Best Quality Subs?

[Route 66]

I've had both a REL and a JL Audio sub and my personal preference is for the JL Audio piece.

[Poppyhome]

I could never get my 3 REL subs to sound equally good in my room for movies and 2 channel.
Didn't like the sound of SVS subs.
JL Audio used with my MX150 and RoomPerfect solved all my problems easily.

Ron

[djwhog]

I have owned a uld18 Velodyne in the past various other large models too, and the JL F212, JL Hands down, but the REL are very nice units too.

Just for kicks when you say best, well here is one for sound re-enforcement systems

K-array KO70
The 21” speakers employ neodymium magnets and 6” voice
coils driven by powerful D-class amplifiers. The large ports
are designed to be fully symmetrical to the speakers, which
means the back loading on the drivers is consistent and even
with no port air turbulence. The triangle port construction also
provides excellent structural integrity and strength, effectively
eliminating any box resonance.

power handling 2 x 2000 W (AES)
Max power 8000 W 1
Impedance 2 x 8 Ω
Frequency range 25 Hz - 120 Hz
SPL 1W/1mt 99.5 dB 2
Maximum SPL 136 dB continuous - 140 dB peak OUCH!

[W9TR]

You know what the car stereo guys say....”if your balls aren’t shakin’ you’ve been taken”

[SAPHANA]

REL was mentioned so many times in this thread. My next buy of subs will be REL. Which model is good match to B&W 802D2?

[piolaxo]

Originally Posted by chessman

I have used 3 JL Audio F113s for 5 years with only one failure during a high volume viewing of a known “sub killer” movie.

Could you remind me which movie was that?

[tdelahanty]

I've used REL, Sumiko (which is a rebadged REL) and Definative and had no troubles. My Definative sub is 20yrs old and works perfectly. I suspect much trouble results from being overdriven in surround, video applications. I tend to be conservative with bass volume and never had any luck mixing surround sound and two channel formats.

[Poppyhome]

Originally Posted by chessman

I have used 3 JL Audio F113s for 5 years with only one failure during a high volume viewing of a known “sub killer” movie.

It pains me to read stuff like this for an expensive JL Audio product, and only one is one too many. Others also report issues after X amount of years. These subs should be able to handle movies and not have to be babied. I expect subs like this to last many many years – 10 years+.

I don't hear reports like this for REL subs.

What say you. Maybe I should go back to REL myself.

Ron

[W9TR]

I think REL subs tend to end up in 2 channel music systems and so lead relatively easy lives compared to the HT duty that some other subs see. It’s a night and day difference in LF SPL output and the resulting stress on everything.

For example I’ve blown up some large beefy subs in my HT but never had an issue with subs in my 2 channel system.

Still, I agree failures shouldn’t happen even in tough environments. I’m not knocking or endorsing any brand here, just noting that you need to take the application into account when making comparisons.

[chessman]

Originally Posted by piolaxo

Could you remind me which movie was that?

Skyfall, the subway crash scene, which has killed many brands of subs.

By the way, I don't baby these subs by any stretch of the imagination.