Сабвуферы — Rel Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label

The Carbon Special Black Label is a subwoofer made by the British company REL Acoustics and belongs to the 2025 generation of Serie S, which REL introduced during its 35th anniversary. The four-model lineup consists of the S/550, S/850, Carbon Special Black Label and 212 Black Label, and REL places this model in the medium chassis at the top of the single-driver designs. The launch price was USD 4,999, GBP 4,799 or EUR 5,599, one step below the 212 Black Label.

Key specs that matter

A 12 inch active driver with a cone made entirely of carbon fibre fires forward from a die-cast alloy chassis and uses an inverted carbon fibre centre cap. It works with a 12 inch passive radiator that faces the floor, has a flat carbon cone and sits in a steel chassis. The amplifier is rated at 900 W RMS and holds peaks of 1,250 W. In-room extension reaches 19 Hz at -6 dB. The cabinet measures 488 mm wide, 410 mm high and 565 mm deep, weighing 44.5 kg unpacked, or 53 kg packed. Standby consumption is quoted as 40 W.

Engineering and use context

REL calls the amplifier Linear Class D - a hybrid in which the current delivery of a Class A/B monoblock feeds a Class D output stage. A 6.8 kg power transformer and extensive heatsinking support it. The driver has a newly designed suspension that allows more than 60 mm of cone travel from front to back, and REL states it can take three times the peak power of its predecessor. The passive radiator was also re-engineered for this generation. All filtering stays analogue, with no DSP in the signal path. The finish is eight coats of piano black lacquer, broken by black crown inlays along the sidewalls, and a wood grille is fitted as standard, with a black cloth grille offered separately. Recessed stainless-steel handles and knurled billet cylinders help with levelling, and milled aluminium adjustment knobs plus mechanical couplers allow two or more units to be stacked vertically as a line array.

Pairing

The High Level input, a Neutrik Speakon socket supplied with a 10 m cable, connects to the amplifier's own loudspeaker outputs, so the bass unit is fed exactly what the main pair gets. Low-level RCA and XLR connections, including an LFE input, serve AV processors and receivers, which makes the unit usable in a combined stereo and cinema system. The optional AirShip Direct kit removes the signal cable when the subwoofer has to sit far from the electronics.

Alternatives

The REL S/850 is the next model down in Serie S at USD 3,999, with a slightly smaller cabinet.