The REL Club

[DB1989]

Very well put @Beast_of_burden , Your experience resonates mine.
I recently got a T5i to pair with Totem Rainmakers which is placed in a fairly small bedroom setup. Although I crave for a slight more extension at lower volume, but what ever it produces, produces with great clarity and articulation.
I was particularly not happy with the Totem's bass and was even looking to sell it, however, after adding this sub, the complete experience is elevated couple of notches above.
I am no bass-head and hence was more particular about speed, integration and bass quality which I am convinced that REL offers in abundance.

Time to go dual. Also, check out the videos on RELs YouTube channel. Their corner placement guide is pretty helpful.


@Beast_of_burden - you might also find the above said guide useful. Also, instead of relying only upon ones own ears during the subwoofer crawl, try using an SPL meter (a phone app may also suffice) and play 20/30/40 hz tones from the sub while it's placed in your listening position and move around the room and possible sub locations to gauge the decibels achieved for each frequency. I found this method to me much more reliable for determining depth excursion because it's particularly difficult to determine only on perception.

Using the said method, I'm getting 25hz at -0db extension in my room from a t9i which is substantially better than quoted frequency response of 28hz at -6db.

 

[Beast_of_burden]

Time to go dual. Also, check out the videos on RELs YouTube channel. Their corner placement guide is pretty helpful.


@Beast_of_burden - you might also find the above said guide useful. Also, instead of relying only upon ones own ears during the subwoofer crawl, try using an SPL meter (a phone app may also suffice) and play 20/30/40 hz tones from the sub while it's placed in your listening position and move around the room and possible sub locations to gauge the decibels achieved for each frequency. I found this method to me much more reliable for determining depth excursion because it's particularly difficult to determine only on perception.

Using the said method, I'm getting 25hz at -0db extension in my room from a t9i which is substantially better than quoted frequency response of 28hz at -6db.

Thanks DB, I am going to try the corner placement first. There is a second T7i that I haven't commissioned yet, I do expect the perceived low output in the lower frequencies to improve. Will continue to post my experiences here.

 

[GeorgeB]

Bought a T9i last week,

Thanks to Kumar442244 for his for his suggestion to go with REL,

I’m very happy with the overall richness of the sound that REL brought to my system.

 

[irv]

Here is a short review of the T7i. REL's design goals and philosophy, especially with the T series is not for everyone. For example, the T7i is 6db down at a fairly high for a subwoofer 30hz. In practical terms, if you have floor Standers it's very likely that the mains have more frequency extension than the T7i. To call it a sub is a misnomer in this case, because it's not extending frequency response of the mains. Since there is not much output from the sub below 30hz, highly unlikely to activate room nodes or cause booming. The sub is also playing within the frequency range of the mains in my case, so there are no cross over integration issues. With the speaker level inputs, the bass enhancement is so subtle it's really easy to miss what REL is adding to the sound. So, what does it do to the sound? Male voices sound deeper. The sub seems to be restoring a large part of the ambient sound in the recording, as a result the sound stage is much better defined. The system sounds fuller. This sub can elevate mid-fi systems to another level.

REL has prioritised integration, speed and accuracy over extension and high output. Many folks looking for real authority in the stygian depths will be disappointed I suspect. The rewards are in refinement, seamless integration and top quality bass within the confines of the frequency envelope. If you are not into loud then this Sub is for you.

Personally, I would have liked a little more extension and a bit more authority in the mid 20s. Sub is currently placed away from room boundaries, I will experiment a bit by placing the sub in the corner.
On the subs extension, I am somewhat disappointed.

Owners of planar speakers who are worried if the sub will be fast enough can rest their minds, this is the sub to get. This sub is the perfect partner for tiny bookshelf speakers in small to medium spaces. Folks who are invested in tube amplification especially of the SET kind will definitely appreciate this. So yes, there is a reason why it's called an audiophile sub.

