REL Strata, Storm, Stentor Mark I & 2 Servicing at BK Electronics

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Deleted member 901590

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A while ago, I contacted Tom at BK Electronics to ask for advice for my two REL Storm (Mark I) subwoofers. The Strata, Storm and Stentor for Mark I and II (but stopped before any further versions) were all built by BK.

He informed me that they will take back the plate amps for these models for refurbishment! Bearing in mind these are approx. 25 years old!

One Storm:
- Buzzed unbearably when not even connected.

Other Storm:
  • Lightly buzzed but bearable.
  • Volume control crackled and difficult to adjust for Audyssey.

Tom offered for me to send them back and "bring them back to spec."

I asked if they could have RCA connectors added as a modification, as the low level is a pain.

I was quoted (and later paid) only £140 including postage back for both to be brought back to spec. and have the RCA connections added.

Notes:
  • Process was painless!
  • Remember to note which are + and - connections before you disconnect the speaker from the plate amp!
  • And, in my case, which plate amp was in which unit.

Observations on return of plate amps:
  • Looks like all capacitors have been replaced.
  • Volume pots are now perfect.
  • Plugged in and connected (not in home cinema just in loft room). Buzz free and working perfectly!

Not setting them up properly until our main room is all moved around and revamped. So, in the next couple of months, I'll use this thread to post the Audyssey curves and subjective comments.

Beautiful, sturdily built subwoofers back to how I like them. Very pleased.

Note it is only those models in Mark I and II.

1623403974810.png


1623404032529.png
 
Very useful. I have a 24 year old (made by BK) REL Q100 that I’ve had from new and very fond of for 2-channel so nice to know I should be able to keep it going for a reasonable cost. I got a replacement driver for it from BK about 4 years ago for £40.
 
Hmmm well I think the Q series range was after the S Series so the Storms are probably quite a bit older!
 
It may be older but is a bit fancier on the inputs and controls - this is pic of the Q100 round the back.

00F410AD-11D6-454D-A9EF-265F799DEC36.jpeg



I think the Q-series was as bare bones as REL ever made them. Mine cost £399 in 1997 which was a big upgrade for me over my first sub which was a 1994 Sony SAW-70 70W ported boom box.
 
Hmmm, I was 19, so didn't have a sub yet when you bought the Sony... according to my maths then you're probably an old fart like me :)
 
OK, you got me - I was 25 so I’m an even older fart than you.

That little Sony was part my first ever surround sound system which was based around a Kenwood Dolby Pro-Logic receiver and a JVC HiFi VHS VCR...eh, them were the days.
 
I know there's nothing we can do about it now, but can you imagine if we could take our 20-25 year old ears, with pro-logic and VHS and have the systems we have now? I mean, my ears are good but I have to add after that "for my age"!

Had another look at the Storm plates and the transformers have a date stamp, they're 1994. Also, funny, the transformer are labelled as a BK Electronics part :)
 
I believe Tom also offers the service of removing the tacky badges from the latest batch of RELs.
It's a fairly time-consuming job as there's a lot to remove, but the subs will definitely benefit in the aesthetics department.
Sadly he can't do much about reducing their prices.
 
I believe Tom also offers the service of removing the tacky badges from the latest batch of RELs.
It's a fairly time-consuming job as there's a lot to remove, but the subs will definitely benefit in the aesthetics department.
Sadly he can't do much about reducing their prices.

True. Even sadder if if BK stop making big wooden bits of furniture with speakers in soon and start making "better" plastic looking class D fashion boxes 🤣

Doesn't bother me, if the Storms do 30 odd years, then hopefully Monoliths will too. So, in time, I'll have some of them. And then they will either outlast my life (or at least outlast my ears working!).
 
Out of interest what caps did they use. I know BK, like old Arcam likes Samwha.. I like Samwha.. but what else do BK choose to use?
 
