Well, I switched to 5 X 5200's with 861 v4.2 a while back and have been thrilled. It is by far the best system I have had, 8000's included. It is perfectly balanced and the bass is literally bone crunching: it is fast, taught and clean. it feels like the speakers are bolted to the floor and the cement slab is acting like part of the woofer. Never heard or experienced better. The speakers are set to large. no subwoofer.
Now here is the problem. My room is 13.5 X 13.5 with normal (8' approx) cielings. Accoustically treated, mostly absorptive, so it sucks the volume to the point where I usually listen around 92.
I have BLOWN 3 bass drivers all together. First the left lower driver, now the center's right driver and the right speaker's lower driver. Jason is very kindly sending replacements out. Here is the dilemna; I love the bass I have, but apparently can't sustain it without destroying drivers. They recommend getting a sub. Due to the pricing issue; the 1600 is out of the question and the 5500 is the only consideration from Meridian.

First question is: Will a sub add to my system's powerful bass or just add boom?

Second question: will I be better off getting 2 Revel B12's which are 10" drivers and adding an analog card? This is much cheaper and I have 2 subs placed on either side instead of one big one.

I don't want to lose the sound I have by crossing over the DSP 5200's. But if setting them at 40 and sending the bass to a device capable of going to 20hz, will really improve, then I'm all for it. Please help me out with this decision. I feel like I need to relieve the DSP 5200's of the damaging lowest frequencies.

Silence is overrated!
861v4.8, HD621, DSP8000's, DSP5000HC, 4x DSP5000 mkIII, D2500.