Hey Rickydeg. I do understand that aesthetics can play a role, specifically if you're running the Apex without the front grills.
But other than that I don't agree and believe the "meticulouse and seamless integration between the sats and the AW-12" is just marketing talk to justify the high cost.
Any system with a proper sub can be made to sound bad because of room acoustics or wrong settings, so the fact that you've heard sub sats systems with ill-matched subs is in my eyes and opinion down to the fact that the sub was not properly placed / adjusted or just down to a crappy sub.
This can equally be the case with the AW-12. A sub only provides sound up until 80 or so Hz.
It is a mono channel so panning of the sound will not affect its output, as low frequencies are omnidirectional (well, you make it more directional by having 2 subs, but that's something else).
Therefore there is no such thing as having a matching sub, it is just a matter of ensuring the the cross-overs are properly set, the AV amp is set up as it should and the room acoustics are under control (either by means of room treatement or devices such as an anti-mode).
All high performance set ups with equipement costly 10x that of our Apex's use subs from well know sub manufacturers such as REL, BK, KK, ... Surely if there would be such a thing as a tonally matched sub, those guys would choose a sub from the range / manufacturer of their speakers? Have a look at: http://www.avforums.com/forums/subwoofers-tactile-transducers/
A lot of interesting discussions on all different types of subs.
I'm not trying to start a fight :cheers: or trying to justify my own choices; if you are happy with your set up and I'm with mine that's all that matters, but it certainly is worth mentioning to newcomers that still have to spend their well earned money, that there are alternatives to the (very) expensive AW-12 sub, however capable it might be.