Why the obsession with the lowest octave


From what is written in these forums and elsewhere see the following for instance.

Scroll down to the chart showing the even lowest instruments in this example recording rolling off very steeply at 40 Hz.

http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/news.php?action=view_story&id=154

It would appear that there is really very little to be heard between 20 and 40 Hz. Yet having true "full range" speakers is often the test of a great speaker. Does anyone beside me think that there is little to be gained by stretching the speakers bass performance below 30-40 cycles?
My own speakers make no apologies for going down to only 28 Hz and they are big floor standers JM Lab Electra 936s.
mechans

Showing 1 response by arj

adding on to Dan_ed's post, from what i could figure out the fundamental at 40 Hz has a subharmonic at 20 Hz as well as overtones at 80 /160. it is a combination of all of these which give the flesh/timbre to the tone.
Any graphic equalizer using a digital out (eg i used a DEQ2496) shows a surprising amount of music in the 20-25hz region in many peices. the most surprising revelation has been "GrandMas hands" by Livingston Taylor. supposed to be an Acapella but has a consistent 20-25 hz bass content which is not heard in anything but a fullranger OR with subs and once you hear it that way can never ever listen to it without that bass fabric!