Sub Confusion

+ @noromance 

+ @bdp24 

+ @yogiboy 

I have a REL. I have Rythmiks. Both are good subs. Rythmiks are better values and more integrateable. You could have a couple Rythmiks and a better integrated room for the price of one new REL, IMO.

Agree with those that suggest Rythmik offers better value and can be integrated better than REL.  I have nothing against REL subs, but they don't represent a good bang for your buck.  If you have the money and like audio jewelry, by all means get a REL, or better yet, 2 or 4.  Just realize you're paying more for looks, their huge marketing budget, and dealer markup than you are for superior technology. 

A pair of well set up Rythmik subs will make your system sound better than the one REL sub you would get for the same amount of money.  A well set up Rythmik (or many other brand) sub(s) will be "integrated" just as well as a REL sub.  A REL sub can be poorly set up and sound boomy or not well "integrated".  All this nonsense about the way it connects to your system making a huge difference is just that.  You either know how to set up your subs regardless of what brand they are or you don't.  Rythmik and many other subs provide you with more setup options than REL.

@thebingster , There is no such thing as overkill, only underkill. If you can fit larger subwoofers go for them. 

You are right on about removing the bass from your main speakers. You will lower distortion and increase headroom. You will however need a 2 way crossover but you have a problem. Digital cross overs are way superior to analog ones. You want to stick the digital crossover in front of the DAC so you are not going back and forth between digital and analog. You only want one conversion. This means you will have to get another DAC to handle the subwoofer channels. It is only handling the bass so you can use a much less expensive one. There are many companies that make digital cross overs and some of them also have speaker control (room control is really speaker control) This allows you to digitally equalize both channels so that their frequency response is exactly the same improving your imaging. While you are in digital you can do almost anything without adding artifact of any kind. The best sound I have heard coming out of my system starts with a digital recording and stays in 24/192 digital until it gets to the amplifiers in my system. The clarity is stunning. I can get close with my turntable but not all the way there and I do not think it is possible to get all the way there. This does not mean I do not like records, I buy one or two every week on average. Records can sound better than digital versions by virtue of the mastering. However, the clarity is always a bit better in digital sources. Digital can be more dynamic than analog sources also. These are gross generalizations that can be violated by the quality of the equipment. If you use a SOTA turntable and phono stage against a Walmart DAC of course the vinyl is going to be better. 

@thebingster,

Adding a sub see Soundoctor below: 

Mike

http://www.soundoctor.com/whitepapers/subs.htm

No idea why people have such a hard time integrating any sub. I have had REL and SVS as well as ML and never had an issue. Takes time and a bit of fidgeting.