Why the obsession with the lowest octave

I have OHM 5 series 3 near full range floorstanders that do well down into the 20-30hz range and Dynaudio Contour 1.3mkII monitors that I would estimate do well into the 40-50 hz range on the same system.

That extra low end makes a big difference on most everything play!

I had the monitors first to see if I really needed the low end I knew was not there. I do to be totally satisified, though the Dyns do a ver satisfying job with the low end UNTIL you compare with the others that plunge the depths way better by design.

Thanks for the correction, Eldartford and Kihanki! I am mixing myself up. The fundamental IS the lowest sinusoid. I'm sounding like Irwin Corey again. ;-)

How much bass comes from the concert hall reinforcing bass from the instruments? When the instruments are measured, they are probably done individually in a room that may have no influence on the sound. No room reinforced bass may be the case. Anyway, something to think about. Resonance of the hall and surroundings. That may be some of the reason for bass being there, good or bad. We here it live, and can miss it at home. Here is a link to look at.[http://www.akutek.info/Posters/KG_Basses_on_Floor_Poster.pdf]

Pardon the grammar. That Akutek link has interesting info. Same link.[http://www.akutek.info/Posters/KG_Basses_on_Floor_Poster.pdf]

Good point that even instruments do not have a single sound. It is a function of the environment played in (ie the venue) and the sensors used to detect the sound (ie your ears, microphones, etc) that create the variations.

Facts like these are the reason why while can appreciate the value of a good venue, I always have to chuckle when it is suggested the room you listen in has to be effectively neutralized completely to get the correct sound.

The fact is the room in which the music is recorded and the room in which the music is played are both factors in the resulting sound in a home system, as much so and often even more so than the system played on.

Practically, the goal should be to optimize the resulting sound to sound good to you, not to achieve some perceived standard of perfection that does not even exist and cannot practically be achieved at any cost.

That thinking is good for the vendor though! It keeps everybody chasing the carrot and draining their funds indefinitely to achieve an impossible goal.