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subwoofer to digital music and movies

I am a bit confused on how to best play music and watch movies with my new subwoofer. My recent purchase was an Earthquake Supernova MIV 15 inch sub. My 2 channel music listening is all digital via Benchmark DAC1 used as a preamp and for home theater using my Marantz AV7005 preamp. Question is: how do I best connect the subwoofer such that it is part of the 2 channel listening experience (Benchmark) and playing movies using my Marantz preamp? 

Simaudio w5 (2 channel amp)
Earthquake Cinova Grande (5 channel amp)
Von Schweikerts VR4 + center + surrounds 
Benchmark DAC1 
Earthquake Supernova MIV 15
Marantz AV7005
OPPO 105
128x128ghulamr
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amg56
887 posts
 

@m-db Please don’t denigrate other peoples opinions. You may have your own opinions, but unless you are faulting the REL website and their attempt to match speakers and subwoofers from their range, please don’t be rude to me.

REL have been making only subwoofers for 2 decades according to their website. Other brands have added to their list of equipment with speakers and so on.

I can only offer my opinion as read from the REL website, my Hi Fi dealer, and my own experience with various manufacturers subwoofer speakers. I prefer MK for subs, but I have good experience with my current REL S/3 pair.

If you think there are better subwoofers, please state what they are and your experience with them.

pcc67
226 posts
 
I was set on svs, demoed the couple of svs and for music the rel t9i sounded far superior.  Went to another audio store, demoed the t9i against comparable JL model.  For music, rel wins for me. Have not demoed in HT.  Rel just sounds tighter and more musical to me and wife agreed.  Guess it's all personal preference. 
ghulamr's avatar
ghulamr OP
104 posts
 
I sold my earthquake sub and purchase a JL fathom f112. I am speechless as there are no words in the audiophile dictionary to define its greatness. Once the system is perfectly dialed in (which took me weeks), for the first time I have jumped off my seat watching movies. In 2 channel dedicated listening, I cannot directionally point to the subwoofer, yet it fills more than just the lower octaves. Never understood until now when folk talked about the vocals and airiness coming to life in music because of a subwoofer. It's awesome!!! 
pcc67
226 posts
 
I did not demo the fanthom f112, out of my range. I demoed e110,  was trying to keep it under 2k so I could get 2 subs.
m-db's avatar
m-db
972 posts
 
ghulamr, nice to hear. You've made a good investment that you'll enjoy regardless of your system or speaker changes.

A few years ago I was able to compare an early version F113 with my long gone Velodyne DD-18. After running JL's ARO the smaller driver was close to the 18. With the ARO off we ran the JL from the Velodyne's Room Optimization. The Velodyne Auto EQ curve for the F113 was very close to what the DD-18 looked like for that room. A small difference in the contour frequency and slope and the difference between the two became astonishingly small if at all. More of a room issue rather than the sub itself. 

This is an example of a Velodyne display. 
https://www.stereophile.com/content/jl-audio-fathom-f113-powered-subwoofer-page-2

Todays subwoofer DSP performance varies greatly. What your hearing is the value of JL Audio F series version 2. Enjoy.   
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