My personal advice, considering your budget get 2 martin Logan dynamo 300, open them and put inside a small cushy pillow back in the ointernal wall to dump internal resonances which will improve the tightness of the sub and put some cotton clothes on the firing port so you seal them. The port for me only gives boomy and uncomfortable, not musical bass, maybe good for ht.
Then get the bheringher 2496 digital equalizer to adjust the frequency response according to your room , to do this you will need to download the audio tool to your cellphone, learn to use it, is not so difficult. Then spend a long time tunnig your subs with the recommendations given to you on the other comments.
Later, someday get a preamp with phase tuning option, it is VERY helpful, I would say mandatory.
I own the ml sub with a pair of tiny paradigm Sig s1 v3 (is a sealed bookshelf) and could not express how good it sound.
Good luck!
Then get the bheringher 2496 digital equalizer to adjust the frequency response according to your room , to do this you will need to download the audio tool to your cellphone, learn to use it, is not so difficult. Then spend a long time tunnig your subs with the recommendations given to you on the other comments.
Later, someday get a preamp with phase tuning option, it is VERY helpful, I would say mandatory.
I own the ml sub with a pair of tiny paradigm Sig s1 v3 (is a sealed bookshelf) and could not express how good it sound.
Good luck!