Looking for Advice (First Sub Purchase)

[Fors*]

So is over-budget completely out of the question or could you be talked into going up to around $400? If so, I say go with a dual sub set-up with 2 AA 12"'s. Two subs are almost always better than one. And with the opening in your room, you may find having 2 subs to be very beneficial to get the low frequency response you want.