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If you can’t connect high level, should you still get a REL Subwoofer?
With the advent of powered active wireless loudspeakers really starting to take off, we’re getting a lot of questions about integrating RELs with wireless active speakers. One of the questions that comes up frequently is if you can’t access the amplifier that’s built into these speakers, should I even buy a REL?
Gosh, I hear so many wonderful things about your high-level connection, and if I can’t hook up to the amplifier and speakers then why would I even consider a REL?
Great question. The answer is twofold. Yes, you should and yes, we use exactly the same filter in our low level as we do in our high level, and I don’t mean we use the identical topology. I mean that when you connect up to our high level circuit that everybody raves about it steps down into the low level crossover. That’s how we do it. There isn’t one for high level and one for low level. It is exactly the same filter as you would be using if you were using high-level. The only difference is that you don’t have access to the tonal balance, the timing and the Dynamics of your main amplifier.
That’s a function of the basic layout and design of active loudspeakers, we can’t fix that, but everything else attaches. So then why would I use a REL rather than any other sub?
Really simply, because we build our subs and design our subs completely differently than everybody else does. We have incredibly great sounding natural organic filters that are very quick.
We have really fast light drivers that keep up with the music. All of the advantages to how we design still attach to the low level circuit.
So, let’s see. How would we connect up?
You’re usually coming off of what is thought of as a .1 filter coming off of your little set-top box that comes with the speakers and instead of going into the .1, I just suggest that you do two things. Go into your menu and set that set-top box to the widest possible setting. Hopefully as high as 200 Hertz. Second, don’t go into the .1, actually go into the low level circuit at which point you’ll have access to our fantastic filters and the gain. You’ll be able to get about 95 percent of the performance out of our low level input that you get out of the high level.
So that’s how you deal with active powered loudspeakers. Really simple adjustments you have to make on the fly. Works great. You still get to use our crossovers, our filters, the wonderful circuitry, the fast drivers, the beautiful cabinetry all that still attaches.