Best type of Sub to consider?


I'm not looking for a brand or model recommendation at this time, but rather the best type of sub to fit my room and system. If you access my System pics, you will see that I have open corners behind my speakers and that my Horning speakers are rear ported. This has caused some energy loss, especially in the bass when compared to my previous setup in my other home.

I am a newbie to subs and see different design types that fire up, down, up and down, and forward. There may be other variations. So, does any of this matter when applying the best design type to a room, my room? My knee-jerk reaction is to go with forward firing in my situation, but that's complete speculation on my part, so why I'm asking.
Kenny
kennythekey
I run 2 - 12" sealed REL Subs in my room and you can't tell they're there.  They're both behind main speakers facing opposite one another aiming at side walls of my room.  

I read Jim Smiths book, Get Better Sound and got him to help me set them up or I wouldn't have gotten it right I'm sure...
I'm a little late to the discussion here.

kennythe key- your system is stunning to look at. Undoubtably sounds good too.

I think I may have commented  in another thread about your Mac 71 in the beautiful maple case. I've yet to replace  the flaking, tired looking case  for mine.

My 2 REL B3's keep my room pressurized without drawing attention to themselves. My setup has subs behind, equidistant to floorstanders in relation to the listening position.


tablejockey,

Thank you for your kind words. After eight years, I'm finally replacing my line stage, so the last piece of the main gear. Tweaking after that.

Yes, I remember that McIntosh discussion. The place where I got my Birdseye Maple MR71 cabinet was from here: http://mcintoshcabinets.com/

If that's where your subs make your system sound the best then that's where they belong. I added subs without wanting them, but needing them. It all worked out for the better.
Kenny