User feedback on subs

Sibelius is indeed a favorite escape. Finlandia and the 2nd obviously but I like most of it. Copland too.  His 3rd on reference recordings w/ Minnesota is both well played and recorded, and I have a particular affection for an old record of Appalachian Spring w/ the composer conducting Boston. Really loose playing (the piece is deceptively difficult to play well) and the recording is only so so. Yet, I must have listened to it 100 times. Literally.

I will certainly be getting two subs and appreciate the input and feedback so far. 

The Perlisten dealer has spoken w/ the company and they have indicated the pass through does not alter the signal (no EQ, no gain - just pass through) so connecting this way appears an option. I’ll read my owners manual from T+A to ensure it’s not a problem to drive though they surely account for this. 

Hello, @mgrif104   that is probably the most well-informed question I’ve ever read on this forum!  I think you have really asked and answered all of your questions. Don’t let others knock you off your game!
I am a huge REL  fan and own pairs  of carbon special and carbon Limiteds. I have listened to the ML, Paradigm, and JL, and do not think they compare favorably.  While REL does not have DSP or absolute phase control, I do not let this deter me in choosing them. Call me old fashioned or a purist, but I do not want any DSP in my system.  Similarly, I would not want to run my speaker feed through a subwoofer, No matter how clean they say, the pass-through is.

I also would always want to use the high level input. REL explains the advantage of this clearly in their website. I doubt  you would have any issue dialing them in.  While  a second person is helpful. I guess, it doesn’t really work for me. One, they would run out of patience long before I was happy! And two, I want to know with my fingers exactly how much I am turning which dials.  But you don’t have to worry about that with the number 31 with its nice remote control. I really didn’t have room for the number 31s, but I bet they are just simply amazing. The carbon specials and limiteds are the best I have heard in a home system.

But in my basement, I had issues with nodes and booming. Upstairs in the family room I tried different spots for them, and they looked and sounded best tucking them off to the sides.  Similarly but much more dramatically, in my basement they disappeared completely way over on the side walls. In the traditional location, no sub worked well. My point here is how much I recommend the REL Airship 2 Wireless connections. It allows wireless high-level connection without messing with your speaker wires at all. Without the wireless, I never would have dragged my subs to the locations where they sound excellent. Upstairs, I did wire them, and recommend at least the REL baseline blue wires. I’m surprised they don’t come with that level of sub, but they are worth it. Plenty of aftermarket high level sub wires also.  At you level, The wireless is worth it just to experiment with sub location , and then wire them once you know the best spots.

The rest of the subs you mentioned are certainly esoteric expensive and wonderful looking. But I doubt they’re any better than what you describe is the safe choice.  I would call the new carbon specials a safe choice. I would call the number 31 a wonderful indulgence.

@fastfreight - thanks for the thoughtful guidance. Your experience seems particularly relevant. Like you, I’m skeptical of DSP and am leery of something diminishing the quality of my preamp’s feed. I did have to chuckle at the “they would run out of patience long before I was happy” comment. Spot on. Just ask my wife…

The remote function w/ the REL 31s is particularly appealing for set up and noted on the wireless suggestion.

My local dealer has also suggested the carbon specials as an option so I do take note that it should be a safe option as you indicate. Curiously, no one has also suggested the 212. Of course, and not surprisingly, the REL rep to my dealer feels “strongly” I should get a six pack… While I’m sure 6 of the #31s would be fun and exceptional, that’s a no go. Again, just ask my wife…

I wish i had made it to CAF. I would have enjoyed connecting and would love to hear your system some time. I’m pretty sure your DAC and clock are in/near the top tier extant.  

Best,

Your room looks like this....These are the strong modes, but, don’t forget there is sbir and other modes.

Fortunately, all your strong modes can be fully nullified (good and gone)

This would be a good sub for you, considering your room’s size and the looks of your modal spread. Get 2 of these and use a crossover of around 80 hz. These subs are serious business, but, they have an important job to do. Get the piano finish if you want a nicer look.

https://www.rythmikaudio.com/F18.html

Start with positioning like this...

You could also enlarge the audiophile triangle, i.e. pull speakers out further, spread them farther apart, with full toe-in and move your seat farther back (the Borresen type of setup you may see in larger rooms, soundstage for days). Pulling the speakers out further pushes your sbir frequencies down in to the subwoofer range as well, easily fixed by the subs thereafter. Larger rooms have many advantages

HI @mgrif104   Where are your home and cabin?  Would love to get together.  I do usually make CAF, like to visit with Bill Parish and Joe Kubala in their room, and look around.  I do have a modest cabin system...really modest!  And agree on the six pack, although I have done a lot I said I never would do!  Think I'm safe on this one.  Standing invitation!