REL HT/1205 MKII – 12" Powered Subwoofer

REL Serie HT: HT/1205 MKII – Subwoofer

HT/1205 MKII establishes a new performance standard for affordable home theatre subwoofers, avoiding electronic gimmickry in favor of properly balanced priorities: cabinets that are right-sized, solidly braced, and beautifully finished, with a sparkling new amp design that effortlessly delivers 500W into an all-new CarbonGlas 12” (300mm) driver. The black lacquer top plate has a subtle REL logo floating on top, while the expensively wrought black line-grained composite cabinet looks the business. HT/1205 MKII plays 50% louder than its predecessor while also delivering more precision and subtlety, capable of output levels more commonly found in models well over $1,000/£1,000. Fantastic for music, and available HT-Air rounds out a perfect offering.

• 12” (300mm) long-throw CarbonGlas driver
• 500-watt (RMS) Class D amplifier
• –6 dB at 22 Hz Low Frequency Extension
• Closed-box, front-firing cabinet
• Wireless via HT-Air MKII (sold separately)
• 43.2 lbs. (19.6 kg) Weight
• Made in China
• 3 Year Warranty

Highlights & Key Technologies

Rethink What’s Possible
Serie HT is designed specifically to answer the challenge of creating affordably priced, exceptionally dynamic, pure home theater powered subwoofers. The HT/1205 MKII is the ideal combination of a lightweight, modern 12” CarbonGlas (300mm) driver coupled to a powerful 500W Class D amplifier that runs cool, producing extraordinary dynamics. Internally, REL developed specially adapted home theater input filters that produce extremely flat bass down in the 20’s. REL set out to build the loudest, relatively compact 12” unit available for pure home theater use, and at truly attractive pricing, with svelte cabinet dimensions finished in an attractive yet purposeful line-grained black aluminum look, topped by a 12mm-thick beautifully polished top that serves to damp vibrations on the critical top surface of the cabinet. For REL owners already enjoying Reference, Serie S, and T/i subwoofers designed for both 2-channel and theater use, the HT/1205 MKII supplements their system’s .1/LFE output to produce extremely high output for chest-rumbling home theater special effects.

Designer Exterior
The beautiful new cabinetry is bespoke; it has new textures, proportions, and finishing touches previously unseen in the category. Lower, sleeker cabinetry borrows proportions drawn from REL’s new Reference models, which experiments have established results in a faster, deeper presentation of bass — all while looking smashing. Your eye is immediately drawn to the top panel, whose entire surface is finished in 5 coats of hand-polished piano black lacquer. A discreet REL logo floats within the top layer of lacquer, whilst the body of the cabinet is clad in horizontally streaked, line-grained composite. The entire affair looks expensive, bespoke, and tastefully restrained. Additionally, it can be stylishly combined with either Serie T/x or Serie S in large, fully-immersive REL HT/3D setups.

Drive Like You Mean It
The HT/1205 MKII’s driver is a 12” (300mm) CarbonGlas construct as it has always been, but all its components were beefed up, improved in both large and small ways to deliver the greatest performance possible. Lightweight, stiff, and quiet, the combination of glass fibre primary cones with true carbon fibre centre caps results in a cost-effective yet pistonic cone. Larger, more powerful magnets produce more energy, and upgraded suspension designs control the HT/1205 MKII’s output all the way out to the limits of both the amplifier and the driver. The result is crazy output, while the HT/1205 MKII remains fast and liquid.

PerfectFilters: Where it All Starts
Amplifiers do the heavy lifting in a theatre subwoofer. REL turned to a true tier-one amp supplier to build its latest design, with thicker boards, upgraded power supplies, and all the engineering that results in a brutally powerful amp with remarkable longevity. The MOSFET power modules rated at 800 watts mean this amp is just cruising at its 500-watt rating. While the theatre gets all the headlines, the HT/1205 MKII’s big secret is that it sounds sublime in musical applications. REL input filters are renowned throughout the audio world, bringing together ultra-fast crossovers, elevation filters that extend the flatness of deep bass, and explosive-sounding integrated limiters. Refined in this second generation, the secondary filters are much higher in frequency, making the rarefaction of air in the sound of an explosion feel that much more realistic. The latest circuit also includes an all-analogue subsonic filter that begins as low as 8 Hz to minimize the effects of infra-noise from soundtracks that extends well below the resonance point of the driver. The result is incredible delivered power with the ability to play all the way to the driver’s limit without distortion.

