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Best Subwoofer for Quad 2805 under $5k

Looking for musical subwoofer for 2 channel listening (Not home theatre!) that has the speed and finesse to keep up with Quad 2805s. Heard the Wilson Benesch Torus is an amazing combination, but don't want to spend $13k.
Thinking about the REL Gibralter G2 (carbon fiber driver) or the JL Audio Fathom f112. Has anybody tried these subs with the Quads? Any other thoughts?
vitman2020

Showing 2 responses by bdp24

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bdp24
10,096 posts
 

The unique GR Research/Rythmik Servo-Feedback OB/Dipole Sub continues to be ignored by all but the hippest audiophiles. It is absolutely, and by a country mile, the best subwoofer in the world for use with any and all dipole loudspeakers.

The reasons for it’s superiority are many, in terms of both it’s inherent design and how it loads the room, which is the same as dipole speakers. Read all about it on GR Research’s AudioCircle Forum. $1500 for a pair of the sub kits, plus another $500 for the H-frames the kit is installed in. Easy to assemble (not much harder than Ikea furniture), finish (paint or veneer) to taste.

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,096 posts
 
The Finnish company Gradient made a dipole sub for the Quad 63 in the late 70's, I believe it was. it was a pair of 12" woofers in an open baffle H-Frame, the woofers facing in opposite directions and wired in opposite polarity. At least theoretically this is a design well suited to use with a dipole speaker.

There is a sub design currently available just like the Gradient, but using servo-feedback on the woofers. The plate amp with servo circuitry is made by a company in Austin, Texas named Rythmik (Martykl mentioned his sealed Rythmiks above), and the 12" woofers are a collaboration between Rythmik's Brian Ding and well know speaker designer Danny Richie of GR Research. The sub is offered as a DIY kit only, the user needing to make (or have made) the H-frames into which the two (or three) woofers are installed. Anyone wanting dipole subs to mate with dipole speakers should definitely check out the GR Research website for more info.
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