Rel Acoustics No.25 Subwoofer Listening Demo Results

[gene]

Long-time subwoofer manufacturer Rel Acoustics decided to commemorate their 25th year in business with the launch of a new flagship subwoofer, the No.25, a 15" woofer powerhouse using a 1,000 watt amplifier. At nearly 170 lbs, the No.25 is built like a tank, but with its glossy curves and stylized cabinet, it looks like an exotic sports car. We visited a dealer that used six of them in one room for a taste of the high-end of low-frequencies. Read on to find out our experience with Rel's mighty new subwoofer.

Read: Rel Acoustics No.25 Subwoofer Listening Demo Results

 

[KEW]

$7500 ea, and I always run duals, LOL!
Clearly, I am not in their target demographic!

 

[lovinthehd]

Rel for subs, meh. Especially at their ridiculous prices.

 

[Bucknekked]

$7500 ea, and I always run duals, LOL!
Clearly, I am not in their target demographic!

You are correct. At $7500 each, I am not the target demographic. I can appreciate a well made device and one that's made to perform at a certain over-the-top level. But, there's that old law of diminishing returns. At some point right above a Hsu 15" sub with a similar 1Kwatt amp in it, performance starts to look really similar but the price tag doesn't. I appreciate the article and the knowledge that this kind of stuff is there.

 

[KEW]

You are correct. At $7500 each, I am not the target demographic. I can appreciate a well made device and one that's made to perform at a certain over-the-top level. But, there's that old law of diminishing returns. At some point right above a Hsu 15" sub with a similar 1Kwatt amp in it, performance starts to look really similar but the price tag doesn't. I appreciate the article and the knowledge that this kind of stuff is there.

Yep, my sensibilities top out somewhere right around Funk Audio (that is not what I have, but what I think I'd want)!

 

[lovinthehd]

Then there's the goofy hookup method for Rel for audiophiles....altho I haven't read the article yet, just assuming they're still on that horse.

 

[rojo]

Yep, my sensibilities top out somewhere right around Funk Audio (that is not what I have, but what I think I'd want)!

Yeah, really. For that kind of dough I'd prefer a pair of these subs with their 18Hz - 40kHz range.

I'm struggling to understand the target market for this sub. I get that pretty comes at a premium, but how is it worth $5500 more than the SVS SB16 Ultra? And padding the price for dealer markup is likewise allowable, but Paradigm also has a furniture-grade 15" offering for $3500 less. If the additional output of Rel's larger enclosure is preferred, then Paradigm's hexa-driver Persona can still be had for $1000 less, pushing 700 more watts and 40% more driver surface area. What niche is Rel filling?

 

[shadyJ]

The Paradigm Persona sub drivers likely have relatively little xmax compared to the No.25. That extra cone surface area might not be able to make up the difference. And the Persona drivers are certainly going to have a higher Fs. Yeah, the No.25 is expensive but it is dead sexy. I wouldn't mind having a pair. Or a pair of stacks of three.

As for value, this is a luxury, high ticket item. It operates on a different market plane than high value item like Hsu or SVS. It's like Rolex; sure, you can get a more accurate timepiece with a $50 Casio, but no one is buying Rolex watches so they can know what time it is.

 

[lovinthehd]

The Paradigm Persona sub drivers likely have relatively little xmax compared to the No.25. That extra cone surface area might not be able to make up the difference. And the Persona drivers are certainly going to have a higher Fs. Yeah, the No.25 is expensive but it is dead sexy. I wouldn't mind having a pair. Or a pair of stacks of three.

As for value, this is a luxury, high ticket item. It operates on a different market plane than high value item like Hsu or SVS. It's like Rolex; sure, you can get a more accurate timepiece with a $50 Casio, but no one is buying Rolex watches so they can know what time it is.

So you enjoyed testing it but wouldn't buy it? Still haven't read the article, something about Rel persuades me it isn't worth my time as I'd never consider them for product. So they still doing the funky two way connection?

 

[shadyJ]

So you enjoyed testing it but wouldn't buy it? Still haven't read the article, something about Rel persuades me it isn't worth my time as I'd never consider them for product. So they still doing the funky two way connection?

I didn't test the Rel subs, I just listened to them for a little while. If I had the money and means for something like these, I would probably just commission the construction of a subwoofer to my own specifications, but I am far more interested in subwoofer technology than your average buyer. As for the connectivity, Rel's preferred connectivity is Neutrick Speakon high-level inputs, but the No.25 can also accommodate RCA, XLR, and wireless connections.

Anyway, value is subjective. You can get three of these for the price of a Wilson Watchdog or four of these for a Magico Q sub. But until I win the lottery, I am not really concerned with any of them.