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
hz is in the music they will reproduce it well. my understanding is the 9 is for larger rooms, more spl and tge driver is optimized for a very narrow
range like 60 hz and down, hence the choice of driver.....
So the built in subs in the model 7 still handle the upper bass and only the super low frequencies are handled by the 9s? Make sense since the super low frequencies wouldn’t need drivers that have to be as fast and can focus more on pressurizing the room
Thanks for the link bstat. I was a little disappointed in the design of the subs. They seem a bit stark, but I guess after looking at the 2wq's for so long, any change would be unsettling. The good news is that they are a bit more compact (17x20x21 vs. 24x24x24), so should be much easier to place.
B
bstat....my first sentence got cut...

it was :

9 was developed to use with primarily 7, perhaps quattro for very large room, higher spl needs....the 7 in particular with the aluminum cone push pull built in sub is capable of amazing bass...the 9 is literally a below 20-60 hz machine where a large driver is needed or best suited for the duty cycle, etc.....

i will say ( again ) you might want to look for a pair of 5a......

Jim
Sole Survivor Proprietor- Dusk to Dawn Audio, Ltd 
" Even when a stand up bass is located left in the soundstage, the speakers make the sound come from that position perfectly even though the sub is in the right corner."


Hello mr_m,

     I find this to be is a very interesting phenomena of human hearing that I think is important to realize when we're setting up our systems for optimum bass response in our rooms..
     When I first installed my  Audio Kinesis Debra system, I was concerned how bass emanating from 4 subs arrayed throughout my room would affect my system's sound stage illusion normally spreading from wall to wall and sometimes wider while varying in how many seemingly feet in depth depending on the quality of the recording. 
     These 4 subs are run in mono and I was wondering if I'd still be able to perceive bass instruments as being located properly and precisely within this sound stage illusion.  This very life-like illusion on good recordings is something I really enjoy and didn't want to lose.
     Fortunately, the sound stage illusion was even more palpable and life-like with the Debra in place.  The locations and spacing of Instruments and vocalists within the sound stage illusion were only enhanced.  Even though the bass is in mono and the bass sound waves are coming from 2 subs along the front 16' wall and one along each of the 23' long side walls (about 4' in from the back 16' back wall with my listening seat centered on this back wall),  I always perceive the bass as coming from the proper position within the sound stage illusion at the front of my room on both music and ht.  I  perceive no bass emanating from the 2 subs closest to my seat, just from instruments and voices within the sound stage illusion.   
      I'm very pleased with this bass response and illusion but it is odd how we humans perceive sound; a combination of our ears receiving the sound waves and our brains processing them. 
     I think this affect should be considered as a factor in room acoustics when assembling a home audio system.  I believe this phenomena can be explained by the fact that bass sounds are rarely just bass frequencies and typically have harmonics exist that are at above bass frequencies.  Humans are poor at identifying the location of low frequencies but much better at doing so as the frequencies rise into the mid-range and treble range. 
     I think the scientific explanation is that the higher frequency harmonics of bass sounds allow our brains to better place the source of bass sounds/instruments in the sound stage illusion.  I realize this may be an oversimplification and the actual ear and brain relationship is likely much more complex, but I think it adequately describes the process.

Tim  
Even without talking about the brand you want to use, a subwoofer is still a difficult tool to set up. You need different parameters to adjust. 

All the subwoofers with an inbuild roomacoustic system are not flawless. In  the past we did not even had any roomacoustic adjustments. Based on my expeirence and feeling for acoustics I was able to creat a level in integration none of my collegues ( audio shop) could create.

But, even this not flawless. At the end you want and need the highest level in integration. With our own developed Statement Audio Pro-measurement we can create a level wat is both superior tot the old 'analogue' way amd the subwoofers with an inbuild acoustic system.

There is only one way to get it right and that is a roomcorrection system what measures the loudspeakers and subwoofer at the same time. Rhe level we reached was what I had in my head and mind 10 years ago.

I thought this would never be possible to create. But now in 2018 we reached a stunning level in integration and even with the new Audioquest Storm cables we can reveal details of a recording which are gone without the use of the subwoofer, S.A.P.-measurment and the Audioquest new powercables.

The other thing we created is what I call a 3D matrix. This is feeling the low energy of the loudspeaker at different places in the room depending where it is on the recording.

At the end of 2017 we were able to bring the energie even in height and depth. But the latest S.A.P-measurement and Audioquest new Storm cables created a new level in integration and precision.

The first time I demoed it to my collegue he started to shake with his head. Like this is not possible what I hear. But I switched the subwoofer on and off so it became clear how huge the difference is between the subwoofer on and off.

This demo was in stereo. We seldom sell stereo these days without the use of a subwoofer. Due to the fact that we can create a level in realism and emotion what without a suboofer is not possible. Even when you would use the biggest loudspeakers in the world.