REL vs JL AUDIO

Ozzy,

 First thing I said to myself when I saw this....

@jeffvegas --

I'd rid myself of brand-focus and gadgetry and go with the DIY-advice of poster @mijostyn above. Let physics have their say, and when you buy separate components (certainly electronics) reliability usually sees a clear boost. Cheaper as well.   

If DIY is a no-go I'd go with the likes of a duo or quartet of PSA's S1512. Very high quality subs with great pro drivers and good ICEpower amps - way cheaper than both REL and JL Audio to boot. 

Have *both* REL and Rythmik and have compared extensively, too. Both are good. Rythmik has no weak bass response or lack of dynamics in my room and no delay in the sound. Jim Salk, a top-notch speaker maker, uses Rythmiks in his custom subs.

Still, rooms are a big factor and of course so is subjective perception. Good luck with your REL and JL AUDIO comparison. 

Hello,
I own both brands. As a reliability issue for JL, that was with the older E Series. I believe it was the volume pot or something basic. The V2 are really reliable and in the F series they have 80% more adjustment nodes than the V1 series. The issue with JL Audio VS REL is cost. With REL you can get a smaller T series sub with the Speakon connection and it is as smooth as silk. It looks like the Carbon series in REL is like the ESeries in JL with a Speakon connection. With JL F110 series you have the same specs with a cheaper price and a smaller foot print. If you want the Speakon connection then go with REL. If you are going RCA connections then go with JL. The best system is two JL F110 subs and the JL CR1 crossover. It lets you dial in the perfect crossover point on your subs but more importantly your main speakers. The F110 have 18 point room correction. They play at the same frequency as the bigger RELs do but at a cheaper price, a smaller footprint, and with one driver. So in a nutshell it’s REL at a cheaper cost at the lower end. Since you are going to $8000 I say go with the JL. Regardless of brand pick up a JL CR1 crossover as long as you are using a separate amplifier. At these price point it’s JL Audio. You are getting way more bang for your buck. No pun intended. The F series is so good you will not look back. As long as you do not need the Speakon connection. The JL is so good I have not even needed the room correction. 

@tablejockey
I tested with 2 S812s (borrowed one from my local dealer) because you are absolutely correct 1 vs 2 would not have been a fair comparison.

@hilde45 and @jeffvegas
My experience too, my Rythmiks had better bass (much lower than the REL S812s) and I still say cleaner bass as well and there was certainly no delay with the servo (at least not audibly) perhaps due to the fact that I had so much more control over the setup of the Rythmiks than the RELs. (REL’s never did integrate as claimed) But I agree with jeffvegas that I think that the dynamics were a hair better with the RELs.

Always find these discussions interesting, there are so many factors which guide us to our solutions. The differences in equipment, the amount of money tied up in each component, and especially the room size and acoustics. So many variables... that is why I still prefer my brick and mortar dealers. -- wish there were more!