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No. 32
Om 32 jaar vakmanschap te vieren vond REL het
nodig een statement te maken die verder ging dan
een analogie met een berg doet vermoeden. Dan
neem je een kilowatt aan ultra-betrouwbare
Klasse D versterking, die je vervolgens
combineert met een superlichtgewicht 15”
koolstof woofer. Het eigen crossover met twee
parametrische EQ’s geeft een lineaire
kamerrespons met behoud van snelheid en
resolutie waar REL zo bekend om staat. Om het
resultaat te beschrijven schieten woorden
tekort. Hemelse klanken met een satanisch laag?
Een reus die zich voortbeweegt als een
ballerina? Een olifant die de porseleinkast
intact laat? Het achtste wereldwonder? Misschien
moet je eens gaan luisteren. Begin er met
eentje, laat je verroeren door een
stereo-opstelling of je haar in de plooi leggen
door een dubbel Line Array bestaande uit twee
stacks van drie maal een No. 31 of voor complete
gekte een No. 32. Gekkenwerk, absurd, niet doen!
Dat soort waarschuwingen zouden erop moeten
staan. Al was het maar om het gewicht van een
No. 32; 85 kilo.
No.32 enjoys the rarefied
position of elevating our Reference range to an
even higher orbit. No.32 retains the exquisite
beauty of our curvilinear reference cabinets, an
updated 15″ (380mm) true carbon fibre driver
that boasts 4″ (100mm) of total stroke and our
ultra-reliable 1,000 watt amp outfitted with
thin film capacitors, higher gain and superior
limiting. The net result is a flagship model
that stretched the edge of the art further with
superior dynamics, richer tonal color, and a
freer, more expressive character that opens up
the midranges and highs in an unprecedented
manner.
When Nothing but the
Finest Will Do - Edge Of The Art Design
No.32 represents the sum of our efforts,
research, and knowledge gained over the past
three decades as a leader in audio and
subwoofers. Nothing we have built competes with
the speed, agility, absence of texture, and
vivid dynamic contrasts delivered by No.32. It
represents the pinnacle of REL’s considerable
experience and is our standard for future
innovation. A remarkable sonic achievement, it
transcends its illustrious forebear, which was
named Product of the Decade just a few years ago.
It is 1,000 watts, has a 15”(380 mm) pure carbon
fibre driver, and has exquisite cabinetry
requiring three weeks of labour to complete.
However, each of these features only hints at
what it takes to reside at the top of REL’s
offerings, and No.32 is poised to be a design
for the ages.
Beautiful Form Follows
Functional Perfection
It is often said that form follows function. If
that is true, what a lovely function we are
following. The cabinet traces a curvilinear path
established over a decade ago on the original
Gibraltar. Here, the top surface tumbles down at
the rear corners – a difficult treatment to
execute, but one that produces a uniquely
beautiful effect. Triple-plated steel handles
are inset into ellipses that allow for a secure
grip, which is necessary when lifting an object
over 200 pounds. Inside, the rear backing plate
is well over half an inch thick and contoured to
follow the inner surface, yielding a massively
strong structure. No.32’s new badge treatment
combines the materials that appear most
frequently within its design; the carbon fibre
used throughout the driver is inset within a
polished, cast alloy basket that is finished in
3 layers of plating to achieve a jewel-like
sparkle. The overall design speaks to the
remarkable efforts that went into ensuring No.32
is as striking visually as it is technically.
Arrayed For Battle
No.32 permits the same vertically stacked line
array as the ultimate No.31. It delivers
transformative performance that no competitor
has been able to. For those who have been
seeking the ultimate musical and theatre
experience, Line Arrays unlock the final
dimension of system reproduction. Audiophiles
have chased three-dimensional sound for years,
yet they have missed the simple fact that the
height—not the depth—of image is the missing
link. By creating products that are designed to
be stacked 3 (or in exceptionally tall rooms, 5)
units high while retaining individual crossover
and gain control of each subwoofer in the array,
REL has created a masterpiece that finally
delivers what the most experienced audiophiles
have been chasing for the past 40 years.
