Sub for 2 channel music only setup

Xti16 said:

Personally I stay away from the 'R' series.

Can you say why?

Drubin
The 'R' series seems like more for HT than 2 channel. When compared to 2 channel the 'R' series to me sounds too boomy. Not as musical. Maybe it's the class 'D' amp - I don't know but again to me it didn't sound right. FWIW I have the B3 and will say the cable made a huge difference over the stock cable. It's possible a cable upgrade would make the the 'R' series sound better. I didn't have the upgraded cable to compare then. The Nordost baseline is less expensive when compared to the SR telsa so it could be even better. I just know the stock cable does not do the Rel any justice. Although any upgraded stock cable may bring the cost of the Rel way up.

I will put in my vote for 2 JL audio F113 for 2ch--they are fast enough to blend with my stats and are very musical for subs. best of the subs I have ever used in my 2ch system..

A vote for the Vandersteen 2Wq. I have a pair of these, and the bass goes lower than I can hear (or than my room can carry - verified with a SPL meter). If your mains go down reliably to about 40Hz, they integrate extremely well, are designed for corner placement (and actually work well in the corners of my room), and, best of all, do not make their presence known unless there is deep bass in the source material. They are quite tuneful and quick, as well. The adjustable Q allows you to dial in the kind of bass you want, from very tight and fast, to a bit slower and bloomier. I bought two of them used here on Audiogon, and paid less than $800 each. You will have to buy the in-line crossovers from a Vandy dealer (~$125/pr). The temporary x-over that comes with the 2Wq is not tranparent enough (nor is it meant to be) to use on a permanent basis.

I have no experience with REL, but there are similarities in the x-over approach of REL and Vandersteen. However, with REL, you lose the benefits of the Vandersteen's LF roll-off that benefits both your main speakers and amplifier.

I know I will upgrade my speakers, but the 2Wq subs are in my rig to stay!