REL T2 subwoofer

[sjtm]

I recently purchased a pair of Focal Chorus 836V floorstanding 3 way speakers. These are the largest in the Chorus line with five drivers including 3- 6.5" woofers, plus two forward firing ports and one downward firing port. The frequency response is 40hz-28khz, +- 3db extending down to 33hz -6db. My listeng room is odd shaped but medium sized with a large upholstered sectional and wall to wall carpet, .ie. not too much hard surfaces.

An acquaintance has a REL T2 subwoofer for sale. This uses a 10" downward firing active driver plus an 8" passive driver. Power is 200w. The frequency range is specified as 30hz-120hz. Reviews are generally positive, but most are in reference to home theater systems, not specifically music listening.

I am not sure if this is of real benefit to my setup. I am also concerned how a different brand of speaker pairs with my Focals which I consider very musical. For my listening preferences, the bass extension of the Focals seems quite good, but perhaps I am ignorant as to how much better it could be. I would not want to muddy up the overall sound quality to achieve a little more bass extension.

Anyone have experience with the REL brand? Does adding a subwoofer seem to be an obvious next step or are my speakers qualified to stand alone?

[blackraven]

It's all about if you are happy with the bass of your speakers. A sub can fill in the lower notes but sometime they can be difficult to integrate. REL makes excellent subs but the T2 was a budget sub and unless you are going to get it at a great budget price, skip it. For music consider an SVS SB-1000. It is a nice sealed sub with tight bass and its musical. It is much better than that REL and it will go down much lower to about 24hz compared to 30 for the REL.

Best Sealed Box Subwoofer | Powered Home Theater Subs ? SVS

[3db]

It's all about if you are happy with the bass of your speakers. A sub can fill in the lower notes but sometime they can be difficult to integrate. REL makes excellent subs but the T2 was a budget sub and unless you are going to get it at a great budget price, skip it. For music consider an SVS SB-1000. It is a nice sealed sub with tight bass and its musical. It is much better than that REL and it will go down much lower to about 24hz compared to 30 for the REL.

Best Sealed Box Subwoofer | Powered Home Theater Subs ? SVS

REL subs are way overpriced for their performance capabilities. I look at them more as a furniture company than a sub company.

I second your opinion on the SVS 1000 but I woulld also suggest either a Rythmik L12 (sealed 12" driver ) or a Rythmik F8 (sealed dual 8" drivers)

[Mr Peabody]

I am not much for using a sub for a 2-channel system. Some people do, and I probably would if using a bookshelf speaker or something, but I have yet to hear a sub supposedly integrated into the system that didn't sound better turned off, to me.

Usually in subs mixing brands doesn't hurt anything. REL does have a design where they connect to your speaker terminals to help with integration, just as a side note. I believe they do offer the RCA low level inputs but that's not how they are designed to work optimumly.

Any way, after the rambling, I think if you are happy with the sound you have now don't worry about adding a sub.

[frenchmon]

Lots of great subs on the market. Rel makes a great high end sub, but so does others....I'd take Rythmic subs any day over REL. I cant imagine why you'd want to add a sub to a two channel system....even with stand monitors unless they where not portraying the music correctly. In a two channel system a sub may add to the music not sounding real and natural, but that's just me. So if you aren't adding a home theater to your system, I'd stay away from a sub in a two channel system with great potential. Normally, a little tweaking of ones system will bring out greater detail including bass. You'd be surprised what tweaking a system can do for the sound.

[Feanor]

smtm, you've heard various opinions here, but I'll offer one more -- not all that much at odds with the others.

In a 2-channel system the usual use for a sub is to extend the bass deeper than the main speakers can manage. With a GOOD sub you can go down to 20 Hz, which is something VERY few mains can do.

The typical best 2ch strategy is to use the mains down to their cut-off point, i.e. the -3dB point. Then set the sub's Low-pass filter to the same point. This will generally result in minimal integration problems, at least in terms of driver overlap. Of course sub placement is always important. Sse the sub's Phase setting for strongest response, but be prepared to move the sub to a position that avoids excessive bass energy in the room.

E.g. my Magneplanar MB 1.6QR mains have -3dB at about 45 Hz with an approx. 18dB/octave roll-off; I set my PSB sub's Low-pass at 50 Hz, (its lowest) and get good integration.

If your (pre)amplifier or receiver has a separate, line-level sub output, and if it also has a High-pass filter for the main speakers as well as a Low-pass filter for the sub, you may go for higher the cross-over point than the mains' -3dB point -- this would be useful where the mains' bass drivers are just too wimpy to produce the bass volume you want.

[blackraven]

I too use a sub with my Maggies. I cross it over at 45hz and it integrates seamlessly. I use a Martin Logan Original Dynamo. The key is to keep the sub volume low so it disappears and is only heard on low bass but it should not bring attention to itself. Most people have them set to loud and with a wrong cross over setting. Or the buy a boomy sounding sub more suitable for HT.

[sjtm]

Thanks for all the feedback. Honestly i am content with the overall sonic picture of the 836v's. By fiddling with speaker placement I have managed to get, to my ear, a clear resonant bass that seems to capture the acoustic instrument sounds well ( this was the area where sound became fuller and more three dimensional by upgrading from the 816v).

I only became curious about subs because both gentlemen that i have purchase equipment from had them. Interestingly both had upgraded to Magnepans (1.6 and 3.7?).

I think I am going to live with my setup as is for now. That $500 will buy a lot of music.

[harley .guy07]

Good idea. Magnepans usually need subs to help them with the very lowest bass notes because they have a weakness in that area that coned based speakers can overcome if designed right. I us a sub with my system mostly because I have moved into a bigger home with a larger room and need the bass reinforcement with my smaller floorstanding speakers. I have not got to upgrading yet but I will be going with much larger speakers in the future and most likely will abandon the sub because I will not need it. I do agree though that if done correctly you can seamlessly merge a sub with speakers if you know what you are doing. Many people have listened to my system and none have been able to tell that there is a sub in the system