Vandersteen Sub woofers v Rythmik Subs


I really love the idea of the Vandersteen Subs where they are connected with the mains via extra speaker cable off right and left channels off the main amplifier, which is supposed to provide better bass transition from the mains while keeping the signature from the main amplifier. My question is with Vandersteen coming out with the SUB THREE and the price going significantly higher, I was wondering if there are other subs for less that you could integrate in the same way. (Most subs seem to rely on the line level input which is just a sub-woofer RCA going from the pre-amp to the amp on the sub). Can this same Vandersteen set-up be achieved with other subs?
I picked Rythmik since they are known (in the home theater community anyway) for being one of the best bang for the buck subs and the most "musical" of the bunch. (between Hsu, SVS, PSA).
And could I possibly achieve even greater sub-woofer nirvana since I could get an 18" for around $1500? Vandies only have 3 eight inchers.

I am a Vandersteen fanboy and I would like to support RV whenever I can, but don’t know much about my other sub-woofer options so looking for some feedback. Doesn’t even have to be related to Rythmik necessarily. If you know of other subs that can integrate the same way I want to know about it!

Thanks
bstatmeister
Well, the 'magic' of the Vandy sub system is that the subs integrate with the crossovers(-the subs compensate for the 6db decrease the crossover applies). I don't think there are any other manufacturers that can do the same.
I own a set of HSU subs and run them in parallel with the speakers in my office. The sound is good, but not as good as the Vandies.
And, remember a larger (18") driver will not be as efficient as an 8" driver. 

Thanks for that input. My main focus is definitively being true to the music. The minute that I hear bloated, boomy bass I would want to chuck that subwoofer out the window. I guess I am sticking with Vandersteen. Thanks again.
Hi bstatmeister,

Here’s an excellent alternative if you want state of the art bass response and your room can accomodate this system in your room.

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/audiokinesis-swarm-subwoofer-system/

I was considering buying 2 very good subs (Vandersteen, REL or JL) a few yrs ago but bought a distributed bass array system instead based on a lot of in room bass response research I read online and the numerous very good reviews of the Audio Kinesis bass system.
At first listen in my room, I was amazed at the quality of the bass produced and how well it integrated with my main speakers. 2 yrs later, I’m still extremely pleased and I don’t believe 2 or fewer conventional subs would be capable of producing this level of quality bass response in my 23 x16 foot room.
This is a great option if you prefer bass that is tonally accurate, natural but still able to go as deep and impactful as .the recording calls for

There’s only one other person on this forum that I’m aware of who uses a distributed bass array sub system. I forgot his user ID but I remember we both agreed on another thread that it’s hard to overstate how well this concept actually works in our rooms.

System Pros:
-Performs and integrates well with virtually any brand and type of main speakers.
-Performs equally well for both music and home theater sources.
-Gives good bass response throughout the entire room, not just at a single’sweet-spot’.
-Relatively affordable at about $3,000 for the entire bass system: 4 subs and a 1,000 watt class AB amp. About the same price as 2 high quality conventional self-powered subs.

System Cons:
-Requires the space in your room for four 3 foot tall subs with about a 1 sq. ft. footprint.
-Requires a precise and time consuming setup procedure for sequentially locating the exact position of each sub in your room for optimum results. It took me about 2 hrs with a friend assisting to setup my 4 subs. Once this initial positioning process is completed, however, no further work is needed unless you move your system to another room or house.
-Depending on your room, concealing the speaker wires could be difficult. I drilled a hole underneath each sub and hid the wiring in the crawl space underneath my living room. A real pain the ass but probably something I won’t be doing again anytime soon.

Just an alternative option you may want to consider.

Tim