Ok, so after grilling the forum with numerous questions, reading across the internet, and finally realizing that even my best pc speakers include a subwoofer (why I did not make this association with my home stereo is beyond me, other than I tend to look at my pc audio like that of portable offerings of the past) and I am beginning to understand how this can work. Also, all of the modern speakers I like, strongly suggest the addition of a sub, or two, at least. Fine. As luck would have it, I need to build a new entertainment center. If I posted a picture of what my TV, cable box and stereo amp are sitting on/in, it would go viral with memes and jokes in the same category with "The people of Walmart." Why don't I have a nicer one? Because I couldn't afford what I deemed adequate, did not have time to build one from scratch and I hate particle/fiber board. Speakers, fine. It's a good, dense material. But for anything even remotely structural, it sucks. Doesn't hold fasteners well and the list goes on.
Somehow, this passion (have always had it) for good music has caused me to recently acquire some extra, more modern hardware. Friends came out of the woodwork with hand-me-downs that are certainly much nicer than I would have ever treated myself to. In this regard, it's pretty apparent that Americans discard a lot of still good and useful things, just to stay current. That's good for people like me, or for those of us who are suddenly making quantum leaps from the old school to the new and would like to use the "baby steps" approach.
Now on to subwoofers. I'm going to do it. But I figure on trying some more discreet/semi-discreet options first and working backwards from there before I end up with large cubes permanently in my living room. I realize there is the subject of optimal placement etc. I have managed to overcome that to some level of satisfaction with my current floor speakers. So now after mulling it over for a bit, it occurs to me that at the very least, I could design an entertainment center where I could stow two subs within the unit, giving it an integral, nearly seamless look when they are not in use. Even if I had to put them on castors so that I could just wheel them away behind cabinet (or they become the doors) doors when the music day is done. Or maybe they would be enough just opening the doors some of the time anyway when not playing loud. Or move them around when I am feeling a bit more picky with the sound.
Has anyone done this? If so, what are some ideas, or how do many of you handle this that have more confined spaces? Does ideal placement always matter, or is just the presence of subs sometimes enough. Any cool 'Bat Cave' or '007' ideas out there? I am going to build some new speakers that may, or may not need subs. I am going to try them without first and see just how much extra low end (if any) they need first before committing to large subs but I would like to start planning ahead of time anyway.