Meet the REL Planar PL-2
The REL Planar PL-2 is an active powered sub-bass system from REL Acoustics, the British specialist that builds subwoofers designed to integrate with your full-range speakers rather than simply add bass. That distinction matters. REL's entire philosophy is about disappearing into your system, extending the bottom octaves so cleanly that you stop noticing the subwoofer and simply hear a bigger, more grounded version of the music and movies you already love.
Within the Planar PL family, the PL-2 sits as the more capable member alongside the REL Planar PL-1. If you are working with a compact or moderately sized room, the PL-1 is a natural starting point. As you move up to the PL-2, you gain additional output and authority for larger spaces and more demanding material, while keeping the same core Planar voicing.
REL Design and Technology
The High Level Connection for Music
REL's signature is the High Level connection, a Neutrik Speakon cable run from your power amplifier's speaker terminals to the subwoofer. Because the PL-2 receives the same amplified signal that feeds your main speakers, it inherits their tonal character, timing, and voice. This is the heart of why RELs integrate so seamlessly for two-channel music. Instead of a separate bass source doing its own thing, the PL-2 speaks with the same accent as your loudspeakers.
LFE and .1 Input for Home Theater
For movies, the PL-2 offers a dedicated .1/LFE input so it can take the low-frequency effects channel straight from your processor or receiver with bass management handled upstream. This gives you the slam and low-end weight that soundtracks demand. The PL-2 also includes a low-level RCA input, so however your system is configured, there is a clean way in.
Driver, Orientation, and Controls
The PL-2 uses a forward-firing driver, an orientation that lends itself well to placement flexibility and articulate, tuneful bass. On the back you get a continuously variable crossover, gain, and phase, the three controls that let you dial the subwoofer precisely to your room and speakers. Fine crossover adjustment lets you hand off to the sub at exactly the right point for your mains, gain sets the level so the sub supports rather than dominates, and phase aligns the timing so bass arrives coherently with your main speakers.
Performance Character
The Planar PL-2 is voiced to be fast, tuneful, and musically honest. It is the kind of subwoofer that reveals the pitch and texture of a bass line rather than just its weight, so acoustic bass, kick drum, and organ pedal notes gain body without turning boomy. When the movie calls for it, the LFE input lets the same cabinet deliver visceral low-frequency impact. That dual competence, articulate for music and authoritative for cinema, is what makes it a satisfying single-sub solution for a mixed-use system.
Ideal System and Use Case
The PL-2 shines in a two-channel or combined music and theater setup in a small to medium room. It is an excellent partner for stand-mounted or floorstanding speakers that need reinforcement in the lowest octaves. If you run bookshelf speakers on quality stands such as the Gauder Akustik Capello 40 Aluminum Stands, the PL-2 fills in the foundation those speakers cannot reach on their own, giving you a full-range presentation without a large floorstander.
On the amplifier side, the High Level connection works beautifully with integrated amplifiers like the Audiolab 9000A Integrated Amplifier. You simply take the High Level feed from the amplifier's speaker terminals, and the PL-2 tracks the character of whatever those speakers are doing.
Completing the Hookup
Cabling
REL supplies a High Level cable to get you started, and premium speaker cabling for your mains such as the Audioquest Lone Ranger Full-Range Speaker Cable keeps the whole chain consistent. For a dedicated bass run, the Audioquest BigFoot BASS cable is purpose-built for the task. If you are feeding the PL-2's .1/LFE input for home theater, the REL Commander is REL's own long-run LFE cable. Prefer AudioQuest for that connection instead? Options such as the Audioquest Husky (RCA), the Audioquest Husky (XLR), the Audioquest Boxer, the Audioquest Greyhound, and the Audioquest Irish Red each offer their own construction goals, so you can match the cable to your preferences and run length.
Going Wireless
If a wired run across the room is impractical, REL wireless systems let you send the signal to the PL-2 without a physical cable. The REL Arrow and the REL HT-Air MKII are designed for this purpose. Remember that a wireless module makes no sound on its own; it serves a specific compatible subwoofer, so let us confirm the correct match for your PL-2 before you order.
Room Matching and Placement
Placement is a genuine part of REL performance. A corner or near-wall position typically loads the room for more output, while a position along a wall can smooth response. The variable phase and crossover controls give you the tools to align the PL-2 with your mains once you have found a spot you like. Because bass interacts strongly with room dimensions, a little experimentation pays off, and two RELs can be run as a line array for greater output and a larger soundstage should your room and appetite call for it.
Where It Sits and How to Choose
Choosing between the Planar PL-1 and the PL-2 comes down to room size and how much low-end authority you want on tap. The PL-1 is the ideal choice for smaller spaces and nearfield listening, while the PL-2 offers greater output and reach for larger rooms and more demanding home theater duty, all while preserving the tuneful Planar voice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the REL Planar PL-2 best suited to?
The PL-2 shines in a two-channel or combined music and theater setup in a small to medium room. It is an excellent partner for stand-mounted or floorstanding speakers that need reinforcement in the lowest octaves. If you run bookshelf speakers on quality stands such as the Gauder Akustik Capello 40 Aluminum Stands , the PL-2 fills in the foundation those speakers cannot reach on their own, giving you a full-range presentation without a large floorstander.
What cables and connections does the REL Planar PL-2 need?
Placement is a genuine part of REL performance. A corner or near-wall position typically loads the room for more output, while a position along a wall can smooth response. The variable phase and crossover controls give you the tools to align the PL-2 with your mains once you have found a spot you like.
Where does the REL Planar PL-2 sit in the range?
Choosing between the Planar PL-1 and the PL-2 comes down to room size and how much low-end authority you want on tap. The PL-1 is the ideal choice for smaller spaces and nearfield listening, while the PL-2 offers greater output and reach for larger rooms and more demanding home theater duty, all while preserving the tuneful Planar voice.
Come Listen
All Elite Audio is an authorized REL Acoustics dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Demo units rotate and not every model is always set up, so we invite you to reach out before you visit. We are glad to arrange a listen and to help match the Planar PL-2 to your speakers, amplifier, and room so it integrates the way REL intends.