I would assume BK would use whatever they have on the shelf that they use in their current range?
 
The big lounge change for us is a gradual stage-by-stage job. Both Storms are in place but there is a lot more to do (including different sofas for example) but I thought it worth running a quick Audyssey with other channels all disconnected.
Good news is the subwoofers work! Haha... not that I had any doubt. Connected to long cables though no hum/buzz from either. They is a just audible "I'm powered on" noise if you hold your ear on the carpet right up against where the driver is.
Question to all but mostly @Conrad who kindly expressed an interest in the results. This is the subwoofer's feet straight in the (very thick) carpet with thick underlay. What do you feel when I use the granite plinths (each 8kg and 25mm thick) will make any difference?
As a reminder for Audyssey, the zero line is 80dB (that's what it shows in Ratbuddyssey).
1624874650776.png
 
Big dip around 70hz? The after graph is simulated so the real in-room response doesn`t look anything like that. Dobby do you have REW and Umik-1 to take some sweeps?
 
No, I don't have anything. Well actually I have Spectroid on my phone, but I understand that is rubbish!

Interesting, as previous sub results have always shown a room peak around 30Hz, if anything it is the ~80Hz peak I found surprising. But yes the 70Hz dip is as well.

So, it he Audyssey Sub EQ HT rubbish at correcting the EQ? I realise the right had side is what it predicts after correction but I thought that proved (from other people checking) as working quite well?

Also note this was a really quick run, just 3 times in the same position to see what's what.
 
It should flatten peaks quite effectively at least the XT32 version. But can´t help with dips/nulls so you might have to move one or both around. Can you do that? Here is few recommended options:

AU_DS_midwall.gif
AU_DS_front.gif
AU_DS_quarter.gif
AU_DS_opposing.gif
 
No, there is zero possibility of moving to a different location :(

They are in front corners, REL badges faced forward (so they are 430mm wide, 330mm deep). Flush to side skirting board but about 150mm forward of back wall.

(a) This week expects two granite plinths to be delivered that fit perfectly under each sub.

There are two other things I could do:

(b) The subs could be moved backwards so that they are up to 50mm from back wall, could that help? I doubt it would make much difference?

(c) I went with the decision of each connected separately to "Sub 1" and "Sub 2" outputs. As expected, they show identical Audyssey results (only difference was a tiny, tiny delay). So, would EQing as pairs, Storms as front pair then two Quakes behind a 2.5m wide sofa against back wall, sofa central make any difference? Fill a gap maybe?

Sorry.
 
Why, with XT32 and Sub EQ HT, can it fix peaks but not troughs? Why would it show that it does fix it in the red graph (as a prediction) but not be correcting it at all?
 
Using RoomSim, this is interesting:

At MLP height of 1.2m:
1624880382469.png


Then at MLP height of 1.37m:
1624880423966.png


Until I know how spongy the new sofas are, I don't know where my head will be but this is a very weird shift isn't it? If this is what the results are showing. I did put the mic higher than I normally would, as assuming new sofas wouldn't be as broken!
 
I suppose I should ignore this reading until I know what true MLP will be. Sorry, I didn't realise the vertical could do things like that... if you agree that's what's happening?
 
Room not complete yet but to help with the move around, moved temporarily to a 2.1 system. So, tiny little Heco Surround R1s left and right under the TV on the stand. Then, just one of the Storms powered up in rear right corner.

Haven't run Audyssey, there's no point as this is only for a bit. So, just quickly ran a frequency sweep to get the one sub set to the speakers (and quite surprised that the Hecos were happy down to 80Hz).

Put the sub of the granite plinth. Seriously, not my imagination as my wife agreed, the sub sound is much less directional on the plinth. Even took it off to see the difference. Anyone know why this could be? In my wife's words "it sounds like the Hecos are doing all that bass". Is that something normal to experience using plinths on carpet with floorboards?

@Conrad only reply if you're interested 🤣
 
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