Gibraltar G-2 is the quickest large-scale sub-bass system we have ever created. While it gives up a small fraction of the deepest bass and the sense of sheer scale to its larger sibling, G-2 is quicker and still retains excellent extension. G-2 is possessed of a lovely combination of dimensions looking “just right” in every setting. At home in rooms of modest scale or when used in stacked multiples it is capable of fearsome output necessary for larger rooms. Power has been throttled back to a conservatively rated 450W which, when coupled with the superbly fast and tuneful 10” carbon fibre bass engine employed within, is a winning combination. Naturally, we retain the same world beating filter and crossover set as in G-1. Fast, phase-correct Bessel filters with completely separate inputs and filtering for .1/LFE are part of G-2’s magical presentation of music and home theater. And then there is that lovely cabinet with 13 coats of lacquer and ideal dimensional multiples that eliminate interior standing waves.
Power Corrupts Beautifully
The massively beautiful, finned, alloy heatsink is necessary when dissipating the sorts of power necessary for hours of prodigious deep bass. Capable of outputting a conservative 450W the REL Class A/B amplifier used in G-2 is a masterpiece in its own right and is, in fact the amplifier from a G-1 with fewer output devices. Powerful fast and incisive, it is the finest amplifier topology ever designed by our engineers.
Power is of little use unless properly directed. The filter circuit used in G-2 is the fastest we know of in existence. Measured at just 4 milliseconds of group delay, this analog design features a 2nd order Bessel function crossover that starts as low as 20 Hz, necessary because G-2 can extend lower than that in many rooms. Additionally, we employ a secondary filter set at approximately 220Hz to roll off any remnants of midrange that might otherwise be audible.
Finally, G-2 possesses a dedicated Dolby .1 LFE input with its own 4th order crossover set at the Dolby mandated 120Hz and we outfit this circuit with its own separate volume control allowing G-2 to simultaneously reproduce the deepest bass for main speakers as well as home theater signals, all without having to invest in separate subs for each purpose. Additionally, G-2 provides independent volume for High level as well as .1 for perfect flexibility.
The 10” bass engine fitted to every G-2 features ultra light, stiff carbon fibre — the same material used to craft race car chassis – light weight results in greater speed. Power is handled by a large 4-layer Kapton voice coil capable of dissipating 500 watts, while the superior travel of the long-throw high energy suspension produces awe inspiring volume levels in your home.
Whilst the outer form garners all the praise—its 1 ¼”curvilinear surfaces slathered in no fewer than 13 coats of hand polished lacquer has a way of inspiring attention—it is the inner construction that produces the balance of speed and power for which G-2 is revered. The marine grade laminated hardwoods employed in the musical instrument-grade internal bracing require two days of production time to complete a single unit. Each cabinet requires three weeks to hand-craft. The resulting structure is far more than a beautiful form, it is the crucible from which great music and theater emerges.
When the Best Is Not Enough
Live bass does not live at floor level alone. It emerges, sometimes gently, sometimes with violence, in sheets and clouds. Live bass strikes our bodies from head to foot and pressurizes in ways no single sub can effect. It is for this reason that we have made available special connectivity allowing the use of multiple units, typically stacked in towers and rails that provide stability and limit the likelihood of scratching the finish on lower course Gibraltar in a tower. For the finest systems, the appropriate stack of G-1 or G-2 is the memorable and deserving final touch that transports the listener on a journey they will never forget.
To make tuning and setting up G-2 just a little easier, we fitted it with a beautiful remote control hewn from solid billet aluminium that replicates the standard analog control functions normally hardwired to the rear panel. We even covered the bottom with red felt because when you are finished setting it up, you will wish to place it on top of your G-2 to admire its form and quality as with all REL active subwoofers. You won’t need to use it again because a primary benefit of REL’s unique filters is that it allows true set and forget use.
As with all modern REL designs, we are singularly conscious that G-2 customers demand designs as comfortable gracing the interiors of the finest homes as winning lavish praise from the most critical reviewer. G-2’s form is simple, lovely and elegant, while the solid aluminium feet, badge and thick solid back panel all speak to the quality and simplicity of truly timeless design.
