Similar to how I have mine set up now. My speakers are large, 200w towers up front, and I find if you set the mt osmall they just sound whimpy, if you don't turn double bass on with large fronts it just won't use the subs at all. If you set everything to small and double bass off the speakers sound weak and the bass feels disjointed and the whole system lacks any punch at all. Unfortunately, with large and double bass you do get some bass distortion at loud levels.
The sound out of this is smooth and etailed but it just has no punch, no inpact. My old Onkyo you would feel it in your gut, it would shake the windows, this is just whimpy.