The board has been a little quiet of late, so I don't think one semi-off-topic thread will hurt. This relates to work I do at the Federal Trade Commission. We currently are reviewing our Amplifier Power Rating Rule to see whether any changes need to be made in the way the rule applies to multichannel amplifiers in home theater. I don't want to get into a discussion of the "right" power rating system because that really would muck up the forum. But I would like to get a better feel for how the use of a separate powered subwoofer affects the power demands placed on the main home theater receiver (amplifier). In my system, I set all of my front and back speakers to small, and play all the bass through my sub, crossing at 60-80 Hz, depending on the mood I'm in and the phase of the moon. That should place a little less stress on the main amps. I have an old Outlaw receiver without a lot of options. How else can bass be managed in current systems? Suppose you're running HT3's as the L & R, the monster center (the size of Nebraska), and HT1's in the rear. What are all the options for bass management? If I want the fronts to cross at 40 Hz (assuming my receiver has that option), what setting would I use? Do I still select small for all the speakers? Is there any reason, and any way to bring the sub in at 40 Hz, and still run the HT3's and center full range? Or, stated a little differently, is the signal going to the sub in 5.1 or 7.1 unique, in the sense that it's not just the bass component of whatever is going to the fronts and centera? Would I want the fronts and center to run full range if they can go low enough? Or do I want to cross in any event, the only question being at what frequency? Hope you can figure out what I'm asking. Thanks.