I originally had a front firing Yamaha Sub. and replaced it with this one. The great thing about this sub is that it has great features and options which make it energy efficient and adjustable for various front and rear speaker selections.(adjustable htz high cut, auto shut off etc.) Personally I like the front firing Sub for Music and I like the downward firing sub for Video and Video games. In any case Yamaha makes great subs for small to mid sized rooms and if your buying a front firing or a downward firing you can't go wrong choosing Yamaha.... and no, I don't work for Yamaha.