REL Acoustics Classic 99 Subwoofer
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REL Acoustics Classic 99 Subwoofer
Walnut
22 Saint Kilda Road
22 Saint Kilda Road
Suite 2.02
St Kilda VIC 3182
Australia
REL Acoustics
United Kingdom
3 Years Warranty
Classic 99
Plays louder and reaches deeper with layers of subtle textural enhancements that continuously impress.
Classic 99 extends our Classic Line to loftier heights. Richer, bolder, and more powerful? Certainly. Yet 99 is also capable of far greater nuance, air, and resolution than its lesser brethren. For those with more capable systems and larger rooms, Classic 99 delivers advances on every front, while still maintaining the same easy-going, room-filling nature all Classic offerings possess. The high-grade genuine dark walnut veneer complements a variety of decors. Classic 99 delivers this in the same simple, comforting form of Mid-Century Modern design. Perfect for those who welcomed the original, yet were waiting for the next chapter to be written, those who crave even higher performance and the ability to fill larger, grander spaces with a broad carpet of deep bass. You’ll still want to put on a record, pour a favorite drink, sink into your favorite chair, and relax into the music or movie of your choice. Classic 99, for those who waited for more.
Features
- 450-watt Class D Amplifier
- 12" Pulp-on-Paper Driver
- Acoustic Suspension Cabinet Design
- Classic Real Walnut Veneer
Nothing Continues to Say Lifestyle like Mid-Century Modern RELs
Designed to Be Superior
Classic 99 adopts the form language introduced in its model 98 stablemate. As comfortable as a pair of well-worn loafers, it features solid cabinet walls as thick as 32 mm, clad in rich, warm walnut veneer, hand fitted with care. The simplest of natural aluminum badges and softly radiused feet milled from solid billet, blacked out to allow it to seemingly float, ensure that nothing, not even a grille disturbs the vibe. Yet, as with all RELs, the styling conveys far more than simple comfort. The down-firing 12” driver, while unseen, will surely be felt. Continuing to the rear panel, one finds the period-correct detailing extends to the amplifier panel, where all controls are finished in lovely white gold. Everything that one encounters has the heft of quality switch gear, even the click made by the phase switch is near perfection. Quality abounds everywhere one looks or touches. Don’t be surprised if your children fight over it later in life.
Driven to be Louder. And Quieter.
As anyone familiar with REL will tell you, we always begin with the driver. In this case, a bespoke 12” long stroke driver that uses lightweight, stiff, hot-pressed paper to form the main body of the cone. Laid atop that is a stiff center cap made of hand-thrown paper; to randomize the fibres, ensuring that the driver has excellent self-damping. This is one of REL’s secrets. Understanding that it is the quietness, that attention to bring the driver to complete silence, that produces the most startling dynamics. Whilst Classic 99 will play shatteringly loud, it’s from the very black background that the loudest dynamics emerge to produce the sense of shock sought by great composers and directors.
More than Ample Amplification
Classic 99 is big, bold, and full of character, similar to the Stentor II of our youth, but at one-third the price. Of course, the 99 has a great amp. In order to generate deeper bass and significantly higher output, we turned to a tried-and-true Class D amplifier that we’ve already used in thousands of previous units. This 450 watt amplifier is fed by an all analogue PerfectFilter™ front end that extends useful output well into the low 20 Hz range - superb for a design of this size and price. It produces a sound that’s both rich and richly detailed at the same time. Classic 99 borrows the best from current technology to deliver a sound slightly warmer and more like what we all imagine vintage sound to be, with superior reliability and performance than was ever available back in the day.
Less Wiring?
The future meets the past gloriously in REL’s wireless offerings. For the ultimate, select our Airship II which encourages the use of REL’s High-Level Connection PLUS .1/LFE should your listening tastes run toward movies. And these days who doesn’t stream quality video content? This is our ultimate wireless design at 5.8 GHz and uses discrete components in the front end to transform your system’s sound flawlessly into totally uncompressed wireless capable of eliminating the sprawl of cables across one’s living space.
On a tighter budget? We slip the exact same 5.8 gig master chip into an affordable system that allows for Low Level or .1/LFE to deliver across the same 35’ with the same bulletproof signal delivery that we’ve become famous for over the past 15 years. HT-Air MKII Wireless is one of life’s great bargains.
Awards
Industry Reviews
"The Classic 98 takes the punchy, linear, extended, and tuneful sound that REL is famous for, but tunes the vibe more to that of a vintage, or perhaps even (dare we say it) classic British sound."
- TONEAudio
"Improve ANY HiFi System with The REL Classic 99 Subwoofer. More than "Bigger, Faster, Stronger!"
- HiFi Huff
Editor's Pick
"This is a long-term investment in your life. This Classic 99 will add to even the best larger speakers. As I have previously noted, a subwoofer can be the most significant upgrade to any HiFi system. This is the single most musical REL out there."
