About The REL HT/1510 Predator II Subwoofer
HT/1510 resets expectations for REL's standard bearer, with a confident, sexy new look that meshes perfectly into the traditional REL family, while delivering significantly increased power and improved, well, just about everything.
Predator II delivers upgraded performance across every performance category: 1,000-watt amplifier with PerfectFilter™ inputs, new 15" CarbonGlas™ driver that handles vastly more power, and confident, elegant styling not previously seen in home theatre designs. This encourages use in multi-REL systems, allowing blending with Serie T/x and Serie S.
The Best Gets Better: Predator II, the full upgrade of HT/1510, builds on REL's original home theatre subwoofer (winner of Home Theatre of the Year awards on multiple continents) by upgrading every component and aspect. These upgrades were based on three key learnings:
- The sound was so good, people wanted more power
- Looks matter and despite being enjoyed in the dark, a home theatre subwoofer must look every bit as stunning as its audiophile-driven kin
- Mating the HT/1510 with the high level models (Serie T/x and Serie S and Reference Models) produced dazzlingly rich, fully continuous theatre quality bass
So Predator II received a full 1,000-watt linear power supply amplifier and a new 15" (381mm) driver with 40% greater power to give people what they wanted - bigger, faster dynamics and flat out POWER. This attack is combined with a gorgeous new cabinet with sleek new proportions to perfectly mate with other REL designs for a surround sound system that truly looks as beautiful as it sounds. To make sure you received the benefits of these updates, REL developed specialized home theatre versions of its award-winning PerfectFilter™ that delivers flatter deep bass, now down to 20 Hz. As icing on the cake, Predator II delivers the highest .1/LFE output of any REL. Ever.
Design Isn't Everything, It's the Only Thing: Predator II confidently delivers massive upgrades in design elegance, performance and execution of every detail in cabinet design. Beauty, in this case, isn't skin deep. REL start by using right-sized cabinetry, beautifully executed in horizontally line-grained black with a subtle sheen that evokes state of the art amplifiers. This brings to the HT range the same sleek, elegant proportions used in REL's Reference models at a fraction of the price. REL designs benefit from incorporating integral engineering solutions throughout their designs. Check out REL's BrilliantBrace™. Employed inside each HT/1510, it cradles the rear of the driver to eliminate shipping damage, quiets and redirects energy normally trapped in the driver, and quiets top, bottom and both sidewalls of the cabinet. Brilliant. And the full depth rails used to support and reactively brace against the powerful movements such a powerful subwoofer can produce, also means Predator II can be stacked in Line Arrays of 3 per channel for the ultimate in home theatre, to carry performance up the entire height of massive projection screens.
Size Matters, Now More Than Ever: There is simply something special about a large driver effortlessly distributing bass that small subs working hard can never match. At the heart of every REL lies a truly great driver. Predator II's 15" (381mm) driver retains the combination of glass fibre and carbon fibre centre cap that allows quick, reactive bass with slam that is the hallmark of great theatre sound. The lightweight glass fibre allows the 3" (76mm) voice coil to accelerate Predator II's cone instantly, while the carbon fibre centre cap stiffens the composite structure, ensuring that even in the biggest of moments, its cone structure remains intact and un-phased by massive signals. Naturally, this delivers benefits for music reproduction as well. Power handling has been increased, permitting the much more powerful amp to give its best without fear that the driver might not keep up. Scale, speed and signature performance are this flagship's reason for being.
Now Hear This: If 800 watts wasn't enough for you, surely the 1,000 Watt Class A/B linear power supply amplifier in the new Predator II will cure what ails you. Featuring 4 x 400 Watt mosfets and a monster power supply, because it's critically important to have massive current reserves for when the explosions and special effects hit. Predator II's amplifier brings massive power with almost limitless reserves. This creates huge output that is available instantly, almost dismissively, and is delivered in the effortless manner worthy of the lead dog in the HT family.
Stand & Deliver: HT/1510 Predator offers one more uniquely REL innovation. For truly over the top performance, Predators are designed to be stacked up to three (3) units high using included REL Couplers™ that connect lower units to upper units. These solid, milled aluminium couplers bolt securely to each sub and along with the substantial rails on the underside of each cabinet create an extremely heavy, sturdy tower of bass. When used in stereo stacks (6 total, 3 per side) it represents over 8000 watts of peak power forcing (6) x 15" drivers to give their utmost in the service of breathtaking bass delivered in oceanic torrents of bass.
