Perlisten D215s: Is This the Most Accurate Subwoofer on the Planet?

[lovinthehd]

James is @shadyJ .

LOL didn't even notice....and @james is a one time user from 18 years ago so don't think he saw the alert....

ps Then again simply "hearing" a sub isn't all that useful unless you set it up properly. Can't imagine a Rel being worth the money.....

 

[shadyJ]

@james Larson, thanks for the review of the Perlisten D215s!
Since you have also heard the REL 25, could you compare these two subs? Which one do you prefer? I am considering purchasing either a pair of Perlisten D215s or a pair of REL 32 (similar to REL 25) for stereo music listening (I have a large room). Since I will not be able to compare them in my system prior to purchase, your feedback would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

Between those, I would have to spring for the D215s. I am sure the Rel is is great sub, but the D215s is absolutely state-of-the-art.

By the way, I would get two subs if possible for a system like that, even if they are not was heavy-duty as the d215s or the No32. That will reduce any chances of localization while permitting higher crossover frequencies if desired.

 

[vpnogueira]

@shadyJ, Thank you!

Could you give a comparison, as much as you can remember, between the D215s and the Rel 25?

Yes, I intend to audition a pair of Gryphon Trident II complemented by a pair of Perlisten D215s, to possibly replace my highly modded Dunlavy SC-VI.

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Thanks,

VPN

 

[shadyJ]

@shadyJ, Thank you!

Could you give a comparison, as much as you can remember, between the D215s and the Rel 25?

Yes, I intend to audition a pair of Gryphon Trident II complemented by a pair of Perlisten D215s, to possibly replace my highly modded Dunlavy SC-VI.

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Thanks,

VPN

I couldn't give you a fair comparison since I heard them in different rooms and entirely different setups with different content. I doubt that anyone could give you that kind of comparison, sorry. There isn't a whole lot of either model in existence, so the number of people who have done proper A/B comparisons between these two models is almost certainly zero.

 

[Verdinut]

The push-pull creates a positive and negative pressure, but since the drivers are playing out of phase yet are mounted in opposite directions of each other, the pressure that they cause in the sealed cavity helps to reduce the nonlinear travel that only occurs in one direction of the driver's travel. Think of the air as a direct mechanical link between them. If the driver has a problem in the inward excursion, the linear outward excursion from the other driver pushes the problematic inward travel of the first driver into greater linearity. The force of the opposite driver uses air pressure to induce better behavior for the adjacent driver.

This design is quite a bit similar to the push-pull isobaric system. What I understand is that the difference between the two is that for the Perlisten the sealed cavity is the full enclosure, compared to a small sealed space between the two drivers for the isobaric. With the push-pull isobaric, the sealed space between drivers is subjected to a fixed pressure.

 

[fmw]

View attachment 49613​

We were left deeply impressed by Perlisten’s S7t in our recent review of that tower speaker (Audioholics Perlisten S7t Review), not just by the superbly neutral response but also by the fantastically low distortion combined with its wide dynamic range. This perked up our interest in their subwoofer line which features an innovative “push-pull” driver alignment. Aside from its state-of-the-art driver and amplifier technologies, the Perlisten D212s and D215s subwoofers also mount the drivers in such a way that can dramatically lower distortion. So how low can distortion be pushed down in a subwoofer? We decided to find out by taking a drive to Perlisten’s headquarters in Wisconsin and testing one for ourselves. Read on to see what we were able to measure from the Perlisten D215s subwoofer!

READ: Perlisten D215s Subwoofer Performance Review

It uses the same driver I put in my home brew 15" sub. I would imagine this product will perform very well.

 

[shadyJ]

It uses the same driver I put in my home brew 15" sub. I would imagine this product will perform very well.

The driver used in the D215s is proprietary to Perlisten and not something that is sold at stores.

 

[fmw]

The driver used in the D215s is proprietary to Perlisten and not something that is sold at stores.

The driver used in the D215s is proprietary to Perlisten and not something that is sold at stores.

I doubt that. Not many speaker manufacturers manufacture drivers. They design and make enclosures and crossovers. Here is the driver in question. It is excellent, by the way. https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-UM15-22-15-Ultimax-DVC-Subwoofer-2-ohms-Per-Co-295-514?quantity=1

 

[ryanosaur]

I doubt that. Not many speaker manufacturers manufacture drivers. They design and make enclosures and crossovers. Here is the driver in question. It is excellent, by the way. https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-UM15-22-15-Ultimax-DVC-Subwoofer-2-ohms-Per-Co-295-514?quantity=1

Dude.
Just look at the two drivers and it is blatantly obvious that Perlisten is NOT using a Dayton Ultimax. C'mon.

I've seen several companies who have worked with Driver manufacturers to do custom work that entails an out right new design or simply even a new cone on an existing motor. Many options are possible, but as has been told from the earliest Perlisten review, they are doing thing quite differently. Most suggested Perlisten was using SB Acoustics Textreme Drivers.
Regardless, I'm not on the inside and will not speculate. But go back to the review and compare your driver to what is pictured.

