the Aerial SW12 is a stretch, but an amazing sub. The REL's are nice, sure. I have Rega Vulcan, which is made by REL. Great little sub for the kitchen system. The ML sub is worth listening to, and looks better in person than in pictures. The Revel B15 is worth a listen too.
The ultimate bang for the buck is doing homebrew subs however. I have a pair of 12" subs I built using the NHT 1259 drivers, in multi-layered-laminated sonotube enclosures. They are as dead acoustically (the enclosures) as any sub I have seen in the store or my house, and with a Bryston 10b and Classe CA200 powering them, as good a sub solution as I have heard too. And, they would run equally well with a cheaper (Paradigm X-30) Crossover and a cheaper amp. One driver I've been itching to try is the Stryke HE15, made by TC Sounds. (www.stryke.com). The Shiva has had good reviews as well.
-Ed
The ultimate bang for the buck is doing homebrew subs however. I have a pair of 12" subs I built using the NHT 1259 drivers, in multi-layered-laminated sonotube enclosures. They are as dead acoustically (the enclosures) as any sub I have seen in the store or my house, and with a Bryston 10b and Classe CA200 powering them, as good a sub solution as I have heard too. And, they would run equally well with a cheaper (Paradigm X-30) Crossover and a cheaper amp. One driver I've been itching to try is the Stryke HE15, made by TC Sounds. (www.stryke.com). The Shiva has had good reviews as well.
-Ed