musical sub


I need to improve my system with a compatible sub for my system as it has evolved so far. My primary concern is the musicality, although Home Theatre is important, it is not as important as the music enjoyment. We watch a lot of music dvd's and play lots and lots of CD's, and of course third is the home theatre.

For reference, the main pieces of my system so far are:

McCormack HT5 amp (5 channel)
Anthem D2 processor w/ Arc
B&W Nautilus series 804 fronts, HT2 ctr, SCM surrounds
McCormack UDP1 disk player (the upgraded model)
Dennon 3800BDI blu ray player
etc.

What I am looking for is something that will add to the system, is very musical, and that will survive eventual component upgrades as I learn more and refine the sound.

Any suggestions on the sub? (or equipment)

Thanks
still_learning
a subwoofer that is properly integrated and dialed in can take a system to the next level.

this was hard to accomplish even a few years ago but newer models and systems that employ room correction features make it very easy to do.

there is no reason to not have a true full range system in this day and age.
Afc

Interesting post, thanks.

You have quite a system and obviously put a lot of thought and experience into it. One item on my system that you mentioned was the B&W's. That brand seems to have strong fans and equally strong detractors, I am not completely sure on them myself as time goes on. I'm not sure as sometimes they seem too bright, but other times quite nice and enjoyable.
Rythmik Audio with their sealed design and servo technology are hard to beat for their price point. Fast, articulate, musical with absolutely no flab or boominess. I chose them for the very reason you are looking for a sub... music first HT, second. Due to the size of my room I bought two F-15's from Rythmik Audio. That's a ton of bass for the money. Highly recommend them.

FYI, Rythmik drivers are quite popular in the DIY market.
Since your Anthem already includes ARC, one extra bit of flexibility you might look for in a sub would be adjustable Q. The Rythmiks have this feature (I use two 12" Rythmiks and agree with Dawgyte's recommendation), as do certain SVS models.

Marty