Best subwoofer match for Meadowlark Swifts?

Buggtussel makes a transmission-line sub called the "Tegmentum" that would be an excellent match with the Meadowlarks. The Tegmentum is pretty big, but its quality of bass in my opinion surpasses that of smaller sealed or reflex subs. Rated down to 16 Hz (that's probably a bit optimistic in most rooms), it comes with a very nice crossover/amplifier/equalizer which gives you enormous flexibility in matching sub to speaker: Two independently-variable second order low pass filters; a two-band parametric equalizer; and a continuously-adjustable phase control. You can cascade or stagger the low pass filters, or even bypass one if you need to; and you can use the parametric filters to notch out room peaks or bypass them as well if you prefer.

If you don't want to go with the Buggtussel, then REL also makes some nice subs. But, they're not transmission lines!

Best of luck in your search.

Duke

S7Horton,

The idea behind the enormous flexibility of the Tegmentum's crossover/amplifier/equalizer is to get a good blend with a wide variety of speakers in real-world rooms. Getting that correct blend is a matter of dialing in the controls properly. I would contend that the Tegmentum's tailorability (is that a word?) is one of its best features (after its speed and naturalness). Here's what you can do with the Tegmentum: You can cross over anywhere between 35 Hz and 200 Hz either second order, or fourth order, of approximately third order (by staggering the two 2nd-order filters). You can notch out two room resonant modes with the parametric EQ, or custom-tailor the subwoofer's response. And you can compensate for the subwoofer being a different distance away than the main speakers.

Any sub will sound overpowering if the level is set too high. But there's more to getting a good blend than matching levels, as anyone who's ever designed a crossover can attest.

So not to dismiss your observations, S7Horton. On the contrary, if the Swifts were improperly mated with the Tegmentum, the result probably would be overpowering. But the Tegmentum's range of adjustments give the flexibility needed to keep that from happening, while most other subs aren't that flexible.

Best wishes,

Duke