Perlisten Audio R18s vs REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label

Short answer: the Perlisten Audio R18s. It ranks #100 of 143 subwoofers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $4,995; the REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label ranks #124, rated 3.9/5, and costs $4,999, so there is little reason to consider the other one.

Why pick the Perlisten Audio R18s: A massive 18-inch glass fiber composite driver in a sealed enclosure driven by a 1,000W RMS smart amplifier. Watch for: The 600H x 550W x 620D mm cabinet is wide and deep, weighing 114.6 lbs (52 kg).

The case for the REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label: A Serie S flagship with an all-carbon fiber 12” active driver and a 12” down-firing passive radiator, driven by a 900W Linear Class D amplifier and reaching 19Hz (-6dB) in-room. The catch: No independent measurements yet, so its output can’t be compared directly with ranked subwoofers; the rating is estimated from the measured REL Acoustics HT/1510 Predator II (118.1dB in the 40 to 80Hz CEA-2010 bands) and REL Acoustics R-528.

Buy the Perlisten Audio R18s. It is rated higher for sound quality than the REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.

Worth knowing: the REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label has not been measured yet. Its rating is estimated from related models, with a likely range of 3.5 to 4.2, so treat this verdict as provisional.

Still deciding? The full Subwoofers rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

Related Speaker Comparisons

More worthwhile head-to-heads for Perlisten Audio R18s:

• JTR Speakers Captivator 218PRO vs Perlisten Audio R18s
• Paradigm XR13 vs Perlisten Audio R18s
• MartinLogan Depth 212 vs Perlisten Audio R18s
• Perlisten Audio R18s vs JL Audio Fathom f112v2
• JL Audio Fathom f112v2 vs REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label

Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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The Two Speakers In Full

Perlisten Audio R18s: $4,995.00 each Perlisten eBay

Same family: the Perlisten Audio R10s (smaller subwoofer, estimated 3.8/5), the Perlisten Audio R12s (smaller subwoofer, estimated 3.9/5), the Perlisten Audio R15s (smaller subwoofer, ranked lower, estimated 4/5), the Perlisten R210s (smaller subwoofer, estimated 4/5) and the Perlisten Audio R212s (larger subwoofer, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5).

Pros: A massive 18-inch glass fiber composite driver in a sealed enclosure driven by a 1,000W RMS smart amplifier. Delivers immense subterranean displacement with 106.8 dB output at 20 Hz and over 121 dB through the mid-bass, controlled via a 2.4-inch LCD touchscreen and mobile app PEQ.

Cons: The 600H x 550W x 620D mm cabinet is wide and deep, weighing 52 kg. High-output deep bass requires solid room acoustics to prevent standing-wave excitation.

Full Perlisten Audio R18s review and specifications →

Amplifier Power	1000W RMS
CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz)	121.9 dB
Cabinet Color	satin black
Country	United States
Dimensions	23.6”H x 21.7”W x 24.4”D (600.0 x 550.0 x 620.0 mm)
Drivers	18” (457mm) glass fiber driver
Enclosure	sealed
Inputs	XLR (2, balanced), RCA (2, unbalanced)
Measurement Source	Audioholics
Output SPL at 12.5 Hz	95.5 dB
Output SPL at 15 Hz	101.2 dB
Output SPL at 20 Hz	106.8 dB
Output SPL at 25 Hz	111.4 dB
Output SPL at 31.5 Hz	115.8 dB
Output SPL at 40 Hz	119.5 dB
Output SPL at 50 Hz	121.6 dB
Output SPL at 63 Hz	122.8 dB
Output SPL at 80 Hz	123.5 dB
Output SPL at 100 Hz	124.0 dB
Output SPL at 125 Hz	124.2 dB
RCA Input	Yes
Warranty	5
Weight	114.6 lbs (52.0 kg)
XLR Input	Yes

• Links
  • Official Perlisten Audio R18s Website
• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • Audioholics: Perlisten Subwoofer Measurements & Review
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Perlisten Audio R18s vs MartinLogan Depth 212
  • Perlisten Audio R18s vs JL Audio Fathom f112v2
  • Perlisten Audio R18s vs Paradigm XR13
  • Perlisten Audio R18s vs JTR Speakers Captivator 218PRO

REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label: $4,999.00 Estimated ListenUp eBay

Same family: the REL Acoustics S/550 (smaller subwoofer, estimated 3.5/5), the REL Acoustics S/850 (smaller subwoofer, estimated 3.7/5) and the REL Acoustics 212 Black Label (larger subwoofer, ranked higher, estimated 4.2/5). See every REL S and Reference Series generation.

Pros: A Serie S flagship with an all-carbon fiber 12” active driver and a 12” down-firing passive radiator, driven by a 900W Linear Class D amplifier and reaching 19Hz (-6dB) in-room.

Cons: No independent measurements yet, so its output can’t be compared directly with ranked subwoofers; the rating is estimated from the measured REL Acoustics HT/1510 Predator II (118.1dB in the 40 to 80Hz CEA-2010 bands) and REL Acoustics R-528. It weighs 44.5kg.

Full REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label review and specifications →

Released	Oct 2025 (1 year ago)
Amplifier Power	900W Linear Class D
Country	United Kingdom
Dimensions	16.1”H x 19.2”W x 22.2”D (410 x 488 x 565 mm)
Drivers	12” carbon fiber driver, 12” down-firing passive radiator
Enclosure	passive radiator
Frequency Response	19Hz -6dB in-room (manufacturer specified)
Warranty	3
Weight	98.1 lbs (44.5 kg)

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label vs JL Audio Fathom f112v2
  • REL Acoustics Carbon Special Black Label vs Perlisten Audio D12s