Wyatt,
You should never "notice" the sub at all once it's properly set up with the satellites. The loss of deep-bass extension should only become apparent when the sub is turned off. Subwoofer performance is so dependent on integration with your listening room, the sub location, and your seating area that it's almost impossible to do realistic comparisons of a different subwoofers in a store.
But it is possible with experimentation in placement, gain, and crossover frequency, and a reasonably well-designed subwoofer, to get satisfying integration with the main speakers in most rooms.
Regards,