The Utterly Reliable
Beast
No.32’s 1,000-watt amplifier was also used in
its predecessor for over seven years. Thousands
of these amplifiers are in use all over the
world; they are a paragon of reliability. Its
implementation in No.32 combines a new limiter
with a much wider envelope to permit the widest
dynamic swings possible. Also, No.32’s dual
parametric EQs allow for robust and flat
response in the lowest ranges, extending below
20 Hz. When its second EQ is set to frequencies
above the crossover point, No.32 meshes
perfectly with the main speakers while
simultaneously reducing room-based resonances.
Drive On
As with all RELs, No. 32’s heart and soul is its
15” (380mm) driver. The driver’s cone is
constructed entirely of carbon fibre.
Additionally, a carbon fibre centre cap is
overlaid on the primary cone surface. This cone
design results in a far stiffer driver that
possesses superior self-damping qualities,
removing even minor resonances that can obscure
detail retrieval whilst keeping moving mass to
an absolute minimum. No.32’s driver suspension
permits a full 4” (100mm) of travel fore and
aft, an enormous amount of travel for such a
large driver. These are some of the secrets to
its performance. Transparency, allied to
tremendous dynamics, is the result.
A Remote Like No Other
Take control of your No.32 by grasping the REL
Reference Remote Control. Immediately, you will
be struck by the perfect fit in your palm, the
result of careful thought and numerous
generations of trial-and-error fittings during
prototype development. The second reaction to it
is the awareness of its mass, which conveys its
quality, permanence, and immutability. It tells
you, “I am a thing of substance, of quality. Pay
attention, what you do next matters.” If you
have owned a REL in the past (and fully 90% of
Rel Reference owners are), all the familiar
controls are right at hand, exactly where you’d
want them. High (or low if using active
speakers) level gain sits comfortably to the
right side, the crossover rests in the middle,
and .1/LFE gain is off to the left. Below are
three lovely metal toggle switches handle the
critical setup functions. The remote’s on/off
switch is at the bottom. It is both as out of
the way as possible and remains on once turned
on and in use during setup without being
accidentally turned off. In the middle sits the
phase control. This is used only initially to
determine the correct 0 or 180 degrees of phase.
Additionally, the top access to the Dual
Parametric EQ-marked with A and B—permits the
flattest, deepest bass and, at the other end of
the bass frequencies, the fine-tuning of
crossover behavior. This gives you the perfect
blending of subwoofer to main speakers and any
vestiges of room-generated boom and resonance
can be gently trimmed away. REL’s Reference
Remote reminds you of the perfect butler—always
immaculate, indispensable when called upon, then
quietly set aside until a future time when
perhaps additions or further improvements to
one’s system further require its services.
Specifications
- Type: Closed box, front-firing driver
- Active Driver Size & Material: 15 in., 380mm
long-throw, carbon fibre cone with inverted
carbon fibre
dust cap
- Passive Radiator Size & Material: N/A
- Low Frequency Extension: 15Hz at -6 dB
- Input Connectors: High Level Neutrik Speakon,
Low Level stereo RCA and XLR, LFE RCA, LFE XLR
- Output Connectors: High Level Neutrik Speakon,
LFE XLR, Line XLR
- Power Output: 1,000 watts (RMS)
- Amplifier Type: Pure Class D
- Wireless Capability: Yes - Rel Airship II [required]
sold separately
- Dual Parametric Filter: Yes
Protection System
- Fully Electronic Set Safe: Yes
- D.C. Fault: Yes
- Output Short: Yes
- Mains Input Voltage: 220-240 volts, 110-120
volts for certain markets
- Fuses: 7 Amp semi delay 230 volts operation,
15 Amp semi delay 115 volts operation
Dimensions
- W x H x D: 29 1/4 x 21 x 32 1/8 in. (743 x 540
x 816 mm)
- Net Weight: 187 lbs. (85 kg), shipping weight
- 225 lbs. (102kg)
- Finish: Piano Black Lacquer, 12 coats
Supplied Accessories
- Mains Lead: Yes
- Neutrik Speakon: Yes (10 Meters Nominal)
- Interconnect: No
- Users Manual: Yes
Brochure
Manual
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