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What is the most dramatic way of increasing a speaker's Bass and Low mid?

Hi-

I am wondering what would give the most dramatic increase in bass and low mid projection/Volume, even on account of accuracy ...


My speakers can go down to 28hz but i need to boost it’s level, not frequency extension. They are 2 way with bass reflex port. 6.5" woofer size and a tweeter. Floor standing.

My floor is old hardwood strips.

placement and coupling methods are the first things that come to mind. I do not want to add an equalizer at this point.

Spikes, footers, concrete platform, direct floor flush contact? anything and everything that YOU know works.
Speculations on untested methods are not needed as i need real life experience from people.

Thanks!
Rea

128x128dumbeat
dgarretson
2,592 posts
 
Rough sand off the lacquer coating the perimeter of the steel plate that covers the stock magnet. Rough sand the mating surface of the donut shaped bucking magnet. Place the driver face down on a level surface. Thinly coat both surfaces with 5 minute strong epoxy. Apply the bucking magnet in the correct direction. (It will be repelled as it approaches the stock magnet and attracted when in close proximity.) Make minor adjustments to align the magnet as the epoxy stiffens to ensure that the two magnets are concentric with each other and thus the voice coil.
dumbeat's avatar
dumbeat OP
108 posts
 
Interesting... Ill skip of course, but interesting information. Thanks.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
From Dumbeat (addressing bi-amping):
...These Merlins are total magic in certain respects that im afraid to lose at this point. To remedy what i consider their weak point(Low Mid and bass fullness) would be ideal for me, so maybe bi amping would do it,
I also have a pair of speakers that are famous for "total magic in certain aspects" with a weak point in "Low Mid and bass fullness" They are Magneplanar 1.7 panel speakers. Their "total magic" is reproduction of acoustic instruments and voices that is spooky real. They create the illusion of a full-size concert grand piano like I’ve (otherwise) never heard in my house in the 46 years I’ve pursued this hobby. Piano sounds so real it often elicits an involuntary response of turning my headd quickly to see where the piano is.

On their own the panels start to roll off around 50 Hz and are MIA by 40 Hz, or they were until I added a pair of subwoofers. In my situation I got a pair of small, fast subs whose transient response blends with the panels and increases the bass extension to a totally functional 36 Hz. This makes string bass and bass guitar credible and also achieves the fundamental frequency of a 22"-24" dia. bass drum.

Blending is relatively easy because it has continuous 0-180 deg. phase controls, volume controls, and also continuous crossover frequencies.

If I wanted to go all out, I would get a pair of JL Audio E110 subs, which would increase bass extension for more instruments and overall dynamics for large orchestral and big band recordings.
audiokinesis
2,723 posts
 

In my opinion EQ is much more likely to help than is bi-amping. In your situation you need to be able to make finer adjustments than simply changing the relative levels of woofer and tweeter. That would help, but I think you’d still have weak upper bass/lower mids relative to the top-end of the woofer’s response.

Regarding SET or OTL amps, I looked at the frequency response and impedance curves in Stereophile’s review of the VSM. Relative to a solid state amp, a high-output-impedance (low-damping-factor) tube amp will put out more power into an impedance peak, and less power into an impedance dip.

So in this case the result would be more output south of 100 Hz; a bit less output between 100 Hz and 800 Hz; and a bit more output north of 800 Hz. Imo ONLY the increased output below 100 Hz is likely to be beneficial. North of 100 Hz, I think the net effect on frequency response would be counter-productive.

While I am a big fan of these kinds of specialty amps (I’m an Atma-Sphere dealer and design my speakers specifically to work well with them), I don’t think this is the solution in your situation. I’ve heard Merlins driven by a low-damping-factor tube amp and to my ears the combination still had the characteristics you have described.

Regarding adding a bucking magnet, I assume that "raises the output by several dB" comes from increasing the motor strength. I do not think that is the solution either, for reasons described in my previous post.

I think EQ is probably your best bet for getting the tonal balance you want from those speakers. 

Duke

dumbeat's avatar
dumbeat OP
108 posts
 
Thanks again!
So amp wise, just to get closer to my destination, what would you recommend? Im ready to upgrade from my VAC Avatar integrated Push Pull.
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