- HiFi and Music Source
"What is the best musical subwoofer for audiophiles? REL Stadium and Stentor subwoofers comes to mind but now the modern day REL Classic 99 takes subwoofer for home audio to a different level."
- Jay's Iyagi
2025 Award
"it will also improve the sound as a whole, giving more insights and presence to tracks you thought you knew well.”
- hi-fi+
Awards & Industry Reviews
"The Classic 98 takes the punchy, linear, extended, and tuneful sound that REL is famous for, but tunes the vibe more to that of a vintage, or perhaps even (dare we say it) classic British sound."
- TONEAudio
"Improve ANY HiFi System with The REL Classic 99 Subwoofer. More than "Bigger, Faster, Stronger!"
- HiFi Huff
Editor's Pick
"This is a long-term investment in your life. This Classic 99 will add to even the best larger speakers. As I have previously noted, a subwoofer can be the most significant upgrade to any HiFi system. This is the single most musical REL out there."
- HiFi and Music Source
"What is the best musical subwoofer for audiophiles? REL Stadium and Stentor subwoofers comes to mind but now the modern day REL Classic 99 takes subwoofer for home audio to a different level."
- Jay's Iyagi
2025 Award
"it will also improve the sound as a whole, giving more insights and presence to tracks you thought you knew well.”
- hi-fi+
2024 Best Subwoofer
"This (the 99 Classic) is the single most musical REL out there.”
- HiFi and Music Source
"REL's Classic 99 Is NOT "just a" SUBWOOFER its a HiFi JOURNEY'S END"
- Pursuit Perfect System
Awards & Industry Reviews
"The Classic 98 takes the punchy, linear, extended, and tuneful sound that REL is famous for, but tunes the vibe more to that of a vintage, or perhaps even (dare we say it) classic British sound."
- TONEAudio
"Improve ANY HiFi System with The REL Classic 99 Subwoofer. More than "Bigger, Faster, Stronger!"
- HiFi Huff
Editor's Pick
"This is a long-term investment in your life. This Classic 99 will add to even the best larger speakers. As I have previously noted, a subwoofer can be the most significant upgrade to any HiFi system. This is the single most musical REL out there."
- HiFi and Music Source
"What is the best musical subwoofer for audiophiles? REL Stadium and Stentor subwoofers comes to mind but now the modern day REL Classic 99 takes subwoofer for home audio to a different level."
- Jay's Iyagi
2025 Award
"it will also improve the sound as a whole, giving more insights and presence to tracks you thought you knew well.”
- hi-fi+
2024 Best Subwoofer
"This (the 99 Classic) is the single most musical REL out there.”
- HiFi and Music Source
"REL's Classic 99 Is NOT "just a" SUBWOOFER its a HiFi JOURNEY'S END"
- Pursuit Perfect System
2024 Audiophile Gear of the Year Award
"REL looks at subwoofers from a purely audiophile perspective. They calibrate their woofers, often without digital EQ or room correction. They are finished fantastically."
- Future Audiophile
Special Performer
"I know REL subwoofers so well by now the 99 only took me about 10 minutes to setup and be very happy with how it was integrated. I listened across a very wide variety of music including modern electronic heavy hitting bass, female vocals, folk music and modern jazz-ish stuff, audiophile stuff, some drum and bass and a real mixture for several days occasionally unplugging the REL to remind myself of what it was doing."
- Pursuit Perfect Systems
| Type | Closed Box, down-firing driver |
| Active Driver Size & Material | 12 in. (305mm) Amended Pulp-on-Paper, Downfiring Inverted Cone, Steel Chassis |
| Passive Radiator Size & Material | – |
| Low Frequency Extension | -6 dB at 24Hz |
| Input Connectors | High Level Neutrik Speakon, Low Level RCA, LFE RCA |
| Output Connectors | N/A |
| Power Output | 450 watts (RMS) |
| Amplifier Type | Class D |
| Wireless Capability | HT-Air MKII Wireless or AirShip II (sold separately) |
| Dual Parametric Filter | N/A |
| Finish | Walnut veneer |
| Protection System – Fully Electronic Set Safe | Yes |
| Protection System – D.C. Fault | Yes |
| Protection System – Output Short | Yes |
| Mains Input Voltage | 220–240 volts, 110–120 volts for certain markets |
| Fuses | 4 Amp semi delay (220V), 8 Amp semi delay (120V) |
| Supplied Accessories – Mains Lead | Yes |
| Supplied Accessories – Neutrik Speakon | 10 meters (33’6”) nominal |
| Supplied Accessories – Interconnect | – |
| Supplied Accessories – User Manual | Yes |
| Dimensions (W × H × D) | 15.75 in × 21.0 in × 13.8 in (400mm × 534mm × 350mm) Add 1.75 in (44.5mm) in depth when using a High Level connector |
| Net Weight | 49.3 lbs (22.4 kg) |
| Shipping Weight | 59.7 lbs (27.1 kg) |
