Please help me decide.
If price was not a deciding factor between these two and the decision was based purely on performance. Which one of these would you purchase. Which one brings the cleanest thunder to a movie or cd?
thanks for your input!
One problem you'll likely run into here (if you can't tell) is that most people have probably not actually heard both of the subs, let alone spent enough quality time to make their own judgments. That leaves basically specs and $$$, and it is true that the idea of 2 Ultras vs. 1 Descent for the price could tip the scales.
I don't have the Descent i, just the original, but I got it for $1700 used (the price shipped of the oak Ultra I was considering at the time), and have suffered not the slightest, tiniest bit of buyer's remorse or upgraditis. I have not heard an Ultra personally either, so maybe that doesn't mean much, but there's never a moment when I wish I had more or paid less. The only upgrade I'm even considering is when I get around to it, perhaps getting a Descent i and moving my original one to my 2-channel set up. I have some other speaker upgrades on the list first though...
Anyway, if you don't mind the idea of used things check out Audiogon. You can save considerably if you go with the Descent.