The sound can be affected in non-obvious ways by room modes.
Yup! Just as the sound can be affected (negatively) in non-obvious ways by adding a sub.
This is a review and detailed measurements of the KEF R3 stand-mount (bookshelf) speaker. It is on kind loan from a member who sent a pair to me at great cost (they come two in a box). The R3 costs US $1,999 for a pair. The R3 is an example of superb industrial design by KEF: It oozes...
www.audiosciencereview.com
So here a room mode led to sound that was "unexciting and unengaging", rather than to an obvious problem in the bass.
Sure, which isn't a problem if your speakers don't sound "unexciting and unengaging."
I mean, I get your point certainly, but it's not easy to integrate subs which is the main point. I had a hard time keeping the tone I loved, a major feature
of why I bought my speakers, when trying to integrate a sub. I can imagine other people may not be as picky about that particular aspect and revel
in what a sub brings, but that's not how it worked for me. Also, I was somewhat limited in where I could place the subs, aesthetically, ergonomically etc.
Did you try by ear only? Or did you use measurements?
I did both. First by ear. Then I used a DSpeaker Anti-mode 2 to measure/even out the bass in the room (from the crossover point down, e.g. anywhere from 40Hz up to 100Hz, I experimented a lot) which helped in that respect. But it still slightly altered the sound of the speakers in a way I didn't care for, including losing some of the excitement and punch I was used to.
Which, to me, re-enforced that it is quite challenging to integrate subs to a degree I would find satisfying, and there are real world limitations in many rooms in terms of
placing ever more powered speakers (subs). So it's a Good In Theory, Not So Easy In Practice thing. Whereas I've had tons of different floor standing speakers in my room,
typically rated down to 35Hz, some down to 25Hz, and I've rarely had issues with obvious bass boom, lack of integration or "something missing" in the sound that felt like a sub was needed.