Gibraltar Sub-Bass Systems Opera1ng Instruc1ons for the
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Important Safeguards Read all of these instruc1ons. Save these instruc1ons for future use. Unplug from the wall socket before cleaning. Do not use near water. Do not place on a stand or table; it may fall causing injury to a child or adult, and damage to the unit. The unit should only be operated from the power source indicated on the panel of the amplifier. Only use the power cord supplied. Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord.
Welcome to the REL Family Thank you for buying a REL Gibraltar Sub-Bass System. Gibraltar is carefully hand-built using the finest materials available and is designed for maximum performance. This manual contains important safety informa1on as well as helpful advice and should be carefully studied before connec1ng the unit. Many or most loudspeakers emphasize the mid-bass. This is the range from 50Hz to 90Hz.
Introduc,on to the Design of the REL Gibraltar Sub-Bass Systems Any design process is a journey. Please follow along as we share lessons gleaned from our three-year journey culmina1ng in the birth of a new ultra high performance range for REL Acous1cs, Gibraltar™. The REL design team’s goals for Gibraltar were to replicate the extraordinary performance of the much costlier REL Studio III while reducing size and upgrading appearance.
Numerous versions of the cabinet were constructed and evaluated using test instruments and, in par1cular, the human ear. Extensive bracing runs the full internal height of each side panel, across the en1rety of the crucial top panel, and includes a single fore-and-a" integra1ng brace much like the spars on a ship that results in an excep1onally quiet cabinet. Spacing of these spars is based on Fibonacci mul1ples, ensuring that resonance cancella1on is spread across a mul1tude of frequencies.
REL Reference Theater Connec,on Gibraltar’s filter, opera1ng completely independently of the primary crossover, provides for dedicated .1 inputs and crossover func1on. The pure Dolby® Labs .1 protocol is observed featuring a dedicated fourth-order filter fixed at 120Hz. Connec1on is via either XLR or RCA sockets for the .1 input. Gain is adjustable completely independently of the high-level connec1on. When both the high and .
REL G-1 Rear Panel Connec,on Legend 1 2 1 4 3 9 5 6 7 10 8 7 3 2 4 5
1 .1/LFE Phono Input: Used to connect to the .1/LFE output of a surround-sound processor. 2 .1/LFE Phono Output: Used to connect or “daisy chain” another REL G-Series in tandem. 3 Le" & Right Channel Low-Level Phono Input: Used to connect low-level signals to the sub-bass system from the output of a preamplifier, integrated amplifier or receiver. (For home cinema use, use .1/LFE input). 4 Power Pilot Light: Power On/Off indicator. 5 .1/LFE Balanced Input: Balanced (XLR connector) version of .1/LFE Input.
Connec,vity and Func,onality High-Level Input: Connec1ons should be made to the same binding post on main amplifier as the main speakers. Red to amplifier main right speaker red terminal, yellow to amplifier main le" speaker red terminal and black to amplifier main speaker black terminal, right or le" but not both. Plug the Neutrik Speakon plug into the HIGH-LEVEL Speakon socket. .1 Input: This requires a phono-to-phono cable and is a dedicated true .1 channel.
Remote Control Battery Installation Gibraltar’s remote control unit requires two AAA ba2eries. These are not installed but are supplied. To install or replace ba2eries in the remote control unit, first remove the bo2om aluminum cover by using the supplied 2.5mm allen key to loosen the two visible screws. With the bo2om cover removed, you will see a ba2ery holder which will accept two AAA ba2eries. Follow the images on the holder for proper orienta1on of the ba2eries.
HIGHFLEVEL and .1/LFE inputs can be used simultaneously. The benefits are twoFfold when used with a home cinema system. The lowFlevel input reproduces the .1 Sub/LFE channel and the highFlevel connec1on underpins the main front speakers. The main front speakers should be set to the ‘large’ op1on on the processor. See the sec1on “REL Theater Refference™ Home Cinima Applica1ons” LP. 19M for more informa1on.
Differen,al or Class-D Amplifier Connec,on • For differen1al (i.e. fully balanced) amplifiers using one REL, simply use the standard connec1ng scheme with the excep1on of connec1ng the black wire to chassis ground (i.e. a metal bolt or screw, preferably not painted or anodized, on the chassis of the power amp or receiver), not to a nega1ve speaker terminal, and then connec1ng into the HIGH-LEVEL INPUT on the REL.
Dedicated Center Channel Sub Connec,on • If connec1ng a single REL as a dedicated center channel sub, connect the black wire of the REL to the nega1ve center channel speaker terminal; twist together the red and yellow wires and connect this pair to the posi1ve center channel speaker terminal.
