Why the fascination with subwoofers?

@2psyop - perception, cost, wow-factor etc...

Having said that - I do not have sub's, because I chose speakers that have pretty good bass performance, certainly good enought for most recorded "music"

Whereas - if you like to hear LFE's that are present in music, then subs are required
e.g.

• if you like pipe organ music then sub's will convey those really low wall shaking frequncies
• also some artists have recorded trucks and other sound effects that require them
• electronic music can also go to very low frequncies

Some peoples speakers may require augmentation of the lower frequencies  e.g. bookshelf/monitor speakers

They can be more affordable than upgrading to a speaker that has comparable bass perofrmance .

There may be a perception in some peopled minds that without subs they are missing something.

And a big 12" or 15" sub certainly look impressive (throbbing away in the corners)

I do have a sub on my A/V system and I agree that it is complex to...

• find the right match (size and performance) to your system
• get the sound perfectly balanced

 It's a personal preference and not suited to everyone on every system - but they can add to a performance if the L/R speakers are lacking.

Regards - Steve