full range or mini's and a sub

OP,

You ask a great question. +1 to @erik_squires.

The answer is a huge it depends. It will depend on the room and a lot about your budget and values in sound. Either can disappear. 

There are so many important aspects to the sound of a system, all of which are trade offs. Also, how much experience you have at putting together a system comes in. Integrating a sub with mini monitors can be intimidating… but if well done effective. 

First we need to know more about your room like Erik asks.

FYI, I would choose a small room over a big public space. Control is key to getting good sound. While it can be tricky getting good sound in a small room, you can get better quality equipment with a smaller space smaller speakers / amp. You can use room treatments.

If you plan on speakers where you think you might add a sub, now or future:

make it Plural, plan on two subs, plan space so they can be forward facing adjacent to the main speakers, I say no port for the mains or subs, but if port, forward facing.

Low bass may start Mono, but the overtones become directional. 40/80/160/320/ ....There is a lot to be said for Stereo Bass. I listen to a pair of 15" woofers (1/side), the imaging of bass players is important and enjoyable..

I agree with most of what has been aforementioned. It would be nice to see responses  to the questions asked. I have truly enjoyed stand mount speakers with or without subs (yes, 2 better than 1) in smaller rooms. 

I think it's generally cheaper to put together a quality system with small/under 25" speakers and sub(s), more flexibility with the placement, swapping components in and out, etc. I am a big fan of small speakers with big sound.... 

Full size speakers WITH subs is the correct answer. There needs to be a sound power hand-off between the sub and speaker. Most subs are far more dynamic than stand mount speakers, so the speaker will still be the limiting factor. There are exceptions of course, TAD comes to mind.

@james633 , Much truth here...Comments like these tend to get buried under the constant misinformation barrage on this forum.

Small speakers like that TAD, Borresen, etc that can manage the ’hand-off’ get rather expensive, much cheaper to go big...makes you wonder why a guy is trying to go with dinky li’l speakers in the first place...i.e., Is he really living in a closet sized room, or is it purely psychological or some other heavy WAF restriction....