Connec,ng Gibraltar Towers For higher levels of low-frequency output, you may want to use mul1ple sub-bass systems. To facilitate this, the Gibraltar uses a rear panel high-level connector to “daisy chain” units when stacked ver1cally or placed next to each other. This connec1vity allows for the same amplifier output signal to easily feed mul1ple sub-bass systems.
Using the Remote Control to Address Mul,ple Sub-Bass Systems The address selec1on is accessed on the remote control unit by removing the bo2om aluminum cover in the same way as outlined in the sec1on “Ba2ery Installa1on”. Removing the cover will reveal a small rotary switch labeled “ADDRESS” next to the ba2ery holder. Factory se3ng is posi1on “0”.
Before You Begin • It is helpful to know that you will almost always connect the REL to the input on the rear panel labeled “HIGH-LEVEL INPUT.” This connec1on is made using the supplied 34’ 10” (10 meters) cable, the bare leads of which connect to the speaker output terminals of the power amplifier. The easy and foolproof connec1on at the REL is done with a Neutrik Speakon connector. The purpose of connec1ng to the speaker output terminals is one of the unique secrets of REL’s success.
Working with a partner, one in the listening posi1on and one at the REL manipula1ng the controls, is the most effec1ve and efficient way to set up the REL. If working alone, the ini1al steps in the set-up can be very effec1vely carried out from the loca1on of the REL. Trying to ignore all other music in the track, listen for the bass drum and its effect on the listening room. 3 Phase Orienta,on: Once in the corner we need to adjust for phase.
and crossover can be made to provide the last bit of complete and seamless integra1on. With that, set-up is complete. Hint: There may be a tendency to set the crossover point too high and the volume of the Sub-Bass System too low when first learning how to integrate a REL with the system, the fear being one of overwhelming the main speakers with bass. But in doing so, the resul ng set-up will be lacking in bass depth and dynamics.
REL Theater Reference™ Home Cinema Applica,ons For Dolby® Digital AC-3 or other 5.1 theater systems, once the standard set-up for two-channel outlined above is complete, the LFE output from the processor or receiver should be connected to the .1/LFE INPUT and appropriate volume adjustments made using the .1/LFE level control.
connect the remaining black lead to the nega1ve (black) terminal on the rear of the speaker. The purpose of the third “center” REL is to ensure the center channel can keep up with the scale, weight and dynamics the main system now has. Loca1on should be anywhere from the opposite corner of the front wall to somewhere in the middle of the front wall, listen for best integra1on with the center channel speaker.
Care and Polishing The cabinets are best maintained by using a light automo1ve spray-on wax and a microfiber cloth. We use a spray-on made by a company called Griot’s Garage™. While this may not be available in all markets, you can use a similar product. Take care not to spray the aluminum badges. Do not place objects, such as drinks, on top of your REL. Never use a dry cloth on this finish.
Ordinarily an overload would cause the power amplifier to go into clipping with resultant loss of control over the drive unit. This can cause drive unit damage, and always sounds nasty. Set-Safe detects the point of incipient clipping and gently so" clips the waveform of the signal to ensure actual clipping does not occur.
Specifica,ons G-1 Type: Drive Unit: Lower Frequency Response in Room: Input Connectors: Output Connectors: Gain Control Range: Power Output: Phase Switch: Amplifier Type: Protec1on System Fully Electronic with SET-SAFE: DC Fault: Output Short: Mains Input Voltage: Mains Fuse: Dimensions W x H x D, Including Feet: Net Weight: Supplied Accessories Mains Lead: Neutrik Speakon Interconnect 10 Meters Nominal: Users Manual: Remote Control: Ba2eries (AAA x 2): Spikes (x 4): Allen Key (2.
G-2 Type: Drive Unit: Lower Frequency Response in Room: Input Connectors: Output Connectors: Gain Control Range: Power Output: Phase Switch: Amplifier Type: Protec1on System Fully Electronic with SET-SAFE: DC Fault: Output Short: Mains Input Voltage: Mains Fuse: Dimensions W x H x D, Including Feet: Net Weight: Supplied Accessories Mains Lead: Neutrik Speakon Interconnect 10 Meters Nominal: Users Manual: Remote Control: Ba2eries (AAA x 2): Spikes (x 4): Allen Key (2.
REL Acous,cs Limited North Road, Bridgend industrial Estate . Bridgend, CF31 3TP . United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1 656 768 777 . Fax: +44 (0) 1 656 766 093 Web: www.rel.