The guy in the video is generally correct and ultimately comes to the right conclusion, all bass below about 80 Hz is perceived by humans as mono. This means we cannot localize bass tones below 80 Hz, in other words, we cannot perceive exactly where these tones or sounds below 80 Hz are originating from in a room or within a stereo sound stage illusion.
While it’s true we cannot localize the fundamental bass tone frequencies below 80 Hz reproduced by the subs, we can localize the harmonics or overtones of these fundamental bass tones that typically extend above 80 Hz that are reproduced by our main stereo speakers. Fortunately, our brains are able to associate these harmonics or overtone frequencies that we can localize with the fundamental bass frequencies that we cannot localize. Due to this cognitive process, our brains are able to localize the fundamental frequencies and create the perception of exactly where in the room, and within the stereo sound stage illusion, the bass tones below 80 Hz are originating from. This whole process allows us, for example, to perceive the double bass as being located at the front left of the sound stage illusion and to perceive the drums as located at the rear center of the sound stage.
Given the above and the fact that recording engineers have been routinely summing all recorded left and right channel bass below 100 Hz to mono on virtually all music and HT content on all formats for decades, it makes little sense to setup and operate all subs in one’s systems to anything other than mono.
Tim
While it’s true we cannot localize the fundamental bass tone frequencies below 80 Hz reproduced by the subs, we can localize the harmonics or overtones of these fundamental bass tones that typically extend above 80 Hz that are reproduced by our main stereo speakers. Fortunately, our brains are able to associate these harmonics or overtone frequencies that we can localize with the fundamental bass frequencies that we cannot localize. Due to this cognitive process, our brains are able to localize the fundamental frequencies and create the perception of exactly where in the room, and within the stereo sound stage illusion, the bass tones below 80 Hz are originating from. This whole process allows us, for example, to perceive the double bass as being located at the front left of the sound stage illusion and to perceive the drums as located at the rear center of the sound stage.
Given the above and the fact that recording engineers have been routinely summing all recorded left and right channel bass below 100 Hz to mono on virtually all music and HT content on all formats for decades, it makes little sense to setup and operate all subs in one’s systems to anything other than mono.
Tim