Gregm and Swampwalker,
Sorry I was unclear.
Hearing sensitivity rises very rapdily from 20 Hz to 100 Hz. The slope is roughly 24 DB/Octave. This means a fundamental note at 20Hz and its third order (80 Hz) harmonic will sound equally loud when the third harmonic (80Hz) is played at 38 db lower level than the fundamental.
In practice this means that we are ultra sensitive to harmonic distortion from extreme LF notes...often the perception of bloated/boomy/one note bass is due to harmonic distortion. Speakers with apparently awesome bass output for their size usually exploit this distortion to good effect.....but it isn't music its just distortion!
Sorry I was unclear.
Hearing sensitivity rises very rapdily from 20 Hz to 100 Hz. The slope is roughly 24 DB/Octave. This means a fundamental note at 20Hz and its third order (80 Hz) harmonic will sound equally loud when the third harmonic (80Hz) is played at 38 db lower level than the fundamental.
In practice this means that we are ultra sensitive to harmonic distortion from extreme LF notes...often the perception of bloated/boomy/one note bass is due to harmonic distortion. Speakers with apparently awesome bass output for their size usually exploit this distortion to good effect.....but it isn't music its just distortion!