Two JL F112's or two Rythmik F15's?

I use a pair of Rythmik 12" subs in a similar sized room for music only. They are integrated to main speakers (MMGs or Ohm 100) via an Audyssey XT32 equipped pre-pro. In this application, integration is seamless and bass performance is (to my ear) as good as I've ever heard. I suspect that a pair of the 12" Rythmiks would be very good for cinema applications in my space and that a pair of the larger 15" Rythmiks would be monsters.

I auditioned JL extensively before I bought my Rythmiks. They were very, very good in showrooms when properly set-up (sadly, not always the case). Since Rythmik sells with an in-home trial, I figured that I'd give 'em a shot to see if I could save some money. If they weren't up to snuff, they'd simply go back to Rythmik and I'd pony up for the JLs. In the end, I kept the Rythmiks.

Good Luck.

Marty

PS Tho I've never heard them, SVS subs have a great rep, too.

Marty,

Which model Rytmik do you use?

What is your crossover point?

And did you try out integrating these without the Audyessey? If so, how was the uncorrected integration?

Actually, Marty, that's the problem with so many subs with a great rep like SVS, Rythmik, and Funky Waves is that you often can't see or hear them at all. A pair of SVS sealed PB13s tempted me, as did a single Funky Waves 18.3. With electronics that are easily shipped I'll experiment a big. With huge subwoofers... less so. I'm with you, I didn't buy without a lot of auditioning.

I use a pair of Rythmik F12 subwoofers in my system.

Before Audyssey I used them with ARC electronics (LS25 and VT130SE). IIRC, I briefly used them without room EQ, but only briefly. Honestly, that set-up was in use too briefly to comment usefully on SQ without room EQ. After the subs went into the system, I quickly added an NHT X-2 active x-over unit (strictly to to high pass/low cut the main speakers), and a Velodyne SMS-1 sub controller to high cut the subs and to provide RTA and room EQ. The SMS has a truly crappy auto mode, so it took a fair bit of time and effort to get it right via manual tweaking with the video FR readout as a guide. Once I got it all dialed in (several weeks of many hours per week), I got really great results.

I recently subbed in the pre-pro because I wanted to try XT32 (per KR4's Stereophile recommendation) and because 1 box replaced my DAC, preamp, high pass x-over, and sub controller and eliminated 3 out of 4 power-up steps.

Overall I prefer the sound of the system in its current configuration, but bass performance and subwoofer integration has been (IMHO) absolutely outstanding in both set-ups. Audyssey actually sets the absolute bass levels just a bit (but an audible bit) higher than I did with the SMS-1, but I'd put both octave to octave tonal balances well within the "matter of taste" window of neutrality.

Audyssey sets the x-over point at 40hz (Ohm 100) or 50hz (MMG). In the previous configuration, the x-over was set at +/- 75hz, because room EQ was limited to the subs and I had some real room induced issues up in the 70hz region that I couldn't chase away with room treatments (despite the use of use 2 "Bassbuster" Hemholtz resonators tuned for that purpose).

Hope that's useful.

Marty