How much budget for bass?

Another way to look at it, realistic Bass is difficult to reproduce. There is a minimum entry fee to get to bass that isn't colored, mushy or just one-note thudding, and that threshold doesn't occur in my opinion until around $500 to $800. Above that you are going to get greater portions of the lower octaves with each exponential increasing increment of investment. It is a matter of physics, low frequency sounds require big drivers, solid boxes and a lot of power to start and stop the big driver. Conversely, bad bass is hard to hide, "thud thud thud".

On the other hand, listenable speakers with reasonably musical midrange can be had for as little as $250 to $300 (see entry level speakers from manufacturers like PSB and Pardigm). These speakers don't display the last word in treble or bass extension, but will get your feet tapping never the less.

So what should you do? If good bass is important to you and your budget is limited, you may want to invest as much or more in your sub as in your speakers (go with monitors). If you have about $3000 to spend on speakers and a sub, you could get some really nice monitors or floor standing speakers for about two grand, and get a nice REL sub for about one grand and have a good time.

There is no hard and fast rule about this, but I think you are guaranteed to be disappointed with a "bargain" subwoofer, no matter what speakers you use.

Answering your question as a % is difficult because it depends on the price of the main spkrs.

FOr best results you'll use two subs for better reproduction (think of subs as "woofers", rather than SUBwoofers)...

It is indeed said that, "bass is the foundation of Western music". Very few systems reproduce bass and we're generally accustomed to missing out on quality low-frequency reproduction... more's the pity.

So2 subs Wow! How do you connect 2 subs?

I prefer primary speakers which do not require bass augmentation (I'm talking non-A/V systems here), and there are many to choose from. G-o-o-d bass? Too many have been weaned on exaggerated bass such as that dreadful sound in cineplexes (yes, there are movie theater venues with good acoustics, but they are few and far between). I always tell fellow audio shoppers to first attend folk, Jazz, classical performances in various intimate indoor venues. Most over twenty-something know what outdoor concert sound systems sound like, but most will not be replicating that effect in their homes. For those with room correction software/equipment who disagree with me, we all have our opinions.

The best money you will ever spend is on room treatments. If bass is a concern, invest in some quality bass traps. The best speakers in the world can sound just okay in a bad room.