In this review, we will be comparing No.35 and SuperSub XXL, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from REL and GoldenEar. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of REL No.35 and GoldenEar SuperSub XXL first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.REL No.35 and GoldenEar SuperSub XXL have a totally different setup: the REL No.35 features 1 x 12-inch drivers whereas the SuperSub XXL features 2 x 12-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
No.35 has a frequency range of 17 Hz (-6dB, in room) whereas SuperSub XXL has a frequency range of 10-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the SuperSub XXL can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the No.35's min frequency of 17Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
The REL No.35 has a Sealed type cabinet. On the other hand the GoldenEar SuperSub XXL have Passive Radiator type enclosure. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed designs.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare REL No.35's and GoldenEar SuperSub XXL's external dimensions. REL No.35 has external dimensions of 435.0 x 638.0 x 724.0mm (17-1/8 x 25-1/8 x 28-1/2inch) whereas GoldenEar SuperSub XXL has external dimensions of 447.0 x 485.0 x 434.0mm (17-9/16inch x 19-1/16inch x 17-1/16inch).
GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is 153mm narrower and 290mm less deeper than REL No.35 but it is also 12mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
REL No.35 needs about 119% more floor or shelf area. REL No.35 is 290mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is 12mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the REL No.35 is approximately 4619.1cm2 / 716.0inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is approximately 2104.9cm2 / 326.3inch2. The No.35 requires 119% more surface area than the SuperSub XXL which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The REL No.35 weighs 59.00kg / 129.8lbs and the GoldenEar SuperSub XXL weighs 37.27kg / 82lbs. This makes the No.35 58% heavier than the SuperSub XXL.
Here is a comparison of how No.35 and SuperSub XXL's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of REL No.35?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of No.35:
- Subwoofer
- Grille
- 6 ft AC power cord
- 32 ft Neutrik Speakon cable
- User manual and warranty information
- Reference remote
- 2 AAA batteries
What's in the Box of GoldenEar SuperSub XXL?
Here are the items that come with the SuperSub XXL:
- Powered Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 Height |
435mm
vs
447mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
17 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
two 13-inch x 15-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
2104cm2
vs
4619cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2499USD
vs
10000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
REL No.35 needs about 119% more floor area. REL No.35 stands 290mm further into the room. GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is 12mm taller.
| General |
REL No.35 |
GoldenEar SuperSub XXL |
| Brand |
REL |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
900 watts |
1600 watts |
| Frequency Response |
17 Hz (-6dB, in room) |
10-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
900-watt RMS |
1600-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon fibre |
Fiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
side |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
435.0mm (17.1") |
447.0mm (17.6") |
| Width |
638.0mm (25.1") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Depth |
724.0mm (28.5") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
59.00kg (129.8lbs) |
37.27kg (82lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
Piano Black Lacquer, 12 coats |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a passive radiator one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL goes deeper - 10Hz against 17Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL has the bigger amplifier - 1600W against 900W RMS, about 2.5dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL moves more air: 2 x 12" against 12" is 2x the cone area, not the 1.41x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | REL No.35 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | REL No.35 takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only REL No.35 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Phase control | A | REL No.35 has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | REL No.35 fires front and GoldenEar SuperSub XXL fires side. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL is about 53% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar SuperSub XXL costs less - $2,499 against $10,000, about 75% less. |
A REL No.35 B GoldenEar SuperSub XXL
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
GoldenEar SuperSub XXL has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, GoldenEar SuperSub XXL will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, REL No.35 is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, REL No.35 is the only one of these two you can connect at all.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.