A 5 string bass with a low B string creates, at least at the fundamental tone, a 31hz signal...using test tones I've found that my system (including a sub) easily reproduces that frequency, and a nice test is the bass note at the beginning of Donald Fagan's "Morph the Cat"...a solid B. I do use a phono preamp with a rumble filter (20hz), and before that (when I had a preamp with a phono stage) I found an older pair of Nakamichi line filters that worked really well to tame woofer rumble floppage. I think in live music there's a lot of stuff going on under 40hz, like kick drum overtones (undertones?) subway tunnels under the floor, or heavy footed waiters bringing my bar tab check.
Frequency Response?
If a speaker is rated down to a given frequency response (say 40 hz), wouldn't that suggest that 40 hz is about as low as the given driver is capable of reproducing, not accounting for roll off? When taking roll off into concideration, will the driver continue to attempt to reproduce frequencies infinately below the given 40 hz, or is there a point that it is just incapible so it doesn't? What I am asking is, Will a driver designed and constructed to play down to 40 hz even attempt to reproduce a 20 hz signal? I want answers!