Zero Compression Wireless
Wired for sound used to entail long runs of cable strewn across the floor. With REL’s optional HT-Air, great sound has become “un-wired.” Wire has been replaced by a tiny transmitter and matching receiver that sends an incredibly fast 5.8 GHz wireless signal up to 60 feet with no digital compression. This affordable circuit includes the same LSIC chip that powers REL’s state-of-the-art AirShip II, minus the expensive analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue (DAC) converters. The HT-Air is perfect for the .1/LFE signals using RCA connectors that are the HT/1205 MKII’s primary mission.

Connectivity & Daisy-Chaining
To simplify and increase the versatility of connecting, the HT/1205 MKII has two low-level RCA inputs, facilitating use with AV surround sound systems, two-channel stereo systems, and powered speakers. A single RCA jack labeled .1/LFE connects to the sub output of a processor, while the dual RCA jacks can be used for stereo low-level connection from a stereo source or powered speakers. The upper frequency amplification of these inputs can be limited using the crossover control. The RCA inputs have corresponding output connections so that multiple RELs can be run in parallel by connecting the OUT of one to the IN of the next — what REL refers to as “daisy chaining.”

Set-Safe Overload Protection
All REL Sub-Bass Systems are designed as true sub bass speakers, reproducing exceptionally deep notes that are felt as well as heard at whatever volume level is set. If set too high, no damage should result because the built-in electronics limit cone movement. This electronic control, called Set-Safe, constantly and instantaneously monitors the output from the power amplifier and is totally transparent in operation until required, detecting the point of incipient clipping and gently soft-clipping the waveform to ensure actual clipping does not occur. A thermal overload device is also fitted; if the unit is deliberately over-driven, it senses the temperature rise and cuts the output, with a recovery time of approximately five minutes.

Details & Specifications

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Closed box, front-firing driver
Active Driver Size & Material: 12 in. (300mm) long-throw, CarbonGlas cone structure, inverted carbon fibre centre cap, steel chassis
Passive Radiator Size & Material: N/A
Low Frequency Extension: –6 dB at 22 Hz, in room
Input Connectors: (2) Low Level RCA or (1) LFE RCA
Output Connectors: Daisy Chain (2) Low Level RCA or (1) LFE RCA
Power Output: 500 watts (RMS)
Amplifier Type: Class D
Phase Switch: Yes, 0 or 180 degrees
Crossover: Variable between 30–200 Hz
Wireless Capability: HT-Air MKII (sold separately)
Dual Parametric Filter: No

PROTECTION SYSTEM
Fully Electronic with Set-Safe: Yes
D.C. Fault: Yes
Output Short: Yes
Mains Input Voltage: 220–240 volts; 110–120 volts for certain markets
Fuses: 4 Amp semi delay, 230V operation; 8 Amp semi delay, 115V operation
Power Draw at Standby: > 0.5 watts
Power Draw at Idle: 13 watts

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
Dimensions (W x H x D), including feet and rear panel controls: 16.25 x 15.25 x 17.25 in. (413 x 387 x 438 mm)
Net Weight: 43.2 lbs. (19.6 kg)
Shipping Weight: 51 lbs. (23 kg)

FINISH
Horizontally Oriented Line Grained Black Composite Cabinet, 15 mm Top Plate, finished in 5 coats of hand-rubbed high gloss black lacquer

COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE
Made in China

WARRANTY
3 Year Warranty (parts and labor)

SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES
Serie HT/1205 MKII Subwoofer
Grille
6’ AC Power Cord
User Manual & Warranty Information
Quick Start Guide
Safety Information