REL S212/SX Subwoofer
212/SX builds on the strengths of the legendary 212/SE. Upgraded alloy drivers with carbon fibre blades are stronger, a new flat passive radiator extends even deeper and REL's PerfectFilter™ delivers crushing low bass with greater speed and air, taking 212/SX well beyond its illustrious predecessor.
Where Quality Meets Quantity: At REL, a deeper understanding of quality underpins everything they do. So, whilst 212/SX thunders and shakes foundations, it also resolves detail and restores midrange warmth to its correct balance. At 1,000 Watts with (4) 12" (305 mm) drivers, 212/SX drives rooms hard and in multiple modes which allows it to create richer bass everywhere in a room.
Refinements to both the legendary ultra-fast filters and newly developed drivers produces harder slam and brings to life quieter, gentler moments, improving system performance at both extremes. Plays brilliantly with both high end 2-channel and large power theatre applications.
Double Down with Twin Continuous Cast™ Alloy Bass Engines: Lightweight carbon fibre blades firmly attached to the rear of each active alloy cone serves to both strengthen the cone and quiet it. The twin 12" (305 mm) active drivers now offer an additional 12mm of stroke and also benefit from updated suspension geometry and greater power handling. And a brand-new double-spider, high powered passive unit on the bottom delivers floor rippling low bass. The result is a major step forward in the 212 design, an already brilliant performer now playing louder with greater ease whilst better preserving the tiniest details of air and space with even greater precision.
Sound Beyond Its Size with Dual Continuous Carbon Passive Radiators: REL's uniquely tuned passive radiators use special suspensions, now with an additional 30mm of linear travel, to produce performance far beyond conventional subwoofers. Their new SuperProgressive™ passive radiator produces extremely long travel allowing for very loud output while retaining the variable stiffness of its suspension.
The down firing passive produces deep, floor-crawling bass that makes a room shudder. Mounted above the amplifier panel on the rear is the second passive. This unit produces wrap around "atmospheric" bass that adds air and shimmer to the sound. Coupling with either the rear wall or the rear corner of a room allows for bass to develop exceedingly long wavefronts and adds an ease and effortless quality unique to single-box designs.
NextGen5 1,000w Digital Amplifier - Whoever Said "Power Corrupts" Never Heard a 212/SX: With incredible reliability in units now numbering in the thousands, the Gen 5 amplifier is a paragon of extreme power and reliability. At 1,000 watts of output, plus the ability to connect both High Level and .1/LFE simultaneously with optional state of the art wireless, 212/SX delivers the goods at scale. It does so with incredible grip and control in the extreme deep bass where most amplifiers get loose and lose control.
212/SX has an almost limitless sense of power, coupled with precision. Where others offer brute strength, the 212/SX delivers massive power and every secondary category of performance with ease and effortless versatility. Deafening output in a concert video or blockbuster movie? Check. Beautifully rendered female vocals accurately placed within a stone abbey? Check.
Airship Zero-Compression Futureproof Wireless: REL seized the opportunity to develop a high resolution, audiophile-grade uncompressed wireless system for 212/SX and the newer offerings in the Reference range. Airship™ is a 5.8 gHz military-based wireless system built into a monolithic LSI chip that delivers incredibly fast bass. This sends full bandwidth, not just bass, through this system that includes (2) channels. The first channel handles the High Level Input and can be used for both stereo bass or use of a single channel with monoblock amplifiers. Simultaneously, Airship will process the .1/LFE channel necessary for special effects in film so both RCA and XLR inputs are provided. In the future, REL anticipate adoption of more active wireless loudspeakers reaching the market, so they included stereo low level inputs. With Airship, you're ready for the future.
REL S212/SX Review
"The role of the subwoofer is far more than just filling in the low notes, and in the audiophile world, it faces many uphill battles given the challenges based on how well they blend into the system. Many have tried subwoofers in the past, and while they did wonders for the home theater environment, they simply stood out too much in the 2-channel configurations. I have tried a lot of subs in the past in my systems, and while they certainly added a "fun factor", I never felt that they made my entire system better…until now! What REL is doing with their subwoofer design and development, particularly with how they utilize high-level input signals, they are single-handedly raising the bar in the audio industry on what can be accomplished in low-frequency reproduction. The pair of REL 212/SX subwoofers have brought a level of performance to both my 2-channel and home theater systems that I wasn't expecting, which is exactly why I purchased the review samples!" Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity
Our Take On The REL S212/SX
Oh my goodness. We thought the S/812 was a monster but the 212/SX takes things to a whole new level. The 212/SX features a massive NextGen5 1,000 Watt Digital Amplifier driving two 12" carbon fibre reinforced alloy bass drivers which combine with two 12" ultra-long throw passive drivers to produce what can only be described as prodigious bass. Just one of these puppies never runs out of headroom, but we have some fortunate customers who have integrated two of these into their high end setup and are dumbfounded by how they elevate the system to a whole new level, top to bottom. Because of the height of the unit and the positioning of the drivers the bass seems to be all enveloping and not just locked at floor level, which is quite refreshing and totally addictive once you hear it. It gives you the taste of a six pack of S/812's at a much more attainable price.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: 1,000 Watt Active Subwoofer with Dual 12" Active & Dual 12" Passive Bass Drivers
- Active Drivers: Dual Front Firing 12" (305 mm) long-throw, Continuous CastAlloy™ cone structure, cast chassis
- Passive Radiators: Dual Down/Rear Firing 12" (305 mm) Carbon/Carbon flat cone structure, steel chassis
- Amplifier Type: NextGen5 Class D
- Power Output: 1,000 watts (RMS)
- Low Frequency Extension: 18Hz at -6 dB
- Input Connectors: High Level Neutrik Speakon, Low Level stereo RCA, LFE RCA, LFE XLR
- Output Connectors: Hi Level Neutrik Speakon, LFE RCA, LFE XLR
- Wireless Capability: REL AirShip system - sold separately
- Protection System: Fully Electronic Set Safe, D.C. Fault, Output Short
- Mains Input Voltage: 220-240 volts
- Fuses: 7 Amp 220 volts operation
- Supplied Accessories: Mains Lead, 10m Neutrik Speakon cable, User Manual
- Available Finishes: Piano Black Lacquer, 10 coats
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 362 x 838 x 514.5 mm
- Net Weight: 58 kg
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 2 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE