Speakers throw bass forwards AND backwards. The rear part hits the wall, bounces back and reinforces or cancels and messes with what you hear at the low end.
For this reason, manufacturers say your speakers should be 4ft or more from a wall. If you get a sub, it removes the lower bass from your speakers and reduces this interference. The sub takes it over but the sub is designed to be on the floor.
One important thing: the sub should be just loud enough that you hear no difference in overall volume. You should just be aware of some more lower end. Ideally your subs should have a bypass switch but these tend to be only available on the more expensive ones, the best even come with a remote. Without one, you will have to bend under your table to unplug and replug to compare. Tiresome.
So I built myself a box with two bypass switches so I can A/B whilst at my sitting position.
Fluid Audio have released their F8S. Footswitch bypass! And a continuous phase control! Wish I'd waited.