Musical subwoofer under $2000


I’m looking for advice on what vendors to look at as l’d really like to add a subwoofer to my 2 channel setup. The room is c. 30x15 feet or 42 square meters with low ceiling of about 7.5 feet or 2.2 meters. Budget is c.$2,000 and my 2 channel speakers are Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII. My amp offers pre-out connection. I’d like REL but their S range is now too expensive, so something close in musicality would be great. 

sparksgja

I listen to a wide range of music - rock, pop, country, electronic, opera, classical orchestral and lots of piano and jazz. I had a friend around about a month ago and he has Triton speakers with built in subs and commented on how my low bass wasn’t there, not badly, but just there was more low bass I was missing. I also feel the low end will give me more presence and atmosphere. I’m not displeased with my system and the midrange and top end are both great. I play mostly CDs and the PSAudio transport and Bel Canto DAC combined with the Pathos amp is revealing but not analytically detailed, but still detailed and tends to being slightly warm, which is great as the speakers are very neutral and I do have lots of hard surfaces. Again thanks kennyc; audiorusty; and sounds-real-audio for your valuable input and I’m hoping kennyc is getting value too as what he describes he is after is the same. 

I have owned Every major brand and the SVS4000-SB meaning sealed 

the driver itself is around 50lbs and weighs102 lbs it has a great app to fully tune your room and adjust the volume from your seat.

for-around $1800 a great sub  and will play flat inRoom true 18HZ or lower 

free shipping ,45 day Audition ,and even free return if-not happy a compact 13.5 inch driver.

5 year transferrable warranty ported,or subs with passive radiator more boom ,output but not as articulate . The JL AudioFathom are better but $4-5k and also isSealed , as is Magico, Wilson . 

REL Classic 98

Nothing compares to REL for musicality and this new model is a close match to my old REL Storm III now 20+ yrs old but still sounding great. The Classic 98 is very close in sound esp with my little Harbeths. 

In my opinion if you are not listening to loud bass driven rock of some type, the addition of a subwoofer to a full range speaker will not make a big enough impact to justify the expense.
 

I couldn’t disagree with this opinion more.  This is the statement from someone who has no idea what subwoofers are capable of.  
 

I also feel the low end will give me more presence and atmosphere.

I TOTALLY AGREE with this statement and what was totally missed by the prior response.  Subs add so much more than just more bass, and anyone who doesn’t realize that is just subwoofer ignorant.  There’s a reason Wilson uses subs with their Alexandrias and Magico uses them with their Q7s and up, and I think you obviously get that.

 

The Rythmic IMO and IME is not a great rock sub. Does not hit hard…….. at all. I would take one JL over 2 Rythmics all day. My Fathom F113 is on its ways back from repair. JL and I’m sure a lot of other subs are visceral, the Rythmic is not. The JL has articulation which is what makes a great rock sub IMO. Amp weighs 30+ lbs and is class d with some big ole caps.