 

[shadyJ]

I doubt that. Not many speaker manufacturers manufacture drivers. They design and make enclosures and crossovers. Here is the driver in question. It is excellent, by the way. https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-UM15-22-15-Ultimax-DVC-Subwoofer-2-ohms-Per-Co-295-514?quantity=1

Dude.
Just look at the two drivers and it is blatantly obvious that Perlisten is NOT using a Dayton Ultimax. C'mon.

I've seen several companies who have worked with Driver manufacturers to do custom work that entails an out right new design or simply even a new cone on an existing motor. Many options are possible, but as has been told from the earliest Perlisten review, they are doing thing quite differently. Most suggested Perlisten was using SB Acoustics Textreme Drivers.
Regardless, I'm not on the inside and will not speculate. But go back to the review and compare your driver to what is pictured.

All Perlisten drivers are manufactured by Perlisten. They are not using the Umax or SB Acoustics drivers. The group that operates Perlisten also manufactures drivers for other brands too, but they are nothing like the drivers made for Perlisten. The Perlisten D215s woofer is far more powerful than the Umax. Were it available commercially, it would be much more expensive than the Umax 15". Same thing as the SB Acoustics driver. Same cone but different everything else.

 

[fmw]

All Perlisten drivers are manufactured by Perlisten. They are not using the Umax or SB Acoustics drivers. The group that operates Perlisten also manufactures drivers for other brands too, but they are nothing like the drivers made for Perlisten. The Perlisten D215s woofer is far more powerful than the Umax. Were it available commercially, it would be much more expensive than the Umax 15". Same thing as the SB Acoustics driver. Same cone but different everything else.

OK. It looks identical.

 

[ryanosaur]

OK. It looks identical.

*shrugs

If you say so.

 

[Dhos4094]

I’m debating on 2 d215s or 2 d212s. Selling my 2 pb16 ultras. I bought r7t and r5c.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

View attachment 58775

View attachment 58776

*shrugs

If you say so.

Hahaha just saw this. Yeah, they’re super close. Wtf…

 

[aoaaron]

I’m debating on 2 d215s or 2 d212s. Selling my 2 pb16 ultras. I bought r7t and r5c.

Me too. What are the differences you decided on?
I want 2x D212s for form factor but I wonder if it wil pressurise room.

 

[lovinthehd]

I’m debating on 2 d215s or 2 d212s. Selling my 2 pb16 ultras. I bought r7t and r5c.

Me too. What are the differences you decided on?
I want 2x D212s for form factor but I wonder if it wil pressurise room.

Curious, what particular improvements do you think would go with this change?

 

[aoaaron]

Curious, what particular improvements do you think would go with this change?

I want to replace the 3 Mono 15s I won.

The reason is I compared my 1723 Monitors to my Perlisten S5M monitors and the bass & texture from the S5Ms was AMAZING. my 1723 monitors, which i always thought were tight and articulte, sounded bloaty.

So if perlisten sub bass sounds like their speakers, then god damn i need one (or two).

 

[lovinthehd]

I want to replace the 3 Mono 15s I won.

The reason is I compared my 1723 Monitors to my Perlisten S5M monitors and the bass & texture from the S5Ms was AMAZING. my 1723 monitors, which i always thought were tight and articulte, sounded bloaty.

So if perlisten sub bass sounds like their speakers, then god damn i need one (or two).

Curious, how did you conduct such a comparison?

 

[aoaaron]

Curious, how did you conduct such a comparison?

I played them both full range, with no calibration, in my room and A/B compared them; song by song; in stereo.
Same positions, on same stands, swapping them (wasn't easy as they're both heavy).
I think did the same with some film material (again no subwoofer involvement).

I think for fun ran some mild EQ (separately for both pairs of speakers), saved to presets and compared.
Finally, I did a blind experiment of someone other than me, and asked for their opinions.
It became very very obvious the Perlisten ran away with it.


The S5Ms utterly destroyed and dominated them. I used to think 'holographic imaging' was a myth - but no, its real - and sadly both my Arendals and Revels don't have it in comparison to the Perlistens. They also just don't seem to distort whilst my Arendals definitely do start to.

Still got to sell some Arendals.

I had little bias as I wanted to keep the Arendals and not buy the Perlistens. Sadly the Perlistens were just that good.

 

[lovinthehd]

I played them both full range, with no calibration, in my room and A/B compared them; song by song; in stereo.
Same positions, on same stands, swapping them (wasn't easy as they're both heavy).
I think did the same with some film material (again no subwoofer involvement).

I think for fun ran some mild EQ (separately for both pairs of speakers), saved to presets and compared.
Finally, I did a blind experiment of someone other than me, and asked for their opinions.
It became very very obvious the Perlisten ran away with it.


The S5Ms utterly destroyed and dominated them. I used to think 'holographic imaging' was a myth - but no, its real - and sadly both my Arendals and Revels don't have it in comparison to the Perlistens. They also just don't seem to distort whilst my Arendals definitely do start to.

Still got to sell some Arendals.

I had little bias as I wanted to keep the Arendals and not buy the Perlistens. Sadly the Perlistens were just that good.

Not a particularly good comparison method in several ways, but thanks. With sub frequencies I doubt there is going to be a particularly noticeable difference, but there's only one way to really find out....