By 2026 has been the year of the subwoofer here at FutureAudiophile.com. We’ve reviewed everything from the super-small but very capable SVS SB-3000 Micro (read the review) to Paul Wilson’s hot take on the REL S/550 “Six Pack” (read the review), which is pretty much the most epic concept in the world of low frequency audio. We’ve covered a lot this year but, respectfully, nothing is like John Hunter’s design for the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer.
Subwoofers are typically big, black boxes that can pump out lower-than-the-instruments-that-we-listen-to level bass at high volumes at varying costs. For many audiophiles, myself included, as I rock a big old SVS SB-4000 to go with my Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 reference loudspeakers and get some pretty fantastic results, considering the limitations of my current room. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer is a whole other form factor of a product. It is a narrow, stylish, box fan-like subwoofer, designed to blend into a room aesthetically. It can be mounted to a cool-looking cart or comes with hardware to be mounted to the wall. REL’s signature wooden grille is optional that looks super-cool. You could hide the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer behind or even under a sofa. The question is: can the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer actually perform in a real high-end audio system, or is this just a CEDIA darling product designed for the custom installation market? That is what I am here to see and hear …
What Makes the REL Planar PL-2 Subwoofer So Special?
- The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer has a size and shape that makes it unlike any other subwoofer in the audiophile market and likely in the CI (custom installation) market. This sub is designed to fit into a room but not blend into the wallpaper like some toy-like accessory. This is a high-output subwoofer that delivers real bass – not some poor excuse for an LFE, like some of what we see at the CEDIA Expo from offbeat CI brands.
- The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer packs a 550-watt Class-D amp. Not all REL subs come with Class-D amplification (learn more here), but the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer does, and it suits the design well in terms of overall output.
- The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer has an eight-inch driver and a 10-inch passive radiator.These aren’t the biggest drivers, but they do go deep as well as play loudly. This driver configuration was specifically chosen to allow for such a shallow subwoofer physical depth, without giving up sonic depth. The mix of drivers and overall driver selection was a process that took over 2.5 year in development with REL.
- The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer can be installed as a mono or stereo sub (with a second woofer) for a more balanced sound in a given room. Not everybody, myself included, can place their subwoofer directly in between their speakers. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer, in a stereo pair configuration, is able to improve on many of the inefficiencies of a single subwoofer, thus making the lows much better sounding.
- Unlike some of the REL Serie HT products, which come in vivid or designer colors, the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer comes in black or white (like a good Metallica or Beatles album, respectively). The wooden grille is somewhat controversial in terms of aesthetics. For me, I absolutely love the look of the grille as it takes a simple rectangular shape and gives it design flare in an audiophile category that could respectfully use some design flair.
- There is a technology the REL invented called VIMAR, which helps reduce vibrations when mounted to the wall. For those living in a condo or an apartment – this is going to serve very well when it comes to pissing off the neighbors. In my case, my thick cement floors and ceilings paired with excellent windows makes it so that I can rock out late at night and not piss off the neighbors. Make no mistake, the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer has the power to actually anger the neighbors, as well as a solution to avoid said conflict.
- The flat piston driver is a unique design for such a thin cabinet. The measured output of the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer is 24 Hz, which is low, low, low. It also outputs somewhere in the neighborhood of 110 dB, which is respectable from any audiophile subwoofer, regardless of the size.
- The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer is very much an analog audio component. There are filtering and setup options to match the sub best with the room.
- The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer comes with an optional cart that allows the unit to sit on the floor and be a bit of an objet d’art. For about $300, this might be a cool way to make such a sub fit your décor, but this is fully optional.
- REL doesn’t like to connect subwoofers at line level the way most subs do. REL wants you to run a signal to the sub from the speaker output of your power amp. The way that we did it with my REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer was to connect the included REL wireless Airship Direct component, which got connected to my Pass Labs XA 160.8 amps (read the review) and then beamed to the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer wirelessly for a seamless connection.
- The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer is 25.6 by 18.8 by a mere 5.7-inches thick and weighs just 44 pounds, which is pretty light for a sub of this magnitude.
Why Should You Care About the REL Planar PL-2 Subwoofer?
Not all audiophiles can make a subwoofer work at all in their varied system configurations. More now than ever before, audiophiles know and understand the benefit of having bass that extends down very deep (subsonic in some cases), as it has an effect on the overall sound, even if a bass guitar only dips to, say, 47 Hz. Most of us don’t listen to pipe organ music or EDM (electronic dance music) with Roland TR-808 synths in it, but being able to go deep is a good thing.
The audiophile who buys the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer is looking to get bass or additional bass support (you can absolutely add the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer as a second or alternate sub to an existing system) into their room without physically dominating the space with big, bulky subwoofers. He or she is looking for a slick look, but not willing to compromise on having low, flat-sounding bass.
Some Things You May Not Like About the REL Planar PL-2 Subwoofer
- The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer doesn’t have digital room correction. The whole concept of DRC is antithetical to REL’s design philosophy. They want to match the sound and speed of your amp to your sub, even if that is a small factor. They don’t want to hide their sound behind digital room correction, either. They like to give you the goods with not masking or sonic window dressing. It is important to note that any customer can call their dealer for setup tips, or they can call the team in Berkeley, California, and they will talk you through the process quickly and gladly. They actually want to hear from you and make sure that you are getting the most from your REL subwoofer.