Let more of these kind of stuff pour in ...
Will help counter the price hike itch of the dealers

 

[hydra]

Here is a short review of the T7i. REL's design goals and philosophy, especially with the T series is not for everyone. For example, the T7i is 6db down at a fairly high for a subwoofer 30hz. In practical terms, if you have floor Standers it's very likely that the mains have more frequency extension than the T7i. To call it a sub is a misnomer in this case, because it's not extending frequency response of the mains. Since there is not much output from the sub below 30hz, highly unlikely to activate room nodes or cause booming. The sub is also playing within the frequency range of the mains in my case, so there are no cross over integration issues. With the speaker level inputs, the bass enhancement is so subtle it's really easy to miss what REL is adding to the sound. So, what does it do to the sound? Male voices sound deeper. The sub seems to be restoring a large part of the ambient sound in the recording, as a result the sound stage is much better defined. The system sounds fuller. This sub can elevate mid-fi systems to another level.

REL has prioritised integration, speed and accuracy over extension and high output. Many folks looking for real authority in the stygian depths will be disappointed I suspect. The rewards are in refinement, seamless integration and top quality bass within the confines of the frequency envelope. If you are not into loud then this Sub is for you.

Personally, I would have liked a little more extension and a bit more authority in the mid 20s. Sub is currently placed away from room boundaries, I will experiment a bit by placing the sub in the corner.
On the subs extension, I am somewhat disappointed.

Owners of planar speakers who are worried if the sub will be fast enough can rest their minds, this is the sub to get. This sub is the perfect partner for tiny bookshelf speakers in small to medium spaces. Folks who are invested in tube amplification especially of the SET kind will definitely appreciate this. So yes, there is a reason why it's called an audiophile sub.

Good review! You've described what REL T series adds to a system very well.

About the extension, let it run in for about 50 hours. Things will change. This was my personal experience after I added a T5/i to my system in Feb this year.

You'll find that you have to keep reducing the level setting from what you've set it now, after about 30 hours of play, right up to about 100 hours of play. Along with the overall output level, the bass extension also improves somewhat (but does not go to conventional subwoofer levels). I think that the way REL has designed the subwoofers (lower extension, but excellent speed and accuracy) is absolutely why they sound so good with music.

I've placed my T5/i along a side wall. I have only one proper corner in the room (behind and to the left of my listening position). Placing it there did improve the perceived bass extension and make it louder overall, but at great cost to accuracy (which is not how I prefer it to contribute). I moved it back to the side wall. I was tempted to add one more T5/i, but since I listen to music only from my seat, and I've got it sounding good there, I decided to put that money towards starting a second system in another room.

 

[Beast_of_burden]

Good review! You've described what REL T series adds to a system very well.

About the extension, let it run in for about 50 hours. Things will change. This was my personal experience after I added a T5/i to my system in Feb this year.

You'll find that you have to keep reducing the level setting from what you've set it now, after about 30 hours of play, right up to about 100 hours of play. Along with the overall output level, the bass extension also improves somewhat (but does not go to conventional subwoofer levels). I think that the way REL has designed the subwoofers (lower extension, but excellent speed and accuracy) is absolutely why they sound so good with music.

I've placed my T5/i along a side wall. I have only one proper corner in the room (behind and to the left of my listening position). Placing it there did improve the perceived bass extension and make it louder overall, but at great cost to accuracy (which is not how I prefer it to contribute). I moved it back to the side wall. I was tempted to add one more T5/i, but since I listen to music only from my seat, and I've got it sounding good there, I decided to put that money towards starting a second system in another room.

Well my experience so far with corner placement is exactly same as yours. The perceived extension is better, but I also got a reminder as to how easy it is to make a subwoofer boom. The sub was easy to locate when placed in the corner. I have also lost most of the ambience in the recording.

Based on past experience, I prefer to place the sub's front baffle a few inches ahead of the mains. In my experience, this minimises timing differences. Initially when I switched it on, the sub was roughly between the speakers and and two feet in front of the mains. I must have checked if the sub was actually working atleast half a dozen times, so seamless is the integration. The driver cone hardly moves. To top it all, it didn't seem to matter what crossover point I chose or how much gain I set! The changes are very subtle. I intend to move it back to in between the speakers.

 

[DB1989]

I'm posting this a bit late but here goes... i finally received my second REL T9i and not a moment sooner as it has gone out of production and very few pieces were left with dealers so it was now or never. I would like to express my immense gratitude to @Kumar442244 for going out of his way to help me get the sub for a great price and to @Nitin K who did not allow me not stray from the intended objective of going dual with stereo performance being paramount. Then again, maybe I've got a bone to pick cuz i really wanted that Predator.