Airship II - Combined With Predator II Utterly Transforms Home Theatre: For the first time wireless High Level Input is made available to owners of Predator II. When combined with REL's newest Airship II, the latest state of the art Texas Instruments ADC-DAC chips and REL's world-famous High Level Input circuitry permit Predator II owners to add High Level Inputs driven off the main amplifier outputs. When your receiver or av processor is set properly, this delivers professional transfer studio sound, sound that delivers rich, full range sound, at all times. Not the thin strained but once-in-awhile-something-goes-bang sound that annoys in traditional home theatre.
HT-Air MKII - Zero Compression Wireless Compatible: There is wireless and there is REL wireless. REL are well-known for having the finest wireless purpose-built systems in the entire component audio world. Though HT-Air MK2 is affordable, it retains REL's corporate fixation on zero compression and maximum dynamics delivered via a 5.8 gigahertz network. HT-Air is designed to leave old fashioned Bluetooth-based systems in the dust, delivering latency in the 16-20 millisecond range. This permits owners to place their HT/1508 Predator where it works best for them without resorting to unsightly cables being strewn across the landscape of your living room, all while retaining REL's category-leading super-fast wireless.
REL HT/1510 Predator II Reviews
"This is one of the speediest home theater 15 inch subs that I've had come through my home theater. Its got ample musical chops and it does hang pretty closely with its more music centric very nimble little brother the T/9x. It's main claim to fame is going to be used in a home theater environment for movies …I felt it had more low end with a beefy heavier presence than its predecessor. I'd say its like an SVS subwoofer but with more control and less bloat." Spare Change
"Is this bad boy good for music? Yes, absolutely! It is phenomenal with music. If you have a mixed system, if you have a stereo only, a dedicated theater, it doesn't matter. This subwoofer can do all of it." Nemo Propaganda
"A couple takeaways that I got is that every time the monster would swipe or a card door is closing you would get that immediate thump from the center channel which I think if you didn't have a center channel subwoofer you would just feel it from the front left and right…This is more direct and because when you see the monster swipe on screen in the center of the screen it sounds like he's actually hitting this person or there's a car door slamming it is coming from the center." Spare Change
Our Take
Refined in every way, 1,000 Watts of endless power, stiffer 15" carbon fibre driver, exceptionally built and finished to look like the high end monster the Predator II clearly is, the real question you have to ask yourself is "Why wouldn't I buy it?". And the answers to that question are few and far between, because everyone who encounters the HT/1510 Predator II and especially those who hear what it can do, immediately want one, or two or even six stacked as line arrays either side of their state of the art home theatre setup. It might seem strange to say, especially at this price point, but we firmly believe the REL HT/1510 Predator II is something of a bargain. Once you've encountered one in real life, we think you'll agree.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: Closed Box, Front Firing Powered Subwoofer
- Line Arrays: Can be stacked as Line Arrays up to 3 per channel
- Active Driver Size & Material: 15 inch (381mm), CarbonGlas™ using glass fibre primary cone with true carbon fibre centre cap for structural reinforcement
- Low Frequency Extension: -6dB at 20Hz
- Input Connections: Low Level Stereo RCA, LFE RCA, LFE XLR
- Output Connections: Low Level Stereo RCA, LFE RCA, LFE XLR
- Power Output: 1,000 Watts (RMS)
- Amplifier Type: Linear Power supply with Class D output
- Wireless Capability: Yes, with REL Airship II or HT-Air MKII wireless systems, sold separately
- Protection System: Fully Electronic Set Safe, D.C. Fault & Output Short
- Mains Input Voltage: 220-240 volts
- Fuses: 8 Amp semi delay 230 volts operation
- Supplied Accessories: Mains Lead & Users Manual
- Removable Power Cable: Upgrade to a Premium Power Cable for better performance
- Available Finishes: Black or White, Horizontally Oriented Line Grained Composite, 15 mm Top Plate, Finished in 5 Coats of Hand-Rubbed High Gloss Lacquer
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 540 x 457 x 494 mm
- Net Weight: 45.2 kg
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 3 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE