I think it ultimately comes down to what sounds good in your room. *IF* the little bump provided by the mains helps smooth things out, more power to you. Remember where audyssey is coming from though. The MultEQ *XT* had 8 times more resolution when dealing with the SUB. So if Audyssey helps smooth things out, it makes sense to let the sub handle the load. It's easier on the receiver, audyssey can correct it better, and since subs are designed to produce the bass, it's a win win.
I guess there is a reason why EP500 and 600's pricing are what they are. Finally, my EP500 with Dynamic EQ really really makes the EP500 shine. I wish my room was perfectly treated to provide perfect bass all around, but it's not setup that way. Audyssey helps me get there a bit closer.
BTW, MultEQ alone did not do the job in my room. MultEQ XT however, made a world of difference.
Chesseroo,
"'free up the mains' ridiculous, why even bother putting in bass drivers? again, what's the point?"
the point is that anything below 34Hz (or whatever the value may be) is lost. You sub - assuming it's a good sub - can handle it. So why make the mains do the job that it wasn't designed to do? M80's and 60's are not subwoofers. That's not the primary function of the mains. Otherwise, people would buy one more M80s instead of an EP-X00.
"why not just sell M60s and M80s cheaper, without bass drivers just for people that also want to use them with a subwoofer?"
I think that's why M22/EP-500 is recommended more often than not. To put it another way, when you add a subwoofer to a car, the stock factory speakers sound that much better at louder volumes. For me, it's the same concept.
But in the end, whatever sounds better to your ear is the right setup.
