REL Gibraltar G1 stereo subs.
 

I just installed a stereo pair of REL G1's onto my Focal Utopia III Scala speakers . I had wonderful assistance from my local dealer and the Sumiko rep Allen. I can not stress enough what a fantastic job Allen did at dialing in these babies.

I am running them off the amplifier output taps of my MC275LE's. We tried the LFE input and were all extremely disappointed. After positioning the Focals we moved the subs out from the back wall lateral to the Scalas. We moved incrementally until the sound from the bass drivers of the speakers were in perfect time with the G1's.

Once this was accomplished we listened to numerous songs on digital and analog sources. We adjusted the subs high pass crossover setting and the sub volume. Since the REL uses a second order crossover the subs influence is much higher than the crossover setting. I would have expected a low setting of 25-35 Hz. Interestingly with a low crossover setting the bass was too fat on the very bottom and poorly integrated. Allen wisely increased the crossover setting to 50, 60 and 70 Hz. To my surprise this sounded SO GOOD! I felt embarrassed that I was giving into my mid-fi internal adolescent but Allen said "Wow that sounds good". He too was surprised but indicated that he often finds stereo subs sound better at a HIGHER crossover with less gain.

Ultimately we settled on 48 Hz and a gain of "16" out of a possible 36.

The improvement is miraculous. I am not one to say great things about rig upgrades but in my humble opinion this is the GREATEST improvement I have ever heard on any stereo rig upgrade. The added air and low level information transforms the sound to a degree that the illusion of being transported to the recorded venue is complete. This is especially apparent on live recordings where the ambient auditory cues are needed.

Interestingly, I have found the sound of the treble to be altered by the added bass. I have confirmed this by simply unplugging the Neutrik connector on the sub and listening. As far as I can tell there is an alteration in the perception of the sound with the added lower harmonics. I certainly do not believe that that the G1's are adding anything to the high end but the harmonic resonance of the tympanic membrane seems to clarify ones perception of the higher frequencies.

I can not say if it sounds better, worse or the same as any other sub. I can only say that I am ecstatic about the G1's and would recommend them to anyone to audition.

nice!
Sounds like a great learning experience as well. Dialing in makes such a difference. Like the description. Enjoy the RELs!

Glad you had a great experience with your dealer and our very own Bass Boy, as we affectionately know Allan. :tresbon:

Thanks for your kind words.

Bass boy is the bomb. His knowledge is impressive, his ability more

Allan is very good at setting up speakers and integrating sub(s). In addition his knowledge of music allows him to pick some great tracks for setting up and demonstrating the speakers.

I liked the flexibility of using the remote for setting up G1s. The ability to adjust crossover, phase and volume from your seating position really helps.

I wish you could move the subs with the remote. ;)

I had a similar experience when I added stereo subs to my two channel rig (although they were a different brand). Congratulations on an epic upgrade!

:lmao:

Congrats. The REL GIs are truly awesome . Have to be heard to be believed. Just curious what's your room size and how far are the subs from the corners/sidewalls ?:thumbsup:
Cheers