Vandersteen Sub woofers v Rythmik Subs

My main speakers are in front and to the sides of a gas fireplace that protrudes nearly 2 feet into the room (Klipsch Heresy III horn speakers so the fireplace has zero effect on the tone, and they’re 7 feet apart). The corner made by the fireplace behind the left one has the smaller REL Q108II downward firing sub. That little corner is GREAT for that sub...a fake plant sits on top of it (I care). The larger sub is to the right near a corner, but I have vinyl "spikes" and long enough cables on it that I can move it around...put it in the window for outdoor subbing, move it closer to my listening spot, more toward the corner...this works as all recordings are a little different and the possibility of tripping over it exists. However, having the 2 subs on the same page (not in stereo) makes for great sound in my room, which is maybe 20X30 feet with a very tall sloped ceiling.

gdnrbob stated:
" The Audiokinesis swarm makes sense, but then if you could put 4 or more subs of any brand in your room, you would probably get the same result. The whole idea is to balance room aberrations."

Hi Bob,

Correct, a distributed bass array system can be constructed using virtually any 4 subs. The concept is based on the proven theory that multiple generation points of bass sound waves (subs) in any given room significantly reduces the number of bass standing waves existing in the room. This results in more accurate and smoother bass response throughout the majority of the entire room with fewer points in the room that have peaks (exaggerated bass) and nulls (lack of bass).
It’s a choice the user must make: do they want to go all out using 4 of the best subs or a more reasonably priced set of 4 very good but smaller subs that are specifically designed for use in a distributed bass array configuration.
I’ve never heard an ultimate array system using 4 large hi-end subs but would certainly like to.
      After using the Swarm system for the past 2 years, I tend to doubt an ultimate bass array system would sound more accurate, natural or life-like but I do believe it would likely produce more bass. I know I don’t desire more bass either for music or ht in my current system.

Tim

Hi again good folks here, can you all expand on the type of headroom the Vandy’s have? How do they sound when everyone is away, you’re the only one there in the house and you really crank them up playing the best recorded music stuff you have? I was very intrigued after chatting with you folks here and checking out the Vandy website...Thanks

@tyray - When my system was working properly (until last September), I would often crank it. Having a basement Man Cave and a solid old house means I can crank it whenever I want. The 2Wqs work the way a good sub should - they are invisible, and unintrusive, just making it seem like your mains are putting out gobs of deep, clean bass when there is bass in the music. Take some Bjork tracks, crank the volume up, and sit there with a silly grin on your face as the bass pressurizes the room (this is with a pair of 2Wqs, btw). Yes, you will have to batten down anything that can rattle in your room, as light fixtures and other small items will vibrate when there are loud bass notes in the signal. Even with all that output, they never muddy up the upper bass, mid or treble. To me, the 2Wqs are the Goldilocks of subwoofers under $2K apiece. That’s why I am trying so desperately to get everything working again rather than scrapping the 2Wqs for more conventional subs.

Take some Bjork tracks, crank the volume up, and sit there with a silly grin on your face as the bass pressurizes the room (this is with a pair of 2Wqs, btw).

When I crank just my 2C's I already get the silly grin. I imagine if I hooked up a pair of 2wqs, the grin might turn into a permanent deformity :0