got a REL to add to my stereo setup. currently i have it placed in one corner behind my speakers towards the wall. i tried various placements but none that made much difference. The base notes are subtle and not gut punching. Is this what i should be expecting from an 8inch or is there gut punching base from this tiny 8" that i should be expecting.

Couple of pics

8 inch subwoofer can not produce the SPL required for that "punch" you are aiming for. Do you have an SPL meter to check the peak SPL at you average listening level?

 

[chillumphile]

Thanks. I definitely feel the difference when it’s off. Just not thumping base that I was hoping for. Anyway for a stereo setup these fill up the room nicely. Will experiment with placement .

I also recently got a REL HT 1005 MKII, with the same idea as yours of getting my gut punched.

But now I know better that I was just ignorant

 

[suku_patel_22]

I also recently got a REL HT 1005 MKII, with the same idea as yours of getting my gut punched.

But now I know better that I was just ignorant

You can gift it to me

 

[Nitin K]

Thanks. I definitely feel the difference when it’s off. Just not thumping base that I was hoping for. Anyway for a stereo setup these fill up the room nicely. Will experiment with placement .

A subwoofer selection would depend on your room size.
For a bigger listening area, you would require a bigger driver with more power or 2 or more smaller subs. A single small sub would not be able to pressurize a large room.
You can try placing the sub close to the wall corners to the extent that it does not sound boomy. It should give you more bass that way

 

[Passive_audio_enthusiast]

hello i just got a REL to add to my stereo setup. currently i have it placed in one corner behind my speakers towards the wall. i tried various placements but none that made much difference. The base notes are subtle and not gut punching. Is this what i should be expecting from an 8inch or is there gut punching base from this tiny 8" that i should be expecting.

Couple of pics

Simple, get a larger sub. That focal already has the low end what the rel is capable of. Many people say rel is fast, sorry- rel lacks extension and it does not distort at where it’s response can be heard, so it appears “fast”. Basically a 8 inch rel is a woofer not a subwoofer in the world of subwoofers. It may add some gut to some aneamic speakers or bookshelf’s, but for a floorstander like sopra you really need something bigger to get any meaningful improvement. If you are a rel believer, rel itself has higher end offerings which can add extension to it.

 

[Sopra]

Simple, get a larger sub. That focal already has the low end what the rel is capable of. Many people say rel is fast, sorry- rel lacks extension and it does not distort at where it’s response can be heard, so it appears “fast”. Basically a 8 inch rel is a woofer not a subwoofer in the world of subwoofers. It may add some gut to some aneamic speakers or bookshelf’s, but for a floorstander like sopra you really need something bigger to get any meaningful improvement. If you are a rel believer, rel itself has higher end offerings which can add extension to it.

It does make a difference when switched off I can tell. Just not the punch i was expecting. Time to reset expectations

 

[Phew]

What @Passive_audio_enthusiast said pretty much sums it up. Subwoofers like MJ acoustics reference 802 or REL s/510 or Jl audio E112 should be better suited to your needs.

Simple, get a larger sub. That focal already has the low end what the rel is capable of. Many people say rel is fast, sorry- rel lacks extension and it does not distort at where it’s response can be heard, so it appears “fast”. Basically a 8 inch rel is a woofer not a subwoofer in the world of subwoofers. It may add some gut to some aneamic speakers or bookshelf’s, but for a floorstander like sopra you really need something bigger to get any meaningful improvement. If you are a rel believer, rel itself has higher end offerings which can add extension to it.

Just because a subwoofer/woofers response cannot be heard or lacks extension doesn't mean it'll appear 'fast'.

 

[jenson]

as all have pointed, too small a sub in comparison to your floor stander.

connect them to satellite/bookshelf speakers and see what it can deliver! perhaps a system two.

 

[chillumphile]

You can gift it to me

I will consider it as an arranged marriage and learn to fall in love with it.

Music is defo way better with the sub and I cant imagine listening to my setup without the sub on.

 

[chillumphile]

I also recently got a REL HT 1005 MKII, with the same idea as yours of getting my gut punched.

But now I know better that I was just ignorant

FMs, any suggestions on what second sub should I be getting for increasing the pressure levels in the room and get gut punching bass?

Should I get another REL HT series sub or a ported sub like Rythmik fvx12, will there be issues with two such subs in a dual setup?

Or do I replace my Elac b6.2s with floorstanders.