REL LAUNCH THEIR NEW REFERENCE SERIES SUBWOOFERS

REL has launched their new flagship REL Reference Series Subwoofers, No.32 and No.31.

REL REFERENCE SERIES SUBWOOFERS

The REL Reference Series subwoofers feature a new cabinet execution, merging good looks with functionally elegant components. The shape of these subwoofers is designed to handle the force required from them.

REL REFERENCE SERIES NO.32

REL Reference Series No.32

REFERENCE CABINET

No.32 retains the design of their curvilinear reference cabinets, established over a decade ago on the original Gibraltar, with an updated 15″ (380mm) true carbon fibre driver that boasts 4″ (100mm) of total stroke and 1000 watt amp outfitted with thin film capacitors, higher gain and superior limiting.

Triple-plated steel handles are inset into ellipses that allow for a secure grip, which is necessary when lifting an object over 200 pounds. Inside, the rear backing plate is well over half an inch thick and contoured to follow the inner surface, giving a solidly strong structure. No.32’s new badge treatment combines the materials that appear most frequently within its design; the carbon fibre used throughout the driver is inset within a polished, cast alloy basket that is finished in 3 layers of plating to achieve a jewel-like sparkle.

The curved cabinet of the REL Reference Series No.32

ABSOLUTE CONTROL

The Reference Series come with a distinctive and hefty remote control designed to fit gently in the cup of your hand. We often talk about the remote control and how important it is, being the interface that the user connects to a product with and REL seem to have picked up on this. They say that “no detail has been overlooked, encouraging the sort of finely detailed decisions necessary to achieve the perfect balance of settings for the ultimate user experience”.

The REL Reference remote

AMPLIFIER

No.32’s 1,000-watt amplifier was also used in its predecessor for over seven years. Its implementation in No.32 combines a new limiter with a much wider envelope to permit the widest dynamic swings possible. Also, No.32’s dual parametric EQs allow for robust and flat response in the lowest ranges, extending below 20 Hz. When its second EQ is set to frequencies above the crossover point, No.32 is designed to mesh perfectly with the main speakers while simultaneously reducing room-based resonances.

Rear panel of the No.32

DRIVER

As with all of their subs, REL says that the No. 32’s heart and soul is its 15” (380mm) driver. The driver’s cone is constructed entirely of carbon fibre. Additionally, a carbon fibre centre cap is overlaid on the primary cone surface. This cone design results in a far stiffer driver with superior self-damping qualities, whilst keeping moving mass to an absolute minimum. No.32’s driver suspension permits a full 4” (100mm) of travel front and backwards.

REL REFERENCE SERIES NO.32 SPECS

TYPE: Closed box, front-firing driver

ACTIVE DRIVER SIZE & MATERIAL: 15 in., 380mm long-throw, carbon fibre cone with inverted carbon fibre dust cap

LOW FREQUENCY EXTENTION: 15Hz at -6 dB

INPUT CONNECTORS: High Level Neutrik Speakon, Low Level stereo RCA and XLR, LFE RCA, LFE XLR

OUTPUT CONNECTORS: High Level Neutrik Speakon, LFE XLR, Line XLR

POWER OUTPUT: 1,000 watts (RMS)

AMPLIFIER TYPE: Pure Class D

WIRELESS CAPABILITY: Yes – Rel Airship II [required] sold separately

DUAL PARAMETRIC FILTER: Yes

MAINS INPUT VOLTAGE: 220-240 volts, 110-120 volts for certain markets

FUSES: 7 Amp semi delay 230 volts operation, 15 Amp semi delay 115 volts operation

W X H X D: 29 1/4 x 21 x 32 1/8 in. (743 x 540 x 816 mm)

NET WEIGHT: 187 lbs. (85 kg), shipping weight – 225 lbs. (102kg)

FINISH: Piano Black Lacquer, 12 coats

REL REFERENCE SERIES NO.31

No.31 is, says REL “sculpted from the flanks of the No.32”, but using a newly developed 12″ (350mm) all carbon fibre driver. Every part of No.31 has been comprehensively upgraded and refined from its predecessor. No.31 delivers the classic Reference filter used in No.32 with the same dual parametric filters. But the No.31 is more compact, with a smaller footprint for when space is at a premium.

REL Reference Series No.31 is a more compact subwoofer

REL REFERENCE SERIES NO.31 SPECS

TYPE: Closed box, front-firing driver

ACTIVE DRIVER SIZE & MATERIAL: 12 in. (300mm), 2.5 in. (96.5mm) long throw, carbon fibre cone with inverted carbon fibre centre cap

LOW FREQUENCY EXTENTION: 17Hz at -6 dB

INPUT CONNECTORS: High Level Neutrik Speakon, Low Level stereo RCA and XLR, LFE RCA, LFE XLR

OUTPUT CONNECTORS: High Level Neutrik Speakon, LFE XLR, Line XLR

POWER OUTPUT: 900 watts (RMS)

AMPLIFIER TYPE: Class D

WIRELESS CAPABILITY: N/A

DUAL PARAMETRIC FILTER: Yes

MAINS INPUT VOLTAGE: 220-240 volts, 110-120 volts for certain markets

FUSES: 7 Amp semi delay 230 volts operation, 15 Amp semi delay 115 volts operation

W X H X D: 25 1/8 x 17 x 28 1/2 in (638 x 435 x 72 mm)

NET WEIGHT: 114.5 lbs (52kg), shipping weight – 156 lbs (71kg)

FINISH: High Black Gloss, 12 coats

Rear of the No.31

VERTICAL LINE ARRAY

The REL Reference No.32 and No.31. can both be used in a vertically stacked line array of three (or in exceptionally tall rooms, five) units high while retaining individual crossover and gain control of each subwoofer in the array.

Line array of No.32

REL REFERENCE SERIES PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

REL Reference Series No.32 – £10,000

REL Reference Series No.31 – £7,000

HiFi Pig Says: REL do have subs for every stereo and AV need, these are the pinnacle of what they can do.

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