Soundlab speakers with sub woofers?

If you can find them, a pair of Kinergetics SW-800 subs and an 800c xover was a very popular option for panels like the Martin Logan CLS's. If not, the Vandersteen subs would probably be a good match, as well. That said, have you heard the Soundlab's? They may not need subs.

"I'm very picky about the bass and I'm just trying to get info from others that may have worked through this process already."

Hopefully, you can avoid having to get an EQ. Since you're trying to plan ahead, I think your choice of amp may make that difference. I don't know your personal tastes, but almost every time that I've heard Soundlab's was with Boulder electronics.

"What's the basis for this thinking? Why does speed tend to be brought up when people talk about subwoofers?"

Its not so much speed as it is control. Subs need a lot of power, and if you don't have it the bass loses definition. You get that one note booming type of sound like you find in a HT sub. So when you move away from that sound to a more detailed one like you need for music,the sub sounds faster because its better able to integrate with the other speakers. There's other factors as well, but this is probably the most important issue.

Vandersteen does a really good job explaining all different factors that go into making a sub. If you go to their website you can download owners manuals. Read through a sub manual for a better explanation.

"10-29-14: Atmasphere
The right amp is what makes for bass on a Sound Lab. Generally speaking, transistors are not a good match. The reason is the Sound Lab, like most other ESLs, has a 10:1 change in impedance over its range, and is over 30 ohms in the bass, making it hard for transistor amps to make power, and it does need the power."

Every time I heard Soundlab speakers it was with SS amps. Even at CES, Soundlab used SS amps in their own room.

"Also, the MAXIMUM power capability of a solid state amp into high impedances can generally be expected to decrease in close proportion to the impedance rise above 8 ohms. While that decrease will usually occur to a considerably lesser extent with tube amps, and an increase may actually occur with some amps over some range of impedance increase. Ralph is correct that a solid state amp rated at 600 watts into 8 ohms will generally be able to deliver only about 150 watts into 32 ohms."

Looking at the above example, is it correct to assume that if the amp has no trouble driving the 600 watts into 8 ohms, it will have no trouble driving higher resistance with less watts, like 150 watts at 32 ohms? The logic being that even though the amp is not producing as much power, the higher resistance makes it easier for the amp to handle. Discussion on this topic doesn't come up too often, where as there's plenty of talk on the other end of this; needing a more powerful amp to drive low resistance loads. I've always assumed that if an amp is OK driving a load at a given resistance, like 8 ohms, it will have no problems with loads of a higher resistance.