Recommendations for a new subwoofer?

Hi OP

l would stick with Rel as you are there already to go with the dialling in with your pre use qualifications. No need for apps, just a good pair of ears.

Go for a T7i or T9i second hand. Both have 10” drivers, the higher the number the greater the amplifier power. No point in paying for a new X model in those sizes, there was no discernible difference to my ears. You may find a stereo pair would fit in your budget if used ones are abundant. They both have high level Speakon and low level RCA inputs. Rel developed this first and l advise you do not accept other brands that do not offer this. High level for Stereo and low level for those extra channels for home theatre…..it’s a no brainier with total flexibility. Rel may only go down to 30 Hz but l never found this a problem, my neighbours yes. Also don’t go for extra large drivers as your bass can end up boomy and bloomy. Smaller drivers are quicker and slicker.

l use two Rel T9i subs and as a guide, l bought second hand for £650 and £550 (roughly $1500) in the UK. One would be enough but two for me are best as you don’t have to drive a single sub so hard. Less chance of a bake off frying incident. You will take a risk of course with no warranty, but the choice is yours.

Modes, Nodes and Anti-nodes (sounds like something out of Star Trek)

A well known fact…… A stereo pair of subs actively reduce extreme room modes (and within my own experiences).  The sound waves emanate from different areas and bass dispersion is more uniform. Of course there are people with multiple subs, and stacked subs which are an altogether different room experiment.

Subs should be seen and not heard.

In other words……

1.  You can see the sub or subs (unless hidden behind furniture or out of sight)

2.  From the sub or subs, no attention sound wise should be apparent. (No sound appears to emanate from them)

If your sub-bass does not integrate and appear to be coming from your speakers and spatially within the musical performance then:-

       A. Your sub or subs are rubbish.

                               OR

       B. You have not set up correctly.

Subs should not attract musical attention to themselves. They should be fundamentally “seen, but NOT heard”

Magic happens if subs can become invisible as well. That for me truly demonstrates everything’s optimal and set up correctly.

Footnote

Just to avoid any confusion, Myself and the OP are talking about high level SpeakOn (Nuetrik) speaker level line inputs.

Nuetrik connectors are regarded by professionals as the recording industries highest standard, for their robust construction and connective integrity.

Speaker level inputs, not outputs. Oops

I think we all got that as a typo. 
Your observational reference about the general absence of line inputs…..

It constantly amazes me that hi level inputs are not offered as an industry standard on all decently priced (up market) subs. Why cut corners?  Maybe a deliberate marketing ploy by those manufacturers for a more customer perceived competitive retail price point versus the ones that do offer line inputs.  Hmmm

Well done Rel for taking the guess work out of it and offering line inputs AS STANDARD.

@mcraghead Go ahead and get that Rel T9x

At last the side of reason……

But others will say, joining the side of reason….. is not always a good reason.

@m-db 

Great advice there and overall analysis and choices to consider.

Rel recommend the bass crawl you describe. It is in their set up manual. They even suggest an actual CD track (from James Horners “Sneakers” Soundtrack) for a constant repetitive bass drum strike lasting several minutes, to find the best location.

Quite by chance l had it…….. l collect film soundtracks... Simples!

I started with a Rel Quake 20 years ago….added a second. Graduated to a T7 after one Quake failed after 15 years. So impressed with the T7 l bought a T9i. I have now sold on the T7 and bought a second T9i and now run a stereo pair.

l would have no problems recommending this company to friends or family. Rel only make subs…. It’s what they do.

@jfrmusic 

“I’ve since sold the Rels”

l agree with your decision. I have said a lot of good things to endorse the brand on this thread which might appear odd. Honesty and not blind biased judgement should not be on here, but yes l actually agree with you….but only in your case.

l use 40 year old Acoustic Energy AE1 speakers on their designed pedestals. I bought some newer Acoustic Energy Reference 1 speakers thinking it was a good choice to upgrade. The two Rel T9i subs l have just would not meld with the new ones…..too much bass and my settings were so low on the subs to almost make them redundant. The problem however was not with the Rels but with the speakers.

The Regerence 1’s bass response is formidable for the size of speakers. They go down to the 40Hz area you talk about. The Rels were just filling in the last 10 Hz of their specification. They were almost off just filling in one octave of range.

I lived with the new speakers for a few weeks and realised there was just no grand spacious and beguiling sound coming forth. I switched back to the old AE 1’s and put the Rels on again…..The magic returned… large soundstage and dynamics.

l came to the conclusion that the newer Reference 1’s didn’t need any subs, they were that good with just the last octave missing. End of story… l am now still using the original 1984 Acoustic Energy AE1 mk1’s and the Rels.

l think your speakers must have had the same roll off and a bit of overhang on the bass response to make the Rels meaningless.

For me it proved the older speakers still hold their own but with bass reinforcement. The newer ones are now in my second system where the extra bass is not required.

Hope this may help explain some other aspect of sub or no sub integrations 

@jfrmusic 

The only other small to mid size pedestal speaker l have owned to have had the same bass response is Mission 770 Freedom’s. The front port could blow out candles and rustled my fern plants as if King Kong was behind them.

l still have them and can’t bare to let them go as l fire them up occasionally and have a blast sans Rels.