Nothing to do with the carpet. I even tried the M80s upstairs in my living room which is pretty much open to the rest of the house and same boominess and muddiness. I have hardwood floors upstairs.

Craig, I got the XT-32 because Christos Kyriakakis, specifically told me their coefficents corrected for the boundary interaction of concrete and clay.

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