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How do SVS subwoofers compare to REL?

I'm looking for subwoofers (one or two) that have a very "tight" natural sound and are not overly boomy. In the future I hope to pair them with some Magnepan speakers. Magnepans are known for having a natural sound, and I want to compliment that.

I've been told that the REL subwoofers (e.g.,T/9i or S/3 SHO, etc., are a good match for Magnepan speakers. However, SVS subwoofers have also been recommended to me.

I don't have any background in high-end audio, so I am interested in opinions of folks here. Are SVS subwoofers considered generally as good as REL in regard to the features I'm interested in? Is either clearly superior? (I had never heard of SVS before yesterday.)

Which subwoofer size (in REL or SVS) would be a good match for a pair of Magnepan 1.7i in an 18 foot x 15 foot room (ceiling about 10 feet) with carpet on floor?

I'm looking at these so far:

REL T/9i Subwoofer about $1300
REL Acoustics S/3 SHO Subwoofer (Super High Output) about $2100
SVS SB-4000 13.5" 1200W about $1600
Any other recommendations?

Total subwoofer budget is around $2600 max. ($2000 or less would be better.)

Also, I believe it is better to buy two smaller subwoofers, compared to one larger one, right? (I'm just not sure where I would put two. Placing one is easier in this room. And I plan to connect everything with speaker wires, not wireless.)

Thanks

lowoverdrive
loomisjohnson
1,526 posts
 
wolf, i might well fall into the lazy reviewer camp (and we might be getting into a semantic debate), but i find "speed" a useful  description for a sub--to me a fast sub connotes absence of bloat and decay; likewise the ability to react to the signal without obscuring it. thus i characterize martin logan dynamo and svs i've owned as fast subs and some of the paradigm and others i've owned as sluggish/slow.
wolf_garcia
4,650 posts
 
Well, lucky for you I haven’t made my all encompassing declaration yet…I simply am noting the fact that woofers get the same signal and respond at exactly the same time as main drivers regardless of the material they’re made of…there’s been talk of aluminum being "faster," etc., which simply isn’t true (ask a bass player) and as has been noted, it’s generally room nodes that are excited by varying degrees by bass although I will say some woofers might be TOO "bassy" by design (that’s what you’re talking about I think)…thus making them seem bloated…like me (just ate too much and now I’m "slow"). I will give you a 30 day pass to use "slow," although after that there’s a 2 point penalty unless the use of the term is explained in a rambling pile of nearly useless verbiage like this.
mrdecibel
1,244 posts
 
The term " speed " is quite real in the audio world, whether applied to subs, speakers, amps, etc. It is part of prat. It is one of those attributes I listen for in any component. When talking about the subject concerning speakers and subs, the room and speaker/listening position plays an important part. Amps, and other parts of the system, are a different matter. 
axememan's avatar
axememan
131 posts
 
Dual Subs are they way to go for sure and,
Cylinder Subs by their nature are very rigid.
SVS has been helpful on all of the Subs that I purchased from them[3].
Plus,Cylinder Subs look COOL. .
As for the PC2000 Subs [Love Em],
if you can go up the food chain I'd say go for it!
More Power and all of that.
The PC2000 Sub is not to complicated tho and offers a great Bang for your Buck!
Especially off of the clearance area.
I didnt mind the Little Scratchs on mine at all.
lowoverdrive OP
147 posts
 
@axememan Yes, I think that's what I'll do -- get two of the SVS PC-2000 subs. :-)

My immediate concern with any SVS speakers is how I will connect them since they do not have speaker-level inputs... I"m sure I can come up with a solution. Currently, I use a 2-channel amp that does not have a sub-out. I connect my sub with its speaker-level connections.

Since I will probably be adding the Antimode 8033, I wouldn't be able to continue using speaker-level inputs on the sub anyway.

Willemj mentioned that I'll need an attenuation cable. However, I have not found where to buy those yet or figured out exactly what I will need... the answer is probably straightforward, but I just need to do the research first. Once I figure that out, I will order the subs.
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