Another Bass discussion...


One thing I’ve never understood is how some audiophiles can go straight 2 channel set ups without a sub. Even floorstanders can’t get way down there in the frequency range. I’m almost Certain that I’ve got my subs too loud for proper bass integration. I don’t care tho. I like to feel the bass. Literally feel it when a kick drum is hit. I don’t need it to shake my teeth loose but I like to feel the low bass notes even though I know many people think it’s incorrect and/or too loud. At a concert I feel the bass. Even watching friend’s bands practice I remember being able to feel the instruments when played. I want to feel the bass when I listen to my stereo. 🤷🏻‍♂️ So sue me. That’s all. 
paulgardner

Showing 2 responses by mijostyn

Paul, I could not agree more but, there are classy ways to do it and quite sloppy ways to do it. You can have very accurate bass and adjust it so that the visceral component is there without interfering with the mid bass.
People like nonoise who have little if anything below 40 Hz don't miss the bass because they can interpret the note from it's harmonics. They have no idea they are missing the fundamental. At the concert you are hearing/feeling the fundamental. To get this in a residential setting is not easy. It requires large drivers, 12" minimum IMHO and that is if you are using at least two, ideally 4 subwoofers. Then there is power. A lot of it. 500 watts is the minimum. I use 2000 watts/subwoofer. The small sealed enclosure subwoofers favored today require EQ to get them to go flat to 18 Hz. If you look at my system page find the screen shot of the frequency response of my subwoofers (each trace is actually a pair of subwoofers right and left) This is before correction. These are 12" drivers in 3 cubic foot enclosures which are pretty big. They still lose output as they go down. The computer corrects this so that they are up 5 dB at 20 Hz. You can see this in the basic target curve. This quadruples the power requirement at any given volume. 200 watts becomes 800 watts. I kick the bass up 5 dB at 20 Hz tapering to 0 dB at 100 Hz because in a residential setting this gives you that sensation of being at a live concert without corrupting the mid bass. Then I have independent volume control over the subwoofers so I can crank it another 3 dB for the Red Hot Chili Peppers:)  Without digital bass management it is very difficult if near impossible to integrate subwoofers at the state of the art. You can get reasonable close which is tough enough. Check out DEQX, The Anthem STR and the Trinnov Amethyst. 
@bdp24, all that is true. Very few speakers make it to even 40 Hz gracefully. Most are already down 3-6 db by then and rolling off fast.
There are electronic instruments that play very low and as you mention the mighty pipe organs, what fun! To get the proper feeling I run 5 dB hot at 20 Hz. Something you could never due without subwoofers. 
@paulgardner@ In a smaller room you can get away with smaller subs if they are properly designed. Check out Audio Kinesis 's system.