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: 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.
Hi Raul,

"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"

I can see definite advantages in relieving the main speakers of their lower bass. I am in complete agreement in this respect.

However I also see a disadvantage: The higher the frequency at which the subwoofer is crossed the more directional the subwoofer becomes, and the more difficult it is to place the subwoofer for even room loading.

Your solution of two subwoofers solves this disadvantage, but it also approximately doubles the cost.

So I think that your solution of crossing at 80Hz and using stereo subs is probably optimum, but I doubt it can be achieved for under $1000.

By crossing at a very low frequency (20-40Hz) the REL is much less directional, and loads the room a bit more evenly and so it allows a single sub to be used to good effect.

The negative aspect of this approach is that it does nothing to ease the stress on the main speakers, so no midrange clarity is gained.

Horses for courses !
Dear Sean: You are right: it can't be achieved for under 1K. But the advantages of use of two subwoofers in an audio system is worthwhile the " financial " effort.

+++++ " The higher the frequency at which the subwoofer is crossed the more directional the subwoofer becomes.. " +++++

The issue here is to find the right crossover frecuency point in our room/system. When you find it you will be in " music heaven ".

I work very hard on this issue before my subs disappears. I find that this happen at around 80Hz. I corroborate this in other friend's systems . That's why I always speak " around 80Hz ".

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.