More important than the sub itself is the integration of the sub.
A highpass crossover is key imo. McIntosh integrated pieces should all have a built in sub highpass but read up on it. This sends the everything above the crossover to the mains and everything below to the subs. It is very hard to just pass the subs under the mains with a low pass. The results are never as good though I am sure someone who has never used a highpass with chime in that a low pass is fine….
There are external options (JL Audio C-1, $3000) but they are expensive.
I have only tried JL Audio subs with B&W and they sounded great (seamless blend) but the electronics inside them broke multiple times. I still have the subs that were repaired.
Don’t get me wrong SVS is fine and the upper ends subs are good just that in $1000 subs there are a number of compromises.
A highpass crossover is key imo. McIntosh integrated pieces should all have a built in sub highpass but read up on it. This sends the everything above the crossover to the mains and everything below to the subs. It is very hard to just pass the subs under the mains with a low pass. The results are never as good though I am sure someone who has never used a highpass with chime in that a low pass is fine….
There are external options (JL Audio C-1, $3000) but they are expensive.
I have only tried JL Audio subs with B&W and they sounded great (seamless blend) but the electronics inside them broke multiple times. I still have the subs that were repaired.
Don’t get me wrong SVS is fine and the upper ends subs are good just that in $1000 subs there are a number of compromises.