subwoofer comparision

I'm a big fan of REL also, and I think their subs work just fine for HT although my main interest is music. It depends on what you are looking for in a HT system. If your thing is getting walloped in the chest, then go for one of the big servo subs (Paradigm, Velodyne). But for mainly music and HT on the side, REL is the best.

Of course I would like to feel the bass while watching movies, but if I have to pick one or the other I'm leaning torwards music. I'm thinking of taking home the Soliloquy S-10 to see if it helps my 5.3s with music. If that one can't keep up with music to suit me, or doesn't improve the main's performance then I'll probably settle for cheaper HT only sub.

Although, I think I would have more trouble selling the Soliloquy sub than a REL or similar sub whenever I get the upgrade bug again.

AFAIK, REL subs are the only one's that let you use the low level and high level inputs at once. Meaning, when you're listening to two channel music you are using the speaker level hookups to get seamless integration and when you're watching a movie with a .1 channel you are still getting the seamless integration for extending your stereo speakers but when .1 data is available on the RCA/XLR input it is blended with the speaker level signal and everything is played through the REL at once.
I know the manual doesn't quite read that way (didn't for me anyway) but I called a tech at Sumiko, they explained what setting needed to be where, I tried it in all sorts of music / movies, and it works as described above.
AND, the RELs are musical and powerful.
I wouldn't think of using something else unless it did all of the above better.

i tried a rel stratus in a big room - one-note-thump. my brother-in-law tried it in a small room (he'd actually purchased it) w/a pair of proac response 1.5's. the soundstage collapsed, & the details were hidden. he sold it after a week after purchase...

for *real* bass that won't break the bank, get a vmps sub, w/outboard electronics - far better quality electronics for the money, than what's included in powered products. i like my marchand xm-9 x-over w/upgraded op amps, & my pair of vmps larger subs w/options. i have been able to successfully audition many different speakers in my rig w/the amazingly flexible, transparent marchand unit. amps? choose any decent used s/s amp. *real* bass, clean, undistorted, high spl's. check out vmps' & marchand's www's. oh yeah, if you only want *one* sub, the original & larger vmps models allow for use of a stereo amp, w/one channel driving each separate driver...

doug s., yust a satisfied customer...

ps - i don't *own* a ht set-up, btw - my system is audio-only...

I don't dispute your choice of VMPS subs and the Marchand or even doubt your experience with the REL. What I do find rather perplexing is that both of the anomalies you describe (one note thump and collapsed soundstage), are the hallmarks of what a REL does NOT do in my experience. I have tried a number of subs in my years in this hobby and, IMHO, the RELs' incredible flexibilty of inputs/coarse/fine adjustments, high/low settings etc. make them emminently adjustable to fit your needs.

How high did you (or your brother in law) have it crossed over? Placement is crucial too as is patience in adjusting the controls. I have a pair of Velodyne ULD 15 MK-IIs that I formerly had in an HT set-up (and then tried with a set of Silverline SR-15s for audio only) -- not horrible -- but nowhere NEAR as musical and seamlessly integrated as my REL Stentor III with my main system. I have it crossed over at 23 hz though. BUT if I cross it over at even 40hz, I start approaching the normal "one note thump" you get with some subs.

Again, I do not question your knowledge as much as I wonder if something wasn't either wrong with the sub (e.g., defective) or if the room set-up was not optimized.