As my living room bleeds into the dining area, adding the second T9i has allowed the entire space to pressurise properly and the bass is far better distributed and more than palpable even while seated far away at the dining table. Plus, there is immense headroom while playing loud, especially during movies. All in all, going dual is definitely all that it is touted to be.

A few pics of the unboxing:

 

[ssf]

Lovely looking sub. I did not know that Rel T9 was a passive radiator design.

 

[Nitin K]

Congrats DB, nice setup.

 

[DB1989]

Lovely looking sub. I did not know that Rel T9 was a passive radiator design.

T zero and T5i are down firing whereas T7i and T9i including the entire S series lineup have down firing passives. On the other hand, the HT series are front firing.

 

[pks.k]

I'm posting this a bit late but here goes... i finally received my second REL T9i and not a moment sooner as it has gone out of production and very few pieces were left with dealers so it was now or never. I would like to express my immense gratitude to @Kumar442244 for going out of his way to help me get the sub for a great price and to @Nitin K who did not allow me not stray from the intended objective of going dual with stereo performance being paramount. Then again, maybe I've got a bone to pick cuz i really wanted that Predator.

As my living room bleeds into the dining area, adding the second T9i has allowed the entire space to pressurise properly and the bass is far better distributed and more than palpable even while seated far away at the dining table. Plus, there is immense headroom while playing loud, especially during movies. All in all, going dual is definitely all that it is touted to be.

A few pics of the unboxing:

View attachment 57058
View attachment 57059
View attachment 57060
View attachment 57061View attachment 57062View attachment 57063View attachment 57064View attachment 57065View attachment 57066

Congratulations,
Looks like hot there..!

 

[chander]

Quick question to the owner's here. I am toying with the idea to add a second sub to my HT, currently I am using a single QA QB12 and I have nothing to complain about - I am absolutely happy with it, but the "keeda" for twin woofer setup has been nibbling at the impulsive side of my brain recently.

If it was up-to me - my decision was simple - get another QB12, but I am not the sole decision maker and QB12 is in all practicality MASSIVE. Two of these will just take over all the room and will definitely look utterly stupid. Hence coming to 2 smaller subs - compact yet impactful - the shortlist is the T5i.

Now I CAN NOT afford Two T7i/T9i, but I can afford Two T5i. I have a question here - to anyone who has tried this - single great sub to dual good subs.

Though I do not doubt in all honesty that 2 QB12s will obviously strangle the life out of 2 T5i in terms of SPL output (as a single QB12 can get uncomfortable at 50% volume) - but in terms of overall performance and SPL level - will 2 T5is be better than a single QB12? Has anyone any experience here?

****The SPL comment also comes from the fact that a friend of mine who owns and is planning to give me his T5i on a try and buy basis, confirmed when he heard the QB12 in my house that it was too powerful, way more powerful than his T5i. However the size of QB12 makes it extremely impractical for me to have 2 of.

 

[insane79]

Quick question to the owner's here. I am toying with the idea to add a second sub to my HT, currently I am using a single QA QB12 and I have nothing to complain about - I am absolutely happy with it, but the "keeda" for twin woofer setup has been nibbling at the impulsive side of my brain recently.

If it was up-to me - my decision was simple - get another QB12, but I am not the sole decision maker and QB12 is in all practicality MASSIVE. Two of these will just take over all the room and will definitely look utterly stupid. Hence coming to 2 smaller subs - compact yet impactful - the shortlist is the T5i.

Now I CAN NOT afford Two T7i/T9i, but I can afford Two T5i. I have a question here - to anyone who has tried this - single great sub to dual good subs.

Though I do not doubt in all honesty that 2 QB12s will obviously strangle the life out of 2 T5i in terms of SPL output (as a single QB12 can get uncomfortable at 50% volume) - but in terms of overall performance and SPL level - will 2 T5is be better than a single QB12? Has anyone any experience here?

****The SPL comment also comes from the fact that a friend of mine who owns and is planning to give me his T5i on a try and buy basis, confirmed when he heard the QB12 in my house that it was too powerful, way more powerful than his T5i. However the size of QB12 makes it extremely impractical for me to have 2 of.

Well dual T5i will give higher SPL then just one QA QB12. I would still get the T7i at least cause it has a passive & active driver. Which will be much better then the T5i with a single 8" driver. The T5i will be good for small rooms & for 2.1 setups.

