[Elf1]

Looking for suggestions from Maggie users on moderate price subwoofer. Is it worth the expense? I have heard I need a fast reacting sub to keep up with speed of Maggie's. Any opinion on REL T 5, 7 or 9.
Thanks
Ed

[gregfisk]

Looking for suggestions from Maggie users on moderate price subwoofer. Is it worth the expense? I have heard I need a fast reacting sub to keep up with speed of Maggie's. Any opinion on REL T 5, 7 or 9.
Thanks
Ed

Welcome to Audio Circle,

You are going to want to move this post to another thread or else the moderators will come down on you like a fiery hell. Just kidding about the last part but you do need to post this in a different circle.

I would also go to GR Research and look at their servo subs. They are really fast and Danny has done a lot of work with them and the maggies.

[FullRangeMan]

Looking for suggestions from Maggie users on moderate price subwoofer. Is it worth the expense? I have heard I need a fast reacting sub to keep up with speed of Maggie's. Any opinion on REL T 5, 7 or 9.
Thanks
Ed

Hi, Do you could post this question again in the Planar Circle?
I not able to move it.

[ServerAdmin]

Moved to the Planar circle

[WGH]

I have spent an afternoon with Maggie 3.6's and a REL Gibraltar G2 and the combo was flawless. The sub was crossed over at 40 Hz, above that the bass got boomy, so you need a true sub-woofer.

[Audiogeek2]

Seen great results with planars and Rythmik servo subs

[I.Greyhound Fan]

I use 2 older original Martin Logan Dynamo subs with my 1.6's.  They are small and sealed.  They integrate seamlessly. I cross mine over at about 47hz. The newer Martin Logan Dynamo 700 and 1000 subs are comparable.  Very musical, tight bass.  However, the Rhythmik and SB2000 listed below are better subs, at least over the ML 700.

The Rhythmik subs are a much better sub, larger, deeper bass, servo controlled.  A friend of mine has a pair with his 1,7's and they integrate seamlessly and sound great. 

Other options are the SVS SB1000 and SB2000.  They are sealed and sound great.  SVS has a 30 day return policy.

[WGH]

Other options are the SVS SB1000 and SB2000.  They are sealed and sound great.  SVS has a 30 day return policy.

I'm keeping my eye on the new SVS SB-4000. The subwoofer was just introduced in Dec. 2017 for $1500, what makes this sub unique is the remote control. The only other sub I know with a remote is the REL Gibraltar G1 Mark II at an eye popping $5500. The G2 has been discontinued but always show up used for $2250.

https://www.svsound.com/products/sb-4000



The REL G2 remote is such a blast to play with, the bass levels on every album are different and once you have the ability to adjust the bass you will wonder why every sub doesn't have this feature.
Reviews of the SVS 16-Ultra ($2000), the 16" big brother, are all over the internet, Stereophile has a good one:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/svs-sb16-ultra-powered-subwoofer

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Velodyne has been making subs with remote controls for a while.  Their current Optimum and Digital Drive subs have remotes.

I think that the new SVS sub can be controlled via a cell phone app.

[GregDunn]

I just built one of these for my Tympani 1C system, and am very impressed.  It's quite a bit less expensive than any comparable unit I've seen (it also includes remote control from your iPad or iPhone):

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-18-ultimax-subwoofer-with-spa1200dsp-amplifier-and-cabinet-package--300-7200

The adjectives "fast" and "musical" describe the subwoofer much less than they describe its crossover and integration with the mains.  Any quality sub, if the crossover and setup are competently handled, will work superbly to bring the bottom octave to Magneplanars.  Mostly, you want it crossed over low enough that it doesn't telegraph its location to you, and the volume matched appropriately, ditto.

[poseidonsvoice]

I just built one of these for my Tympani 1C system, and am very impressed.  It's quite a bit less expensive than any comparable unit I've seen (it also includes remote control from your iPad or iPhone):

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-18-ultimax-subwoofer-with-spa1200dsp-amplifier-and-cabinet-package--300-7200

The adjectives "fast" and "musical" describe the subwoofer much less than they describe its crossover and integration with the mains.  Any quality sub, if the crossover and setup are competently handled, will work superbly to bring the bottom octave to Magneplanars.  Mostly, you want it crossed over low enough that it doesn't telegraph its location to you, and the volume matched appropriately, ditto.

Indeed, this design punches way above the mark along with its sister driver - the Dayton RSS-460HO. Josh Ricci of Data-Bass.com tested them both and they truly are fantastic (the RSS-460HO is very slightly better in the mid-bass and more efficient but cannot plumb the depths as well as the UM 18-22 series).

