REL Quake or ACI Force for semi small room



Rega Planet, P3, Mira (old clamshell style)
Ruark Prelude R's (gorgeous speaker and midrange)
QED Silver Ann / Quect 3's

Looking for a musical sub to fill out bottom end in a semi-small room with hardwoods. Owned a Strata III and Rega Vulcan and loved both. I'm torn between REL Quake (smaller, british synergy, 23hz-6db) and ACI Force (return policy, more air movement from 10in driver, 20hz-3bd). Both are around $750.

Any suggestions? I know, both will work beautifully but maybe someone has some other insight.

Thanks,
Matthew
Seattle

britergy
Dear Sean: " unlimited budget ": all my post always are thinking in benefits/improvements for the proper stereo music reproduction, but you are right about the " budget " I almost not think about, sorry for that.

You are right too about " the best compromise at their price points ". But this is not the issue, the issue still is: PROPER STEREO MUSIC REPRODUCTION AT HOME.
There is almost none situation where the REL subs can meet this statement. The REL subs has a design that's is better for HT applications.

+++++ " I think you should tell us how you propose to improve on the REL for a budget.. " +++++

There are other subs alternatives to REL for proper stereo reproduction: Velodyne, Paradigm, M&K, HSU, Bag End, B&W, etc....

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Perhaps you could be a little more specific. Say for example:

I have $800 to spend.
I have an integrated amplifier.
I like the sound of my monitor speakers, I just want to extend their performance.

Sure, there are other sub manufacturers, but you have given no indication of how their offerings could give a superior solution at the given price point.

If someone were to ask how to get better performance from their honda civic and they have $1000 to spend telling them to go trade for a 911 turbo doesn't really help them.
Dear Sean: Others subs manufacturers give you the option to integrate their subs in a truly stereo fashion not like the REL ones that always give you a mono signal sound reproduction.

Like Eldartford post on the subs analog forum thread:
+++++ "I regard the "subwoofer" not as a separate speaker system, but as part of the main speaker system...the part that the manufacturer left out because of size and cost. " +++++

We need two subs for a proper stereo music sound reproduction not only one. Sure you can use only one but that can't say it is right. Maybe some people use only one sub and in this unortodox application the REL is fine, but I repeat: FOR A PROPER STEREO MUSIC REPRODUCTION AT HOME WE ALMOST ALWAYS NEED TWO SUBWOOFERS.

Please take your time and read carefully the link that I already post elsewhere in this thread. There you can read all the advantages, other than " more bass ", that we can have when we integrate subs in our stereo audio systems.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Raul, RELs only sum to mono if you connect both channels of the power amp. You can connect two REL subs, one to the left channel and one to the right channel if you desire. You then have true stereo sub bass.

RELs can be connected to the power amp or to RCA or balanced outputs from a preamp or processor also. With either method they can run true stereo or mono-mixing.

Besides, with a sub upper rolloff at 35Hz how much LP information is in stereo at that frequency. It is my understanding that bass is summed to mono on most LPs. Strange then that most audiophiles profess to preferring LPs.

In general I agree with you that two subs will provide a better room loading, that 80Hz may be a good integration point, and that integration as high as 80Hz may cause the sub to be more directional than in my case (crossed at 45Hz).

But I contend that you cannot do what you are suggesting with a budget of $1000 or less.
Dear Sean: My mistake is that I read the operation manual where they speak about the speakon connector and I never " seen " the stereo application. Sorry for that.

Mi issue is to leave free of low bass reproduction the woofer in the main speakers, in this way we can eliminated almost the most severe intermodulation distortion and heavy harmonic distortion that do a great degradation to the music reproduction.
In this way we can have many advantages: better quality/quantity low bass, clean mid bass, clean midrange/high frecuencies, etc....

Now, the start crossover point at 80Hz works very well and I can tell you that at this crossover point you can't detect the stereo subs.

About to summed the bass: remember that the bass is not only fundamental frecuencies but a lot of harmonics that we have to " hear " in stereo.

Tks for your time.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.