What are the best subwoofers you have heard for music. Speed, Musicality and integration

I posted elsewhere but the new REL in my basement 5.1 HT system, which replaced a Paradigm sub, adds that bottom octave for music seamlessly.  The Paradigm by comparison was MIA.  I need to fine tune settings on the REL a bit but I am very pleased 

@sns  I agree. Rel all day. 

@mahler123 tell is your thoughts when you get them in 

It’s the way they connect. They keep up with the music. The speak on connect is key.  Also they don’t try to hit ridiculously hard which with music would sound unreal.  They are nimble and easy to integrate. 

The Rel's have best integration I've experienced, this vs subs using dsp. Rel's designed for high level connection, this what makes them unique. Also offer a variety of sub lines, not all listening spaces can handle same level of bass.

I switched from  JL Audio Fathom F112’s to NSMT Sub Duos They retail for $4,495 each. They are very easy to integrate and give me the best bass I’ve ever had.  The next model down is called the Bass Foundation which are $2,500 each. I have not heard them but I hear they perform the same as their big brothers in a smaller room. The If you are interested I’d contact Mike from Audio Archon. I highly recommend the sub woofers and Mike. Just my experience for what it’s worth

Expensive, but the Bowers and Wilkins db series. Extremely musical and can easily  

Work with any speaker. 

https://imgur.com/gallery/building-resonance-free-subwoofers-dOTF3cS

@calvinj 

i started a REL thread in the speakers forum a few weeks ago.  In a few days I will have a T9x installed in a secondary system 

@jafant i had a sunfire true super jr that I loved.  It was such a great sub but it died on me.  It got replaced by two RELs.

calvinj

REL is the best Sub in the business. 2nd is Sunfire (smaller in size yet still packs a punch (no pun)).

Happy Listening!

Having two in my system that integrated very well and fairly easily, I would say using the Speakon high level connection helps tremendously.  They get fed the same signal the speakers do.

Does anybody have a theory about what specifically makes REL subs integrate so well?  I've never heard one.  Bottom firing subs tend to have more even in-room response.  Subs with smaller woofers have less visceral transient responses that may mean they draw less attention to themselves.  If they know some secret nobody else does they're not going to advertise it because that would be stupid.  

Gallo TR3

ATC C1 MK2 subwoofer : choice of real wood veneer cabinets, premium hand-built drivers, and ATC’s standard 6 year warranty. Highly recommended.

Best of breed in the up to $4K strata, that I auditioned (and bought) to complement my HARBETH speakers.

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/atc-loudspeaker-technology-launches-c1-sub-mk2-active-subwoofer/

https://www.whathifi.com/news/atc-launches-compact-c1-sub-mk2-active-subwoofer

I like the extremely underrated Vandersteen subwoofer.

Don't you find your phrase about subs and bottom too trivial... Of course if you eat too much subs you'll get bigger bottom!

@ricksgiving i love having subs in my system.  Helps bottom end 

I got a Talon subwoofer that is a passive version of the Talon Roc from my local HiFi shop. It cost me $500, but it was worth every penny. I would suggest any subwoofer that has the highest retail cost, but is the biggest value to you.