Subwoofer advice


So looking to add a new component (or 2) to my system (Snell Type D, McCormack .5 or Jolida 502b, Schiit Saga pre, Rega Planet, Dual 1219 TT) and contemplating a sub.  Basement room is 14'w x 30'l x 7.5'h and treated with first reflection points and base traps on front wall.  Interested in the REL T series, either the T7i or T9i.  The Snells have 8" woofers so not sure the T7i at 8" will make a significant difference.  The room might be too big as well.  So it might have to be the T9i at 10".  Looking to supplement clean low end not anything bloated or overbearing.  

Any thoughts greatly appreciated!
pkatsuleas
Hello pkatsuleas,

    Atmasphere's suggestion of the 4-sub Audio Kinesis Swarm bass system would definitely provide near state of the art bass performance throughout your entire room and integrate seamlessly with your Snells but you'd need to stretch your budget to about $3,000. 
     I own this system and can attest to it being a great performer, likely the last sub bass system you'll ever need to buy since it will work extremely well with virtually any pair of speakers and in any room.  This is your ideal solution.
     If you can't currently afford this and you mainly just want good bass response at your listening seat, however, a pair of good quality subs will also provide good bass performance that has good integration with your main speakers if positioned and configured optimally.  This requires optimally positioning each sub utilizing the crawl method and optimally setting the volume, crossover frequency and phase control settings on each sub.  The advantage of the Swarm system is that the 3 configuration settings only need to be set once collectively for all 4 subs on the supplied 1,000 watt class AB sub amp/control unit.
     To give you an overall summary of your options, here's a list of 3 possible sub options listed from least expensive and lowest bass performance quality to most expensive and highest bass performance quality:

1.  Good Bargain system- a pair of SVS SB-1000 (sealed subs) or PB-1000 (ported subs) for about $1,000/pair.  These are bargain priced but very good quality subs that have the 3 crucially important configuration controls of volume, crossover frequency and phase; any subs you decide to purchase absolutely must have at least these 3 controls.

2. Better Middle-Range system- as mcreyn suggested, a pair of either Rythmil F12 subs for $1,960/pair or SVS PB3000 subs for $1,999/pair. Utilizing higher quality and priced pairs of subs will provide noticeably deeper bass extension as well as bass that is faster, smoother, more accurate, more detailed, more dynamic and more natural.

3. Best Performance system- Audio Kinesis 4-sub Swarm for $3,000. This option will clearly outperform the other options since it will provide deep, fast, smooth, accurate, highly detailed and dynamic bass that will be perceived as the most effortless, the most natural and the best integrated with your main speakers. It will also be the most convenient option to configure since all settings are made once on the amp/control unit for the 4 subs collectively rather than separately on each individual sub. 

Good luck,
  Tim

   
        
$1000.  

At that price, I would considering follow Tim's suggestion of a pair of PB-1000s.  Personally, at that price, I would do either 1) a pair of Hsu VTF-2 MK5 (but you give up the variable phase control), or if I could stretch to $1,200 a pair of Rythmik LV12F.  

Another alternative if you are willing to DIY, is a Dayton Audio SA1000 subwoofer amplifier ($400) and a pair of Dayton Audio 15 Ultimax Subwoofer Kits ($640 for the pair).   

You have a relatively large room that to get decent levels of deep bass will need pretty good sized subs.  You will not get room gain from the size of the room until 18hz, so that is out (not to be confused with reinforcement from being near a wall or corner) With the Hsus, Rythmik's and Dayton, you will be able to get 105 db of clean output at 20hz, the PB-1000s will have less capability. 

I really do suggest in high passing your mains, it makes integration easier and will allow you to focus the placement of the subs for the best bass and your mains for the best imaging.  
Budget suggestion:
I’m not sure if/how many they still have, but I just picked up an SVS-SB12-NSD (close-out prior model) from ListenUp in Denver for $399 shipped to Texas. It is kind of between their current SB1000 and SB2000.
It is not a beast or able to plumb the depths like my 2 SB13 Ultras in my main system, but it is a nice little add to my 2nd system. May just get another one or two for distributed bass-see above. Been breaking it in overnight(s) with a 30 hz sine wave (youtube) at medium volume for 10 hours at a time; quite the driver workout. Good luck.
Hello pkatsuleas,

     I just wanted to give you a few tips I've learned about getting good in-room bass response over many years of personal research and, probably most useful, personal experience.
    In general, 2 subs will perform about twice as well as 1 sub and 4 subs, configured in what's called a distributed bass array (DBA) system, will perform about twice as well as 2 subs.  It's been scientifically proven, by acoustic experts such as Dr. Earl Geddes and Dr. Frank Toole among others, that any subs added beyond 4 will provide only smaller marginal increases in performance.  This is the reason all in one DBA kits like the Audio Kinesis Swarm utilize 4 subs.
     Atmasphere obviously understands this since he provided this
 link to the AK Swarm system:
http://www.audiokinesis.com/

     Here's a link to an Absolute Sound review of the Swarm which I found very accurate to my experiences using this product in my room and system:
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/audiokinesis-swarm-subwoofer-system/
     This will give you a good idea of what to expect if you decide to invest in a multiple award winning bass system.
     Positioning of subs is critical to obtain optimum performance no matter how many subs utilized. I usually use and suggest using the crawl method (google it for a good description) since it works extremely well, requires no expensive and complicated equipment and it's free.  
     It's also very important to have variable volume, crossover frequency and phase controls on whatever subs or complete bass system you choose.  For best integration of the bass with your main speakers, I've found it best to set the volume and crossover frequency controls as low as possible with the bass still sounding good to you (smooth, detailed and natural with realistic impact and dynamics that you can feel as well as hear.) The phase control should be 180 degree adjustable and set at the position that the bass sounds subjectively best to you.  
     Once you decide which sub or subs you want to buy, I can offer more detailed advice.


Later,

Tim 
    





   
Respectful of your budget, a great value and excellent sub is the Golden Ear Forcefield 3 ( 1000w  18-250hz ) ($549) . I have 2 that worked very well with my B&W802's before I bought my Golden Ear Triton 1R's with built in subs. 
They now are in use in my home theatre greatly enhancing that listening experience. 

Happy listening !