REL Acoustics 212/Sx
A stellar performer, now delivering more power with effortless clarity—elevating volume, enhancing precision, and preserving the finest nuances of air and space like never before.
- 1,000-watt NextGen 5 Class D Amplifier
- 12" Continuous CastAlloy™ Active Drivers (2)
- 12" Rear-Firing Passive Driver
- 12" Down-Firing Passive Driver
Quality Meets Quantity
The Powerful 212/SX
At REL, a deeper understanding of quality underpins everything we do. So, whilst 212/SX thunders and shakes foundations, it also resolves detail and restores midrange warmth to its correct balance. At 1,000 watts with (4) 12” (350mm) drivers, 212/SX drives rooms hard and in multiple modes which allows it to create richer bass everywhere in a room.
Refinements to both our legendary ultra-fast filters and newly developed drivers produces harder slam and brings to life quieter, gentler moments, improving system performance at both extremes. Plays brilliantly with both high end 2-channel and large power theatre applications.
At REL, a deeper understanding of quality underpins everything we do. So, whilst 212/SX thunders and shakes foundations, it also resolves detail and restores midrange warmth to its correct balance. At 1,000 watts with (4) 12” (350mm) drivers, 212/SX drives rooms hard and in multiple modes which allows it to create richer bass everywhere in a room.
Refinements to both our legendary ultra-fast filters and newly developed drivers produces harder slam and brings to life quieter, gentler moments, improving system performance at both extremes. Plays brilliantly with both high end 2-channel and large power theatre applications.
Double Down
Lightweight carbon fiber blades firmly attached to the rear of each active alloy cone serves to both strengthen the cone and quiet it. The twin 12” (300mm) active drivers now offer an additional 12mm of stroke and also benefit from updated suspension geometry and greater power handling. And a brand-new double-spider, high powered passive unit on the bottom delivers floor rippling low bass. The result is a major step forward in the 212 design, an already brilliant performer now playing louder with greater ease whilst better preserving the tiniest details of air and space with even greater precision.
Sound Beyond Its Size
Our uniquely tuned passive radiators use special suspensions, now with an additional 30mm of linear travel, to produce performance far beyond conventional subwoofers. Our new SuperProgressive™ passive radiator produces extremely long travel allowing for very loud output while retaining the variable stiffness of its suspension.
The down firing passive produces deep, floor-crawling bass that makes a room shudder. Mounted above the amplifier panel on the rear is the second passive. This unit produces wrap around “atmospheric” bass that adds air and shimmer to the sound. Coupling with either the rear wall or the rear corner of a room allows for bass to develop exceedingly long wavefronts and adds an ease and effortless quality unique to single-box designs.
NextGen 5 1,000w Digital Amplifier
With incredible reliability in units now numbering in the thousands, the NextGen 5 Class D amplifier is a paragon of extreme power and reliability. At 1,000 watts of output, plus the ability to connect both High Level and .1/LFE simultaneously with optional state of the art wireless, 212/SX delivers the goods at scale. It does so with incredible grip and control in the extreme deep bass where most amplifiers get loose and lose control.
212/SX has an almost limitless sense of power, coupled with precision. Where others offer brute strength, we deliver massive power and every secondary category of performance with ease and effortless versatility. Deafening output in a concert video or blockbuster movie? Check. Beautifully rendered female vocals accurately placed within a stone abbey? Check.
Futureproof Wireless
We seized the opportunity to develop a new high resolution, audiophile-grade uncompressed wireless system for 212/SX and our newer offerings in the Reference range. Airship™ is a new 5.8 gHz military-based wireless system built into a monolithic LSI chip that delivers incredibly fast bass. We ship full bandwidth, not just bass, through this system that includes (2) channels. The first channel handles our High Level Input and can be used for both stereo bass or use of a single channel with monoblock amplifiers. Simultaneously, Airship will process the .1/LFE channel necessary for special effects in film so both RCA and XLR inputs are provided. In the future, we anticipate adoption of more active wireless loudspeakers reaching the market, so we included stereo low level inputs. With Airship, you’re ready for the future.
Dealers selling REL Acoustics near you
The 212/SX delivers profoundly musical, deep extension down into the teens and tight dynamics that remain controlled at extreme levels. Reviewers praise its seamless integration with mains and the way it enlarges soundstage and midrange clarity; see Todd Cooperider and Edgar Kramer for impressions. Refined connectivity and stout power make it a premium, system-transforming sub.
Pros
- Extends very deep with authoritative output—room-shaking low end that remains tight and well-controlled.
- Exceptional speed and dynamic control with high headroom that preserves transient definition at loud levels.
- Blends seamlessly with main speakers to expand soundstage and improve perceived midrange clarity and dimensionality.
- Robust connectivity and high-quality construction—Neutrik Speakon high-level inputs, multiple LFE options, and a refined piano-black finish.
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Cons
- Performance depends on careful placement and tuning; extracting the best results requires time and attention to setup.
- No dedicated remote volume control—some reviewers noted a missing convenience feature.
Sound Quality
92/100
Bass
92/100
Extends deeply (manufacturer -6dB at 18 Hz) and reviewers call it 'more bass than you will ever need' with 'gut-wrenching low output' and a 'full, deep, tight' presentation.
Dynamics
92/100
Described as 'tight, and fast' with 'speed and accuracy' and driven by 1,000-watt amplification; reviewer credits its speed/accuracy and headroom as standout traits.
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Integration
93/100
Reviewer outcome language: the 212/SX 'transforms the entire experience' and 'increased the overall performance level of my system(s) more than any other piece of equipment,' indicating excellent blending with mains and system-wide payoff.
Build Quality
90/100
Called 'great engineering and build quality' with a high-end piano black lacquer finish and heavy, well-constructed multi-driver layout.
Features Connectivity
88/100
Rich connectivity (Neutrik Speakon high-level, stereo RCAs, LFE XLR/RCA) and practical hookup approach praised: reviewer highlights dual inputs and supplied 32' Speakon cable that allow precise integration with amplifiers.
Value for Money
84/100
Performance is exceptional for the asking price and reviewer 'highly recommended' it, but the high $4,999–$5,399 price keeps value from scoring as near-universal bargain or 'no-brainer.'
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