REL R-528 Subwoofer gets Special Treatment

One of those new product lines is the Series R and within that line is the flagship model R-528 which features a 12-inch driver that’s driven by a 500 watt RMS Class D amplifier. Taking the performance of the R-528 up to the next level REL recently introduced the R-528SE (Special Edition) subwoofer. REL says the SE version is designed to provide home theater and stereo enthusiasts with a low-frequency reproduction solution that delivers deep bass from a smaller footprint product. The company says the R-528SE utilizes technologies developed for its benchmark Gibraltar G-1 Sub-Bass System and its been upgraded in numerous ways to achieve REL’s design goals.

Some of the ways the company improved upon the R-528 to designate it as a Special Edition product include upgrades to the subwoofer’s amplifier and driver section. In the SE version REL employs the 12-inch carbon fiber woofer used in its G-1 subwoofer, as well as a 12-inch carbon fiber passive radiator to augment the low-frequency extension of the product. Together the combination of the woofer and passive radiator are said to provide users the equivalent performance of a 16-inch driver in a larger subwoofer.  Like other REL products, the R-528SE’s rear panel features a choice of installer convenience options such as high-level Speakon, low level RCA and LFE .1 RCA inputs each with individual volume controls, and a manual crossover control that allows electronics professionals to dial in specific crossover settings in analog-based systems. REL also points out the speaker level and LFE input can be used simultaneously for shared use installations scenarios such as home theater and traditional two-channel systems that coexist in the same room.

Externally, the subwoofer features nine coats of hand-rubbed gloss piano-black lacquer with gloss white options for special orders, and top and side name badges, as well as support feet that are nickel plated.