Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners I have more bass punch WITHOUT a sub

I don't think so guys. Read this from Dobly:

http://www.dolby.com/assets/pdf/tech_library/38_LFE.pdf

I think that the proper setting for the Subwoofer in the AVR is LFE+Main if you want the sub to handle both LFE effects as well as Main sub effects.

That's why you were not getting the bass in direct mode. The subs were only outputting LFE (and there isn't any in normal 2 channel music).