The REL S/812 is the latest model in the company’s Serie S line-up of subwoofers. This sealed unit includes a forward-firing 12-inch driver, combined with a 12-inch downward-firing passive radiator for deeper bass extension. It sports a revised cabinet, sits on rails instead of feet, uses an upgraded 800W NextGen5 amplifier for more power, and has a redesigned ultra-lightweight ContinuousCast alloy cone to handle the increased excursion. It also has very useful carry handles on the sides, which make installation easier.
This is an excellent subwoofer that’s beautifully designed and fantastically well made. It’s also an impressive performer, delivering exceptional bass in a tight and controlled fashion. The combination of the 12-inch driver and matching 12-inch passive radiator ensures some serious low-end extension, and the amplification has power to spare. It would be nice if REL included a remote control, but otherwise this highly sophisticated sub is hard to fault. It’s certainly not cheap, but when you consider the build quality, features and performance, the S/812 is a definite high-end winner.