Actually Eric, that Sony sub has been an absolute brute and was an incredibly good purchase at $150. Interestingly enough, according to what I read on the boards years ago, Sony had absolutely nothing to do with the design of that sub. Maybe that's why it's so good (relatively speaking of course) \:\) . I only had to varnish the back of the driver and stuff it with polyfill to make it shine.

House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated