REL Acoustics was founded in 1990 by Richard Edmund Lord in Bridgend, Wales, with the company name derived from his initials. Known as 'The Lord of Bass,' Lord developed REL's signature high-level connection system and pioneered premium subwoofer technology. In 2005, the company was acquired by John Hunter (former owner of high-end distributor Sumiko) and Donald Brody, who relocated design operations to Berkeley, California while maintaining manufacturing in China. Currently operating from Berkeley, CA, REL specializes exclusively in high-end subwoofers and sub-bass systems for stereo and home theater applications. With approximately 30 employees across 3 continents and $1.8M annual revenue as of 2024, the company has maintained its reputation for over 25 years as a premium audio brand. Recent developments include the 2024 launch of the Classic 99 subwoofer and colorful T/9x variants.