That's a bit of a tough choice.
I've owned a Type R before and my friend has owned a few L5's.
SQ wise, I think that the type R is a little cleaner, but it's integrity is nothing, I blew 2 of those with ease, before switching over Type X.
L5's are pretty cool too though. Raw, low end bass. Not as punchy and clean as the type R imo. But really it depends on your tastes. And remember that enclosures are the most important factor in determining how good your system will sound.
As a metal and rock fan, the type R was my better choice. While the L5 was a good choice for hip-hop/techno etc. Don't limit those subs to ONLY that it's just my belief having heard both.
And disregard the fact that the Type R puts out a much higher peak power handling. With the right enclosure, the L5 can easily macth spl levels even at lower wattages.
