Vandersteen Sub woofers v Rythmik Subs

AFAIK, nobody integrates subs the way Vandersteen does it.  Even the REL, which takes a speaker-level feed from the amp, doesn't offer a HP filter for the mains.  Every other sub I am aware of, if they offer speaker level inputs, it is to run the entire signal through the crossover within the sub's plate amp.  And the quality of those crossovers can vary widely.  That's why most prefer to use line level connections for the subwoofer and do the HP filter elsewhere (preamp/processor, external crossover, etc.).  Vandersteen is the only sub that takes the signal from the main amplifier without taking any power from it, and leaves the HP filtered signal alone once it is run through the Vandersteen resistor or M5-HP crossovers.

Accused fanboy but IF you are running Vandersteen mains, the whole shooting match of Sub and Main have been developed to work together especially impulse FFT in the Anechoic chamber....
RV ( on the way to Munich ) would probably emphasize the analog nature of the approach, not a big fan of digital
the new sub 3 comes with 11 band analog EQ
iF you run AMROC ( or other tools on your room ), there will be many, many nodes.
DSP algorithms tend ( note my careful choice of word ) to goal seek ultra flat, which ends up lifeless.
you might also not a Vandersteen bias in EQ ranges ( cut vs boost ), there is thinking, logic, physics behind that )
preserving the transfer function by running thru the main amp is important, but it is understandable why other steep slope manufacturers don’t care as they hacked the transfer function out the window :-)
jim T got it too, but he is unfortunately dead
swarm has a ton of  theoretical and practical merit, with obvious WAF issues, you can get similar some would say better results with two subs because there is a narrow sweetspot anyway ( see Jim Smith book )
have fun in your search !!!!!!

I've been using a pair of RELs (Q150e and Q108II) for years with excellent  results paired with a couple of different main speakers and amps. REL's "High Level" input of course keeps the mains full range, puts a benign 100,000 ohm load on the amp (crowded speaker posts on the amp, but good connectors and it's fine), and the subs are easy to adjust for crossover point, phase, and level. Bought both subs used at different times for 200 bucks each. So it would seem that Vandy (nice company, I've owned a pair of 1Bs) clearly isn't the only company with "amp power" connections. 

wolf - As I commented, the REL has some things in common with the Vandersteen subs, but some prefer the HP filter option with their main speakers for a variety of reasons.  For those folks, the REL is not a good option.

Hi tyray,

     Sorry about detonating your gray matter, I hope it wasn't too painful.  I think, if you just stuff the blown out bits back in your cranium, you should be fine.
     Good bass response is harder to attain in most rooms than good mid-range and treble response.mainly because bass sound waves are extremely long (with deep bass sound waves often being longer than any dimension in your room) while mid-range and treble sound waves are much shorter and more directional.  
     Good mid-range and treble response can usually be attained at a specified listening position by properly positioning your main l+r main speakers and utilizing wall treatments at the first reflection points.  
     In my experience, a distributed bass array system is definitely the best method for optimizing bass response in a given room.  Butt I believe it's still possible for you to get good bass response results in your room by using your single SVS sub as long as you only want to optimize the bass response at a single listening position.
     This can be done using the following method:
1. Hookup your sub and place it at your desired listening position.
2. Play music that has good and repetitive bass.
3. Walk around your room in a systematic manner listening for an exact spot where the bass sounds the best to you.
4. Once this spot is located, reposition your sub to this exact spot.
5. To test results, sit at your designated listening position and repay the same music.
     As you would expect, bass response will be improved as additional subs are added to the room. Of course, there's a practical limit to the acceptable number of subs in a room.  Scientific experiments have consistently proven that  measured in-room bass response only improves marginally beyond the use of 4 subs in a room. 
     This is the reason the Audio Kinesis Swarm system consists of 4 subs.  You could start with your single SVS sub and add subs if you felt the need. I'd suggest following the positioning method I described above for each sub added.

Good luck,
 Tim