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
Absolutely right! Low bass is the hardest and most important thing to get right. Especially in smaller rooms with dimensions less than the wavelength of the lower frequency's. Until you solve the room issues in the low bass it will be very hard to get the rest of the spectrum to sound good. Standing waves will muddy up the mids and highs. I am still working on that myself as I have just moved and in a new room with (interesting) new issues.  
What you guys need to consider is the thinking outside the box.
The Sub 3 nips your particular room overload in the bud with 11 band analog room compensation No DSP processers here.
 With its unique high pass or reliving the heavy lifting of your main amp allows your whole system to improve its articulation, dramatically improving transparency and clarity. 

"Vandersteen Powered Bass with Room EQ Just Got Affordable!
The SUB THREE approaches ... the 2Wq is now Discontinued
The venerable 2Wq, in continuous production since the 1980s and arguably the most popular high-end subwoofer of all time, is finally giving way. The 2Wq is now officially discontinued, and it's time to get ready to meet its amazing new replacement, the SUB THREE. The SUB THREE will be available to customers in June of 2018 and is available for dealer order NOW. SRP is $2,490 each. There are a LOT of 2W and 2wq owners who are going to want to hear all about this tremendous new upgrade opportunity!The SUB THREE employs Vandersteen's signature powered-bass technique, which places a passive high-pass filter at the input of the main amplifier. This method makes the SUB THREE a great addition to speaker systems of any brand, compact or floor standing, and is crucial to achieving the "unbeatable powered bass" performance fans and reviewers alike have lauded in Vandersteen's powered-bass systems for decades. "High-passing" the main amplifier is the only way to get flat frequency response at the crossover point between the main speakers and the powered subwoofer, and also improves midrange and treble performance dramatically. When the main amplifier is relieved of deep bass duty, intermodulation distortion is reduced and the midrange and treble take flight and float freely in the room. This is the most musically righteous way of integrating a subwoofer into a speaker system, period.The SUB THREE also incorporates one of Vandersteen's most innovative and enduring technologies- 11-band room EQ for perfect bass in virtually any room. This technology originated with Vandersteen's Model 5, and today is employed in the flagship Model Seven Mk II ($62k/pr.) and reference SUB NINE powered subwoofers ($18,900/pr.). Over time this crucial technology has been employed in Vandersteen's Model 5A and Model 5A Carbon ($31,300/pr.), but prior to the SUB THREE the least expensive path to Vandersteen room EQ was the Quatro Wood CT at $14,600/pr. Vandersteen's legendary powered-bass with room EQ is now more accessible than ever!

SUB THREE Specs
325-watt Bridged Power Amp with Regulated Switching Power Supply11-Band Room EQ for Perfect Bass in Virtually Any Room
3 x 8” Cast-Aluminum Basket Cellulose-Fiber Woofer Cones with Ultra Long-Throw Motor Assembly Price: $2490 ea.About Vandersteen AudioVandersteen Audio designs and manufactures time- and phase-correct loudspeakers and superb electronics. Every Vandersteen loudspeaker is designed to be as true and accurate to the signal received from the amplifier as possible, but with unsurpassed natural musicality and “Dimensional Purity.” All Vandersteen products are proudly designed and manufactured in the USA, in Hanford, CA.
Contact: Audio Connection 615 Bloomfield AveVerona NJ 07044 973239 1799www.audioconnect.com
JohnnyR"


@sonicjoy - IIRC, RV designed the 2Wq to sit in the corner.  That's where I placed them, and I have never had any boominess from them.  Boy I miss what I had going on until last September! 
I also placed my 2Wq in the corner. No boominess to the sound. I actually tried to set the sub a bit more up front near the main speakers. Surprisingly the bass got more boomy and ill defined. Back to the corner it went.
@mr_m - yup.  That seems to support my recollection that the 2Wq was designed to sit in a corner.  It's actually not that surprising at all.