I think one of the elements that you may be missing is that an explosion isn't one incredibly deep frequency. It is a loud sound that is made up of many, many different frequencies, quite a few of which will be well above your LFE crossover. *Those* frequencies emanating from your speakers will provide the aural clues that the explosion is happening off to the right.
The deep rumbling bass will just ripple through you, but those other frequencies will be what make you turn your head to the right. Ever been in an earthquake? I used to live in the Bay area. Trust me, I was never able to discern the direction of the epicenter based on hearing/feeling those very, very low frequencies.
Regards,
Rich