Wouldn't recommend the T5i for movies but only Music. Get the T7i if you can as that will give you a better experience of fast & musical sound which Rel is known for. Get one T7i now & the other in a later date.


Cheers.

 

[DB1989]

Quick question to the owner's here. I am toying with the idea to add a second sub to my HT, currently I am using a single QA QB12 and I have nothing to complain about - I am absolutely happy with it, but the "keeda" for twin woofer setup has been nibbling at the impulsive side of my brain recently.

If it was up-to me - my decision was simple - get another QB12, but I am not the sole decision maker and QB12 is in all practicality MASSIVE. Two of these will just take over all the room and will definitely look utterly stupid. Hence coming to 2 smaller subs - compact yet impactful - the shortlist is the T5i.

Now I CAN NOT afford Two T7i/T9i, but I can afford Two T5i. I have a question here - to anyone who has tried this - single great sub to dual good subs.

Though I do not doubt in all honesty that 2 QB12s will obviously strangle the life out of 2 T5i in terms of SPL output (as a single QB12 can get uncomfortable at 50% volume) - but in terms of overall performance and SPL level - will 2 T5is be better than a single QB12? Has anyone any experience here?

****The SPL comment also comes from the fact that a friend of mine who owns and is planning to give me his T5i on a try and buy basis, confirmed when he heard the QB12 in my house that it was too powerful, way more powerful than his T5i. However the size of QB12 makes it extremely impractical for me to have 2 of.

The "Keeda" seems to be the constant need to experiment with new gear! And once you're bitten, you'll succumb as do we all. But to better channel that itch, ask yourself, and perhaps inform us as well, which specific area of performance is it that you want to improve upon?

 

[chander]

which specific area of performance is it that you want to improve upon?

Personally I do not think any performance improvement is required, I am very happy with my system, can't fault anything. However, there is a need for experimenting with a dual subwoofer setup. It is more of a "what-if" situation rather than "a need". I frankly can't fault the QB12, at any level, I am extremely happy with the movies and music performance.

Get the T7i if you can

As I mentioned earlier sadly anything above dual T5i is way out of my budget, even the dual T5i is a needless expense at this point, but there is no cost to "passion" - that's what I was told . The wish is for a dual identical sub setup to see what performance gains can be had and ideally I would love to have another QB12 (I absolutely adore this subwoofer) but can't because of the size.

Well dual T5i will give higher SPL then just one QA QB12. &

Wouldn't recommend the T5i for movies but only Music.

Regardless I have got my answer. Thank you so much for the comments!

 

[Nitin K]

Personally I do not think any performance improvement is required, I am very happy with my system, can't fault anything. However, there is a need for experimenting with a dual subwoofer setup. It is more of a "what-if" situation rather than "a need". I frankly can't fault the QB12, at any level, I am extremely happy with the movies and music performance.


As I mentioned earlier sadly anything above dual T5i is way out of my budget, even the dual T5i is a needless expense at this point, but there is no cost to "passion" - that's what I was told . The wish is for a dual identical sub setup to see what performance gains can be had and ideally I would love to have another QB12 (I absolutely adore this subwoofer) but can't because of the size.


Regardless I have got my answer. Thank you so much for the comments!

Hi Chander,

If you are so happy with the QB12, then no point in replacing it. Like you I too have space constraints & have settled with one good sub. Agreed with 2 subs you will get even bass in the room. But if the room is small, I guess one good sub would be good enough for 1 mlp & maybe 1 seat on either side. In my case I feel absolutely no need for a second sub due to the small room. If the sub is not in the extreme corner & more towards the center of the room, then in some cases it integrates well with the fronts & does not sound localised.
You may unnecessarily end up with a seller's remorse by selling the QB12.

 

[RRR]

If anyone from the Rel club is interested...
A friend is planning to dispose his dual Rel subs...Rel S 510 about 2 months old only.

 

[insane79]

Would be great if the Mods rename this thread to REL Owners Thread?

Thanks.

 

[RRR]

Got a big number of requests for the Rel subs.
Didn't expect such so much interest.
Will reply to all Pms once i have detailed pictures as the Rels are packed up.
Thanks

 

[manojchandrasekar]

Great now we have a Rel thread. Dealers be like time for a price hike.

Righly said, Rel T5X is now quoted at 80k INR...sadly, this has gone out of my reach now.