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Is bass the most important frequency band?

One thing I’ve noticed when upgrading my audio system is that when I have really good bass, I’m happy. If the bass is top notch, I can overlook less-than-stellar treble or so-so midrange. The opposite does not seem to be true. Sure, I can get tremendous enjoyment out of a high-fidelity playback of a flute or other instrument that doesn’t have much bass impact, but when I switch to a track that has some slam, if my sub/woofers don’t perform, I’m left wanting, and I am inclined to change the track. When my subwoofer game is top notch, there is something extremely pleasing about tight, powerful, and accurate bass response that easily puts a smile on my face and lifts my mood in a matter of seconds. Maybe it all boils down to the fact that bass frequencies are heard AND felt and the inclusion of another sense (touch/feeling) gives bass a competitive edge over midrange and treble. I am not talking about loud bass (although that can be really fun and has its place), but the type of bass that gives you a sense of a kick drum’s size or allows for the double bass to reach out and vibrate the room and your body. I propose to you that bass and sub-bass should be optimized first and foremost, followed by treble and midrange in order to maximize enjoyment. Thoughts?
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Showing 3 responses by cd318

cd318
2,636 posts
 
"It is definitely the hardest band to get right."


I’d also agree that it is the hardest band to get right.

I’d also add that because of that, far too many systems don’t even try.

Asking any speaker to go flat down to 40Hz probably also goes a long way to explain the popularity of subwoofers.
cd318
2,636 posts
 
Agreed, the so called presence (4-6kHz) and brilliance (6-8kHz) bands are the most important.
However, it’s the bass band that usually gives systems the most problems.

It’s also the bass band where most of the measurable distortion is to be found - and that goes for both loudspeakers and headphones.

Since sound is usually generated by the mechanical movement of a cone or diaphram, and bass requires more movement, structural and resonance issues tend to increase exponentially as you go lower in frequency in a similar way as when you go louder on volume.

The decision to not even bother to go down that low (flat sub 50hZ) is one that many designers decide to take in view of mounting technical and construction problems - heat, resonance, and deviation from a piston like cone movement etc.

Many audiophiles seem quite happy to accept this compromise, preferring to look for improvements elsewhere. On the other hand, quite a few are not.

Surely it’s no coincidence that as you go up in loudspeaker ranges offered by most manufacturers, dynamic range and bandwidth increases, not decreases.

https://www.teachmeaudio.com/mixing/techniques/audio-spectrum#presence
cd318
2,636 posts
 
@pcrhkr,

"Bass that is wrong can ruin music."

You mean the 2009 Beatles stereo remasters?


"So if done properly Bass is Awesome."

Yes, bass can be both exciting or extremely relaxing, but its first got to be there.
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