Listening With the REL Planar PL-2 Subwoofer
The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer was added to my reference system, which used a VPI Avenger turntable, an SPL phonostage, a Bluesound Node ICON streamer, a Pass Labs XP-32 stereo preamp, Pass Labs XA 160.8 Class-A monoblock amps, Bowers & Wilkins 802 D4 speakers, and Wireworld cables. My room is anything but perfect, with no left wall and an angled glass wall on the right. Anthony Grimani helped me design some simple acoustical treatments from his brand Sonitus. This is a pretty swanky system installed in a condo, thus far from perfect. Setup was done by John Hunter, the head honcho at REL, as well as the designer of the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer, thus I got a pretty good analog setup for the sub in my room. My positioning was far to the left of my speakers, as moving my SVS was not viable in my room. The two subs played nicely together when I mixed them, but my listening tests were with the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer as the only sub that was on.
Major props to our longest-tenured reviewer, Brian Kahn, for hipping me to the Taylor Swift song “Vigilante Shit.” This is a stripped-down track that lyrically makes a statement, but in terms of deep synth bass, this Tay-Tay track goes low. Low isn’t the issue with the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer, even with a simple less-than-six-inch physical cabinet depth. What was notable in the lowest of lows were two things: control and output. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer didn’t sound bloated. It sounded tight and full. The next issue was the volume. I cranked up the song to really high volumes, and the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer just laughed at me. This subwoofer has output that you are not likely prepared for. This REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer goes deep and plays loudly without ever losing its composure. I have never met a custom installation sub that can even remotely compete on that front.
Peter Gabriel’s SO album is about as iconic a pop-rock record from the 1980s as I can think of, containing “Don’t Give Up.” Tony Levin’s Chapman Stick (a crazy bass-like instrument) is very much the star of this gorgeous song of faith and resilience. After the Palisades Fires, multiple abdominal surgeries, the failure of my long marriage and a needlessly contentious divorce – this track could very well be my modern theme song these days. Levin’s low notes sound quite low, but that again isn’t really what caught my attention. What lured me in musically was the overall coherence in higher frequencies. The detail and openness in the mids were of note. This is what I hear with big-boy subwoofers that cost more money and are physically much larger. There was a visceral punch but really good control, which is what I like from a well-made audiophile sub. The fact that the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer does this from this type of form factor and from the other side of the room is quite impressive.
I love me some early 2000s U.K. EDM (electronic dance music), and I have said before that Underworld’s Beaucoup Fish is The Dark Side of the Moon of the genre. The song “Shudder/King of Snake” is a breakneck track with low synth bass, as well as the type of intensity that will have you wondering if somebody slipped some Molly into your Cheerios in the morning. The thumping dance groove is relentless and fast-paced. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer extends deep, but it is the overall output, paired with coherence, that again is worthy of note. This is not simply some CI sub designed to fake a sonic outcome. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer brings audiophile-level performance to brutally difficult tracks like this without missing out on anything meaningful. The lows are very low. The sound is solid from soup to nuts, even when pushing the volume to levels that approach what you would find in a clandestine London rave circa 2002.
Will the REL Planar PL-2 Subwoofer Hold its Value?
Subwoofers almost always fail this resale value test, as they are so expensive to ship. In the case of the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer, shipping isn’t bad at all when compared to other audiophile subs. REL is one of the most well-distributed brands in audio, with big-box stores (Magnolia, or whatever they call themselves these days, inside a Best Buy), catalog stores, and top audiophile retailers, as well as custom installers as dealers. Audiophiles know that a REL subwoofer is well-made and worthy of addition to their system, thus people will want to add one of the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofers for a long time to come. This feels like a pretty safe long-term investment. Moreover, with its thoughtful design, there will likely always be a place for such a subwoofer somewhere in your home, thus giving the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer enduring relevance, thus more overall value.
What is the Competition for the REL Planar PL-2 Subwoofer?
Realistically, nothing competes with the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer because, while there are traditional subwoofers that are capable of comparable (and in some cases better) performance, they don’t meet the size demands of the REL.
A REL S/550 is an in-brand comparable and likely is a better subwoofer overall. With that said, the REL S/550 is a traditional form factor sub, thus is not the best comparison. The fact that you can pair them and then stack them in pairs makes for a very cool upgrade path (did you click above on Paul’s S/550 “Six-Pack” review?), which has its own appeal.
The aforementioned SVS SB-3000 Micro ($999.99 buy at Crutchfield) is another small sub that could fit in tough spots and isn’t very large. At the same time, it is rectangular. It does come with digital room correction, which is good for those who like that (I do, REL doesn’t) but, again, this comparison feels a bit forced, as there is not much like the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer.
Final Thoughts on the REL Planar PL-2 Subwoofer
An audiophile product that pushes the boundaries and challenges norms is always going to get our editorial attention at FutureAudiophile.com. When John Hunter sat down to draw out the plan for this subwoofer, there was a bit of an Apple-like “Think Different” moment. How can one get low bass, deep bass, loud bass and real output from a form factor that could appeal to a customer who would normally have to say no to buying a subwoofer? Hunter accomplished his mission here.
The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer has a very unique design, but is an even smarter play in the consumer electronics market. There are many excellent subwoofer brands available today and most are fantastic performers. REL makes some of the best traditional subs, but the REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer is a whole other concept. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer challenges AV norms. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer brings the power and coherence of a real audiophile subwoofer to people who, up until now, couldn’t say yes to the such a product. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer is the type of subwoofer that an audiophile can and should say “yes” to, be it a primary subwoofer, a pair of subwoofers or even a supplemental subwoofer in a system that would benefit from a second or tertiary sub. The REL Planar PL-2 subwoofer is an important new product in the audiophile space – not just in the subwoofer category.
