I use a pair of SVS SB2000’s and I prefer the sound of sealed box sub-woofers. I looked at REL and they came up short on Price/performance. SVS is a bargain by audiophile standards. Their build quality is as good as anyone’s out there nowadays. My Gloss Black finish is meticulous and perfectly matches my gloss black speakers.
Rythmik subs look quite interesting too. Servo-controlled subs (good for Maggies) at a reasonable price.
Can you link that video?
I gave a quick look, and was unable to find it. The main point was that a good HT sub can also play music very well. That’s not to say that every HT sub can do that. I felt safe buying a REL HT sub because of how highly Paul thinks of REL and that I doubted REL could screw up a sub. I use my rig (all 2 channel0) for watching movies as well as listening to music. And as mentioned, the REL HT specs match well above their price point elsewhere in their musical sub line. So I thought it was worth an in home trial. The HR/1003 has been excellent.
I pulled the trigger on the REL T/5i.
Now I just have to figure out how to properly set it up (crossover, etc) with my Sprout100 and the UF5’s.
Don’t bother with a cross over settings on the Sprout if it has that capability. IME with my T/5i, the full range approach REL recommends is the way to go. See here: “High Level” is the Best?
Also, great advice for fine tuning your new REL here: The Art (Not Science) of Tuning
Let us know how it goes.
Cheers.
The Art of Tuning is the perfect description - clipped from the article
'When you are dialing in your REL, stop focusing on what the clicks mean in terms of Hz steps, and instead focus on how it sounds in your room using your ears. Start with the crossover set a little low , perhaps bring it up a click or two, hear the sub and speaker marry up perfectly and then stop and enjoy. Learn to trust your ears. In the example using the speakers referenced above, you wouldn’t be crossing over at 28 Hz in any event because a REL needs to cross lower than the main speaker in order to blend perfectly.
The real benefit from the physical feedback—the clicks–we use in our controls is that it allows the you AFTER obtaining great results to carefully count backward until the bottom stop is reached. Then, write down the values used so that if the controls are ever accidentally changed, the you know precisely how to restore their settings.
Audio is a field that requires development of an intuitive feel; a “hmm that seems too loud/soft/bright/thin” and then appropriate adjustments being made to counteract the particular shortfall or excess. It’s a journey, not one to be short-changed by looking up a spec on Google, plugging it in and presto the problem is solved. If it were easy, everyone would do it.
Enjoy the journey’
Interesting. How does that physical connection work coming from the Sprout100? From the Sub Out to the High Level Input?
Spend some time on the REL Acoustics web site - it will be worth your while.
Short answer is that you use the special interconnect that comes with the kit to hook the subwoofer to your speaker terminals on your amp or integrated amp, using the same posts you use for your L & R speaker connections.
Check out the manual for the T/5i here: Series T/i Manual.
^^ That’s an image of the Sprout back panel. OP is sporting a Sprout 100.
“Sporting a sprout…”
Yeah - figured I would put a pic of what he needed help with next… Does he drive it high level or low level. Looks like (1) sub so he could go low level. I would use the manual and go hi level. The kit they send will plug into the high level and manual will show how it gets connected to amp (Sprout).