Below 20 HZ Notes/Instruments

I found two things really made my rel sound good. First it was designed to go into the corner.

Second is the crossover setting. If your speaker cut out at 21hz then your Rel should be set at 20hz with the volume on the rel on the high side.

All crossovers have bleed through. The volume turned up on the Rel creates a little more bleed through and helps cover the small gap between 20 and 21 hz. If you put them both on 21 then they overlap and it gets boomy.

This is how Sumiko told me to set it up and it made a HUGE difference.

I think the answer would be to have two Stereo RELs Placed symetrically with the main speakers and then adjust the volume such that it blends with the Dunlavy's. Setting will be still at the lowest 22 Hz cross-over cut-off. So now the imaging is right from L-R but depth could be still off. I am considering to have the matching Tower subwoofers that Dunlavy makes. Of course the option is much more expensive both $ and space wise, and a question is still there if it is gonna work for music.( like the main speakers are capable of on their own. Bass originates precisely at certain region in sound stage full bodied and deep with lot of air) All for last 5-10 Hz!! If They are only for movies then I would not be interested. I must be crazy even to consider it. But I got extra amplifier and matching cables laying around... The quest continues.

I agree with you that if you really have to subwoof the SC Vs (and I don't really think you should unless you're willing to put up with the garbage that's down there as well as the rest and have a strong back to move the damned things around), the only way to go is stereo subwoofers, as the Dunlavys and the Duntechs are among the few speakers which actually seem to be able to localize low bass sources (don't ask me how, I never could figure that). A single subwoofer may run counter to that, unless you can cut it off steeply (24 db/octave or higher) at 20 hz or so. If you have unlimited funds and a big enough room, the Dunlavy towers are probably the way to go. But there really isn't that much down there in the regions you're going for that you don't already have a dedcent taste of at 22 hz.

I tried my strata in the corner and it sounded absolutely terrible. It's now sat just in front and to the left of the right hand speaker ... nearly in the middle of the room, with the volume turned up much louder ... and it sounds tremendous. Corner loading was certainly efficient (read loud) but very boomy and resonant. I have read that the REL crossover is not a steep slope, and so it will still produce output significantly above the xover frequency. So if your mains already go down to near 20Hz it may not work. However my mains (Spica angelus) are rather bass shy below 40Hz so it works just fine for me (crossed at 28Hz).

I have stereo rel subs like suggested by Nilthepill and if it is finicially possible for you I would recommend it. Stereo subs are amazing and it has benefits like clearer and deeper soundstage. Better seperation and of course a ton more bass. I was amazed on how much it cleaned my sound stage up.

Seandtaylor. You could be right. The dealer that sold me the Rel, who has never steared me wrong, told me not to put it in the corner and to put it exactly where you have yours. Sumiko claims that Rel is designed not to sound boomy in the corner. I also have a different model but Im not sure if that makes a difference.

I did find that it was clearer in the corner but maybe that has something to do with the room too. Im not sure.

I know you just cant throw it in the corner and you have to try different distances and even try turing the Rel the other way. Sumiko told me to put the Rel tight in the corner and with a continous 20 hz signal back it out an inch at a time until it gets clear and then when it just starts to get boomy again back it up an inch.