You probably would be better off with powered subs IMHO. The second hand market is a good place to start. You can get a used Martin Logan Grotto i for less than $500 on EBay. If one amp goes bad in a powered Swarm, you don’t have to shut down the whole system to get it fixed. Use wireless transmission to daisy chain them and you would be able to move them around without the limitation of a cord. Get familiar with REW to be able to set them up properly and sky is your limit.
Which is better for a DBA (Swarm); powered subs or unpowered?
I want to start building a swarm (starting with 2 subs), on a budget. Starting with $1000, am I better off buying two used powered subs, three less expensive used powered subs, or a subwoofer amp (eg Dayton SA1000) and two (less expensive) used unpowered subs? What is the advantage of having a discrete subwoofer amp? Room size is 13'x22'.