Yes, it’s true that setting a low threshold for the limiter
protects the small drivers and minimizes harmonic distortion, but this time it
seemed to go too far, restricting the dynamic range of the bass relative to the
midrange and treble. I’ve tested single-driver 8-inch subwoofers, such as
Velodyne’s $459 EQ-Max 8, that produce greater output with 24 percent less
driver area. I’ve done CEA-2010 output measurements on both subs, and while the
Habitat1 outperforms the EQ-Max 8 below 40hertz, the EQ-Max 8 produces 6.8 dB
more average output from 40 to 63 Hz.
REL Acoustics at
CES 2013
Typical pop fare, such as R.E.M.’s “7 Chinese Brothers” and
the English Beat’s “Ranking Full Stop” showed that the Habitat1 sounded quite
competent when used at moderate, even slightly loud levels, but it didn’t have
a lot of deep bass output. For a sub of its size, that’s fine, but given the
Habitat1’s high price tag, I expected more.
REL Habitat1
Acoustics useful
Movies
In my 5.1 setup with the Sunfire speakers, the Habitat1 did
a nice job of filling out the sound when I watched TV, various documentaries,
and lighter movie fare such as the Blu-ray of Frost/Nixon. When I listened to
Bombing Hitler’s Dams, a fascinating documentary streamed through Netflix and
run through Dolby Pro Logic II, the Habitat1 gave me a nice, tight, punchy
sound on the synthesized bass notes from the music track, the moderately deep
atmospheric tones, and the sound effects of bombs going off. This was at what
I’d consider a fairly normal volume for average TV viewing: peaks of about 80
dB, measured from my listening chair.
What that told me was that the Habitat1 can get the job done
for day-to-day watching in a bedroom or a small den or media room. But could it
cut it for serious movie watching?
To find out, I put on the Blu-ray of Rise of the Guardians
and skipped right to chapter 6, the scene where the villain, Pitch Black (Jude
Law) lays out his diabolical plans. This chapter is filled with ominous deep
bass tones meant to create an atmosphere of fear, but at the levels I typically
like to listen at-peaking out around 98 dB, which is loud but not as loud as a
lot of home theater enthusiasts like—the sound was thin, lacking any real shake
or oomph. Again, I tried turning up the level, but it didn’t improve much. I
also tried playing the same scene using the Hsu mini-speakers and the
high-level input. While I got a little more bass this way, thanks to the
contribution of the Hsus, I still felt the sound lacked oomph.
REL Habitat1
Acoustics
Conclusions
I couldn’t love the design of the Habitat1 more. It’s
beautifully finished, well proportioned, and easy to install, and its wireless
transmitter works flawlessly. But considering its high price, modest deep bass,
and comparatively low midbass, its applications and appeal are limited. It
might be a solution for those who can’t easily place a traditional sub or
install an in-wall sub, and who still want a subwoofer that looks nice and
blends with their décor to modestly augment large bookshelf, small tower, or
in-wall/-ceiling speakers. But typical consumers can find better performance
and value elsewhere.
Specifications
·
Price: $1,999
·
REL Habitat1 6.5 in paper cone woofer (2)
·
10 in paper passive radiator
·
150 watts RMS
·
low-level input
·
25 x 16 x 5.5 in, 50lb
·
Longbow transmitter 6 x 6.5 x 2.1 in
Verdict
·
The Habitat1 has a terrific industrial design that may work
where a traditional sub won’t, but don’t expect miracles.
Rating
·
Performance: 3/5
·
Features: 4/5
·
Build Quality: 5/5
·
Value: 2/5
|
