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Rythmik subwoofers?

Hi all.
I have been looking for a small sealed subwoofer to add to my Harbeth P3ESR in a 20x15 size room. In my price range of about 5 to 6 hundred dollars and the usual suspects SVS,HSU,etc,etc. I came across this Rythmik sub. Anyone familiar with this brand. It is only sold direct. This is the model I have been looking at!
Thanks

Musical sub on a budget

Looking for an affordable musical that can be also used for moderate home theatre use? L12 uses our proprietary servo design to gain low frequency clarity and articulation. For home theatre use, L12 has a HT playback mode with rumble filter to limit less audible sub-sonic contents. While many of our competitors limit their best technology (such as servo) to their top level models, we wanted to make Direct Servo affordable, so we've held nothing back. As a result, you get the tight and music bass you wouldn't normally expect from a subwoofer at this price range. L12 is likely the least expensive servo subwoofer on the market.

Direct Servo Technology

You may have heard about other servo subwoofers which are generally well regarded for their accuracy. It is a well established technology, most often based around an accelerometer which measures cone movement. Our Direct Servo technology has significant advantages over other servo technologies. We use a sensing servo coil which acts like a microphone which compares the original signal to what the subwoofer is actually reproducing. The signal is then corrected instantly to compensate for any differences. Once you understand the concept, you may wonder like we do why anyone would make a subwoofer any other way.

Some of the benefits of Direct Servo include:

  • Reduction of the effects of thermal compression are eliminated under normal operation
  • Higher efficiency allowing output which would normally require a more powerful amplifier
  • Deep bass extension can be achieved using a low mass driver with superior transient response
  • Mechanical and thermal memory effects are reduced, further improving transient response
  • Much greater damping control over the cone
  • Dramatic reduction of the re-radiation of bass from inside the box

Read more about Direct Servo in our technology section.

View animation demonstrating how Direct Servo works 

This budget level sub delivers the same articulate and tuneful bass that our subs are known for and yet provides enough HT bass thanks to its sealed design. The combination of servo and a sealed enclosure is what makes this sub deliver on both quality and quantity in bass.

The quickguide for L12 can be found here. This model has a 120-240v switchable power. Price includes shipping to 48 US continental states only. Shipping to other region or country should inquire us for actual cost. Introductory discount is $30 for black oak finish, shown in the shopping cart. Shipping and duty to Canada is an additional $90.

For overseas customer, L12 is small enough to ship via postal service. Please use contact page for a postal shipping quote.

 DescriptionPrice  L12 sealed sub black oak with 300WRMS Ucd Hypex amp$569 L12 sealed sub black matte with 300WRMS Ucd Hypex amp (back order)$569 Shipping and duty of L12 to Canada$90 Postal Parcel shipping to Alaska$120 Standard Postal shipping to Hawaii$60 Postal air priority shipping to Hawaii$85

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topjetboy
10 posts
 
I never hear about which crossovers people use to integrate their subs. The usual 80 hz.24db per octave crossover surely is not valid for all rooms and sub placements.  What if I need a steeper rolloff, or a lower crossover frequency and want to high pass filter my mains at a frequency i select. Do these details make a difference? I want to get a pair of rythmik F12 to pair w my maggie 3.7 but obviously am interested in a crossover. Which one to get? I already have a preamp, amps , and sources.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,412 posts
 

topjetboy---The Rythmik F12 plate amp includes lots of controls (most importantly a phase control providing not a couple of settings, but a continuously variable range of 0-180 degrees, to allow time-alignment of speaker and sub electronically, without having to move the sub physically), including of course a low-pass filter for the sub itself, with a range of 40Hz to 120Hz, and 2nd and 4th order slopes---12dB and 24dB an octave respectively. The standard A370 version of the plate amp also provides high-pass filtering for the main speakers.

If you want a reasonably-priced outboard x/o that provides more flexibility, and perhaps better (more transparent) sound, Nelson Pass’ First Watt B4 is one such x/o. It provides x/o frequencies in 25Hz increments from 25Hz to 3200Hz, and 1st/2nd/3rd/4th order slopes---6dB/12dB/18dB/24dB per octave. Now THAT’S flexibility! And, it is built with discrete parts---no opamps or ic’s. The B4 retails for $1500, but I believe Reno Hi-Fi sells it for about a grand.

erndog's avatar
erndog
261 posts
 
I had a Velodyne Spl 1200, then a JL audio fathom F110, and now a pair of 12" Salk/Rythmik subs and they are my favorite.  I liked the Fathom too but the 10" lost steam for me.  A pair of Fathom 13" would have been better for me, but I'm quite happy with the my Rythmiks.  

Jim Salk made me a custom stained burled maple finish that is gorgeous!  They're the nicest looking subs I've ever seen.  One of them uses the GR Research paper cone drivers and the other one uses Rythmik's aluminum driver.  I ordered them this way so I could see which driver I liked best in my system- then switch out the driver.  I've been listening for a month now and I really enjoy both.  The GR driver sounds soo natural and organic, plus it integrates so well you don't even know it's on until you turn it off.  

The aluminum driver has different strengths.  It plays louder when they are both set to the same volume and it digs down lower so I hear a deeper octave of bass compared to the GR!  It's got more authority and umph too, which I love.  

So for now, I'm getting the best of both worlds by keeping them both.  If I were forced to choose one, I'd go with a pair of the Rythmik's aluminum drivers.  I also have to say that I'm a bass-aholic.  To clarify, I don't like exaggerated or a heavy bass sound.  I like bass that is naturally and cleanly produced.  I don't like to miss out on bass information that is in the music, plus the subs produce ambient information that makes music sound more realistic.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,412 posts
 
Great report on the two 12" Rythmik/GR Research drivers, erndog. Both used the same basket, frame, motor, etc., the material of the cone being the only difference between the two. Rythmiks Brian Ding feels his aluminum cones greater stiffness affords less cone breakup at higher volume, while GR Researchs Danny Richie feels his paper cones lesser mass affords greater low-level resolution, the paper material also providing a more natural, organic timbre to bass instruments than does aluminum. They both agree that for music at less-than-extreme SPL, the paper cone is the way to go. Most Rythmik owners use their subs in home theater systems (or multi-media ones), GR customers in music only systems.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I've had a pair of 12" Rythmik son bs in my main system for +/- 10 years now.  These are very good subwoofers.  There may be many other very good choices out there, but the Rythmiks are certainly among them.
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