Thanks for the recommendation. Our hobby seems to allow us infinite opportunities for mixing and matching components and parts.
I have a pair of Rel Q201s and used them immediately after buying the Focals. However, as I’ve been adding PS Audio equipment and playing with speaker positioning, I find that the Focals are capable of great base, at least in my room and to my ears.
Each incremental add improved the bass. First, the P15 power plant, then the BHK 250, followed by the DSD DAC and now the BHK Signature preamp.
I no longer need the Rels nor do I need to equalize many tracks that were listenable only with good equalization, which I’m pretty good at.
So you are right, the subs greatly improve the SQ of the Focals, but speaker positioning and the gear used may make them unnecessary depending on the room acoustics, speaker placement and gear used.
Even cables can change the bass presentation. I’ve used good but not prohibitively expensive grades of Cardas, Audioquest and Canare interconnects and speaker cables. Their use in specific segments of the chain can alter the bass presentation significantly.
Such fun!