Сабвуферы — Rel Acoustics Classic 98

The Classic 98 is the smaller of two walnut-clad subwoofers in the Classic series from REL Acoustics, a range the British maker aims at owners of vintage audio gear. REL presents it as a return to its 10 inch down-firing designs of the late 1990s, and it is in effect an updated Strata III, the 1998 model that first brought REL wide international sales. It was launched on 7 May 2024 at GBP 1,299, while American buyers pay USD 1,499.

Key specs that matter

A single 10 inch (250 mm) driver faces the floor, built on a steel chassis with an amended pulp-on-paper inverted cone and a natural butyl surround. A 300 W RMS Class D amplifier powers it, with the bottom end stated as 27 Hz at the -6 dB point. The cabinet is 350 mm wide, 470 mm high and 298.5 mm deep, and the high-level connector adds about 45 mm to the depth. Net weight is 18.1 kg, rising to 21 kg packed in a 522 x 645 x 472 mm carton. Walnut veneer is the only finish offered.

Engineering and use context

REL built the cabinet as a closed box, following the formula Richard Lord used in the 1990s - a sealed cabinet, a long-throw bass unit and an amplifier of relatively low power, which back then was Class A/B and is now Class D. REL did not borrow the driver from its T/9x but made a paper-coned unit specifically for this model. The cabinet is left unbraced and carries thicker internal wadding than the original Strata III. Rolled edges finish the top and bottom plates, the deep matt walnut is set off by a REL badge on the top plate, and the box stands on square feet. The input filters respond in 8 ms, and REL fits its own versions of the LimitLess and Perfect filter circuits.

Pairing

Three inputs are provided - a High Level Neutrik Speakon socket, a Low Level RCA and an LFE RCA. A 10 m Speakon lead is supplied to tap the amplifier's loudspeaker outputs, which suits stereo integrateds and power amps with no subwoofer output, while the LFE socket accepts the .1 feed of a surround receiver. For a cable-free link, REL sells HT-Air MKII and AirShip II wireless kits as extras. An electronic set-safe system guards the amplifier against DC faults and output shorts, and a mains lead is included. The visual styling is meant to match mid-century stereo equipment in a period-style system.

Alternatives

The REL Classic 99 is the bigger walnut model of this range, with a 12 inch driver, a 450 W amplifier and extension to 24 Hz at -6 dB.