AudioXpress Review: https://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/more-info/audioXpress-February-2017-Perazella.pdf

I tell people if they do not already have Rythmik to look at one of the above and if you want better than Rythmik then look at Funk or Focus Audio Works drivers (both designed/distributed by Nathan Funk) at Harbottle Audio. Harbottle will supply to DIY’ers. There are others that will match and exceed Rythmik as well but the your pocket book needs to open up. Pro drivers from B&C and BMS are 2 notable mentions.

I personally don’t trust any sub driver or fully built design unless it has been tested by Josh Ricci. I am one of the early adopters of the Funk Audio 21.0 LX which uses the UH21V1 driver. 

Whether Funk, Focus Works, Rythmik or Dayton (UM or RSS series only!), not to mention pro drivers like the BMS 18n862, and the B&C line of speakers, they will all easily integrate with Magnepan and then some. It takes measurements, placement, judicious use of EQ and patience.

Best,
Anand.

[BigguyinATL]

You are in a great position with the excellent choice you made with a Magnepan loudspeaker.    there is no such thing as a "fast" or "Slow" speaker acoustically - especially a subwoofer. (Read linkwitz labs articles) A planar loudspeaker has a dipole radiation pattern. This means that the speaker will not excite room modes with as much energy as a box speaker with a similar sound power output.  And the null you get on the side wall reflextion - assuming the right amount of toe-in. it what provides the excellent imaging and spatial presentation we get with those good recordings!  But the smaller planars cannot fully energize the room when you get down to those low frequencies. 

Solution: get a couple subs.  NOT ONE.  TWO (or more)   These subs will energize all the room modes - more subs will fill in the peaks nicely - and I like to put my subs at the sides of the room and at the side wall points where the planars have a null!  a third sub would go at the back of the room.  You want subs that don't produce noise (especially air or vent noise - so a sealed box is the way I would go.  with two or three subs totalling about $1000-1500 you will get a lot better results - you can even mismatch subs.

s that one $2000 subwoofer.  And it is amazing how good you can get with several very inexpensive subs - like this Yamaha...

Ideally you need to measure you get a great response quickly - and you will need some form of bass management - either by amplifier controls on each sub amp - or by a DSP or analog controller/crossover.  Do all your listening in mono! when trying to balance the system.  Noise (pink) is a good source.  Once yo get the bass optimized - the planars will be so much better!

[GregDunn]

I have REW and a nice calibrated mic - and have been getting a LOT of experience in measurement lately.     But yes - a second sub is budgeted, and will probably fill in some of the holes.  I'm impressed that just this one unit helped a great deal, due to placing it where REW's room simulator recommended.  That's the goal, though.

I noticed that the Dayton is capable of every bit as much output below 20 Hz as the premium subs, and the built-in parametric EQs give you a ton of flexibility in mating it to the room.  That plus the variable phase, crossover and room gain controls, makes it a very powerful setup.  The tech support people are good to deal with, too, which is always a plus.

Getting rid of that first reflection from the walls made a huge difference too; even though I carefully angled the panels, the dispersion is still wide enough at mid frequencies to cause some of the sound to reflect to my listening position. I hung some acoustic absorbing cloth at the points where the sound would bounce off the walls line-of-sight, and elimination of those extra reflections made a useful improvement in the sound.  It doesn't seem as congested or "loud" in the mids, probably because the impulse response at the listening position isn't muddied by the extra "source".

[Chico Jim]

I know this thread is over 30 days old since thr last post.  That said, I had a pair of 1.6’s prior to my 2.5’s.  Yes, you need fast subs to correctly integrate with planars.  I really like my Bowers & Wilkins ASW300’s.  They can be found used on Ebay.  Their very fast, being small subs, 8” down firing and only 100 watts you need a pair to properly energize your room.  I recently moved mine off the front wall to each side of the sofa (near field) and placed them on home brew isolation platforms.  This configuration allowed me to dramatically lower thr gain and went from 60hz to 44 on the low pass.  At this setting, there was invisable and seamless intregation.  In fact, it greatly improved the clarity and detail and was pleasantly surprised by how much bass the 2.5’s were delivering, not at all bass shy down to 38hz. 

I used a RTA App to measure together with a test tone CD and Radio Shack SPL meter to verify things.  Hint: if you can hear your sub(s), you need to lower the gain!   Hope this was helpful.

[Cheeseboy]

There is nothing better in my opinion than open baffle bass to complement your planar speakers. Check out this subject on the GR Research circle.  These designs will complement the bipolar nature of the Maggie's.

[Chico Jim]

Will check it out, thanks