Advice sought -- musical sub

Hi, all --

I'm a newbie here. I have tried the search function, but would really appreciate some live interaction:

My primary consideration is a realistic, not-boomy, subwoofer which will complement my new B&W 683s, both for HT/TV and for music. Obviously I want both, but music trumps HT/TV if need be. I'm looking for the right sub and why it will work for me.

Here's what I've listened to and here are my first impressions:
B&W ASW610 -- although they are matched to my fronts, I didn't really like the sound -- I can't articulate, but it wasn't in any way realistic
Klipsch 10" (I think it was the RPW-10) -- no "pop" to the sound, kind of thuddy
Velodyne -- various in the DLS-series (their 10", 12" and 15"). As they get bigger, it's clearly more bass, but not (to my ears) "good" bass despite the $1000 price tag for the 15"
Energy Veritas 10" (VS10B, I think) -- this sounded really good to me. Definitely the right direction! $1200Cdn new at Future Shop
Paradigm PDR-8 -- just sold it; I never liked the fidelity of the sound for anything (and I've been selling off my Paradigm entry level HT speakers).

Based on that, here's what appeals to me apart from the Energy Veritas, based solely on what I've read, not heard:
Mirage BPS-150 or -400. I notice Mirage doesn't make these anymore. Can someone educate me as to the evolution of Mirage's subwoofer line, and if any of the current models should be contenders based on what I care about?
SVS -- either the 10 or 12". I notice they're upgrading their models. Should I care?
I haven't listened to an 8" sub that I like, but does that mean you need at least 10" for 25Hz or better response?

Other things you need to know:
Equipment -- Yamaha RX-A800, B&W 683 front, B&W HTM-61 center, Paradigm Atom v.2 or Mission 760i surround rear
Size requirements -- would hate to go any bigger than 20" in any dimension or so for size, but willing to explore if necessary
Room dimensions -- 11"x17", significant (~50%) open to much larger area along one 17" wall, 9' ceiling opening up to 12' cathedral ceiling
Primary uses -- more HT/TV than music, but a bias towards music trumps HT requirement (I care much more about fidelity/clarity/good match to my B&Ws than rattle-the-floor HT)
Listening habits -- jazz/classical/rock in that order at not rock-the-house volume, HT at in-the-theater (or a little less) volume.
Response needed -- I know everyone wants <20Hz, but fidelity is more important to me than the last Hz. That said, only 30Hz would be not good enough.
Appearance requirements -- secondary, but must be palatable to my wife
Timeframe -- everyone wants "now", but I've waited for years; a few weeks or months won't matter in the long run
Budget -- TBD (I know, but I'm really trying figure out what's out there). If the only way to get good sound is to pay more than $1000, I'll postpone the purchase while I hunt for the desired model used. Ideally $500 (used is no problem at all) is what I'm looking for.
Acoustics -- this room is not sound treated (but may be in the future). I run a recording studio and have other sound treated rooms and fully grasp what acoustic treatment can do. Willing to listen to "this sub would be perfect, but you absolutely have to treat the room to get the sound".
Geography -- I live in Canada, but get to the US often enough that I could buy in the US if need be.

Thanks for reading. Over to you folks. Looking forward to absorbing your wisdom

Thanks, Hotdigity. I'm on the Rythmik site now -- new to me and really cool -- again, from the reading, in exactly the right direction for me -- I wish I'd realized before committing to the B&Ws. Do a lot of people do DIY? BTW, I should emphasize that $500 isn't essential, good sound is, and if I have to wait to afford something more expensive, so be it.

I wonder if there's anywhere near Ottawa (or Toronto/Montreal) that one could listen to the Rhythmik subs?

Thanks, Rick240. I've left a message at Rythmik -- I don't suppose anyone has Brian's e-mail -- the contact form on the website appears incompatible with my computer.

Budget and immediacy are secondary considerations to "getting it right". Thanks.

E-mail sent to Brian. Thanks, all. I have a really good feeling about Rythmik based on your collective input and what I've been able to read today. That said, hearing is the only true test -- I've been disappointed in the past by what looked great in print. So hopefully...

And are there other subs that are comparably musical?

Had a very good conversation with Brian Ding. It really is cool to be able to interact with the brains behind the sound. And, all technical and musical stuff aside, logistically they do ship to Canada, but also it's possible to ship to somewhere near the border (in my case, Ottawa, Ogdensburg is closest, and Rothel's allows parcels to be delivered -- a good resource for Canadians who don't know about it). You still pay tax (it's only fair), but you skip the brokerage fees (which can be outrageous -- even more than the tax sometimes), trading off time to pick up vs. brokerage costs.