REL S510

The S510 occupies a precise place in REL's S series: that of the active subwoofer with a compact-medium chassis, designed for installations where the S/812 proves too bulky or too imposing. It suits rooms of moderate volume, and partners high-end speakers whose bass foundation needs extending rather than overpowering.

At the heart of the unit is REL's own NextGen3 amplifier, set at 500 watts and equipped with substantial power reserves. This headroom matters as much as the nominal power figure itself: it allows the unit to absorb soundtrack peaks without dynamic compression. To handle this additional energy, the driver receives a thin carbon fibre film to the rear of its cone, which stiffens the assembly without any notable increase in weight. Two sets of specifically developed filters complete the design.

The brief for this generation covered three areas set out by the manufacturer: markedly greater output in the deep bass between 20 and 35 Hz, improved dynamics for cinema use, and a more open soundstage. The cabinet has been reworked accordingly, so that these internal developments have a coherent supporting structure.

One feature sets this model apart: line-array stacking, in columns of four or six units, a principle previously reserved for the brand's reference models. This configuration is aimed at ambitious installations, dedicated rooms or demanding multichannel systems, where several subwoofers work in concert. An AirShip kit is available as an option for wireless signal transmission.