Has Rel fallen out of favor with audiophiles?

I have no thoughts about REL, so have not heard them. And, I have read excellent reviews about them.

To deal with a specific issue of lost bass energy due to a large room with open front wall corners, I purchased a pair of semi - DIY GR Research/Rythmik open baffle subs. More like a kit than complete DIY. With help from others here, I would find out that the way these subs load a room, would work best for my situation.

it's also about your taste. I have been working towards a very relaxed sound that is also wide open, detailed, and natural. My system is analog, but many who have built these have digital front ends. With the addition of these subs not only did the combo maintain my taste in sound, but my system plays louder and the soundstage is big and full.

As for the bass, it's completely natural and added focus. In combination with my Horning speakers there are zero coherency issues, so the combo works seamlessly. The subs are capable of dropping down to 14Hz, so I have wound up with a truly full range system that is also completely relaxed. I never thought I could get this without spending what I absolutely cannot afford on ultra hi end speakers.

With that said, this may not be the best option for you. You need to look at the physics of your room before deciding on the type of subs to use. My sub project was a leap of faith, because you cannot listen to them since they are DIY. You may find them at a Show, but that may be rare. IMO- The most important part is matching subs to your system and space. Or, just get better speakers to handle the job.
Kenny

artemus_5,

"My only question is whether a kit will be cheaper? IOW, if you count your labor as worth something, can you really save any $$$ over a comparable production Rythmik sub?"

Well, that depends on fit and finish and what you do and don't do yourself. I have a picture of my subs on my system page. I am not a carpenter, nor set up with a shop for that, so I farmed out the finnish work. Plus, I used Tineo (Apple Wood) veneer to match my main speakers for the cabinets and amp boxes. And, I had grill frames made, but will add my own grill cloth later. Parts and labor in the end came to about $4,200 for two subs. Then there's shipping.
Kenny

"The Rhythmiks scare me a bit with all the fine tuning adjustments,. They remind me of the time I put a graphic equalizer in my system. I spent all my time tuning vs listening."

Understood! These are my first subs, because I never believed in these things. Plus, I was happy with the bass of my speakers as-is in my old home. Things changed when I moved. So, I found the sub amp adjustments difficult even with help, because that's space and system dependent.

With that said, I made it through it, and it reminded me of that moment of rightness (YES!) when you zero in on your cartridge setup.
Kenny