They just NEED a beastly sub (factor that into the cost of buying a pair) and they will amaze you for some time to come. It is incredible how they come alive as the volume increases. They sound wonderful at reasonable volumes (read NOT low volumes). To be honest, I bought the MBM21 sub to keep up with these speakers. They truly have incredible output clarity. For those with smaller spaces such as what I am dealing with, I don't think they can be beat honestly. I know Carl said he feels they need to be outside to breath. I don't. I have used them inside and outside and compared the differences. At high volumes, I'm sure they sound better outside. Rarely do I get to use them anywhere near their full potential though... Just my 2 cents.