Subwoofer for music, how low?

Like everything in life, it comes down to trade offs & compromise. Yes, 20hz has been the mark we have been taught to shoot at. But in reality, very little music goes down to 20hz. Then too, there is the trade off of size. In order to get down lower, you need a bigger box. Plus it costs more. Then there are the specs. Is it rated conservatively or is it rated better by manipulation for sales.

The nice thing about the Rel is how easily it blends and how much bigger it makes your main speakers sound. Plus it uses high ;level input from the speaker terminals on the amp. I have had them for 20 yrs now and was one of my best upgrades.

Merry Christmas to you ! 

I have two REL T9i and love the sound.  They are subwoofers with sound that contradicts their specifications.  

Mine play down to 20Hz in room at the listening position and have more than enough power, punch and impact in my med-large room. 

Of the several other subwoofers I have tried the RELs are the only ones to not color and obscure the midrange and they blend perfectly well. They are so easy to adjust so that they blend with your system- think days instead of months.  

No other subs for me.  Peace.  

Your biggest challenge is not getting your sub low enough but integrating it with the room. 

See:

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The key to your question was music. Everyone chimed in about "most" music hitting 20hz. Some does. Rel is a coupled sub. In other words your floor is the bottom of the slot on that type of sub. The best way to make that type of sub work is, mass load the box and literally glue it to the floor. You will feel THAT type of sub.

The question is, do you want to feel the sub through your bottom (the whole house) or hear and feel the sub in your seated position? NOT through your BUTT or FEET or the plaster falling off the ceiling or the plates rattling in the kitchen, BUT only at your listening position?

If the sub requires coupling to work, you might want to think if that is the type of "BASS" you want. Some love it. The drunker I get, the more I like it, no doubt about it. The only issue is, I quit drinking 40 years ago..:-)

Regards

@oldhvymec This makes sense.

What sub would you recommend?