To sub or not to sub, that is the question.

[Swish]

Those Studio 100s have plenty of bass, so you might want to try tweaking with the placement to see if you can better optimize the lows. You can try running the speakers on LARGE and use the subwoofer just for the LFE. That would work well with your speakers because of their range.

But, by setting the speakers to SMALL and using the receiver's bass management, it actually helps out your midrange by taking the low frequency load off the speaker drivers and the amp. If you can adjust the crossover frequency on your receiver, try a low setting like 40 Hz or 60 Hz. Even with full range mains, a subwoofer can help in other ways.

One advantage of using a subwoofer is that it allows you the flexibility to place it where the bass sounds optimal. Typically, the middle location along the wall, where the main speakers normally go, is less than ideal for bass reinforcement.

It also gives you the option of using a parametric equalizer to reduce any room-induced boominess (IMO, the room interactions can absolutely ruin the bass, and even the best subwoofers on the market cannot overcome bad acoustics and placement). Ideally, you want to make the bass as full and even as possible, and a subwoofer gives you a lot of paths to improving the lows.

One disadvantage with subs is that the coherency is not quite as good as with a full range speaker. You can address this if your receiver allows you to change the delay timing for the sub (or enter the distance for each channel). But, IMO the greater placement flexibility and option to EQ the sub produces a fuller and more satisfying sound overall.

But, bass really is one of those things that you need to take your time and work through. The lows are by far the most difficult area to get right with a HT setup, and it takes time, practice, and indeed getting familiarized with some of the technical concepts (such as room acoustics and boundary reinforcement). But, when you're done, the results speak for themselves.

I'll be fooling around with my Rotel for hours I'm sure. Thanks for taking the time to comment...and everyone else too!