If your music sounds unnatural with the sub, it is probably of poor quality or not properly calibrated. That being said, most receivers have a "direct audio" mode for stereo listening that eliminates all signal processing and takes the sub out of the loop. My Onkyo has it (called "pure audio"), and your receiver may have it as well.

Mark

"Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff"