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Why is good, deep bass so difficult? - Myths and their Busters

This is a theme that goes round and round and round on Audiogon. While looking for good sources, I found a consultancy (Acoustic Frontiers) offering a book and links:

http://www.acousticfrontiers.com/guide-to-bass-optimization/?utm_source=CTA

Interestingly: AF is in Fairfax, CA, home to Fritz Speakers. I really have to go visit Fairfax!

And a link to two great articles over at sound and vision:

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/schroeder-frequency-show-and-tell-part-1
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/schroeder-frequency-show-and-tell-part-2

Every audiophile who is dissatisfied with the bass in their room should read these free resources.

Let me state unequivocally, deep bass is difficult for the average consumer. Most audiophiles are better off with bass limited speakers, or satellite/subwoofer systems. The former limits the danger you can get into. The latter has the most chance of success IF PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED.

The idea that large drivers/subs are slow is a complete and utter myth. Same for bass reflex. The issue is not the speed of the drivers. The issue is usually that the deeper a speaker goes the more it excites room modes, which the audiophile is then loathe to address.

Anyway, please read away. I look forward to reading comments.
erik_squires
wolf_garcia
4,650 posts
 
This thread is a bass fishing tournament.
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,611 posts
 
Don’t fear a creative solution.
1. Try decoupling your subs from the floor beneath them.

2. Mass load the subwoofer.

3. Use a sub with an adjustable "Q"

If you are listening in a square box (literally), good luck!
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
3,575 posts
 
Extension is only part of the sound and you don't need a lot of extension to listen to acoustic bass or bass guitar (lowest note 41.2Hz).  My current speakers, with larger woofers, have worse (by 5Hz) extension than previous speakers but bass sounds much better.  It is not extension or dynamics, but just sound of the bass (both bass reflex).  Attack and decay of the note sounds right (natural).  I also suspect that distortion is lower (woofers without spider-web suspension, larger volume).  

Previous speakers had 2 1/2 way xover meaning that one woofer covers bass and midrange while the other supports low bass.  That way it is possible to stretch extension from small woofers in smaller cabinets but it won't sound as good as larger woofer.

Most of the woofers have overhung motor construction that produces more distortions while only few manufacturers (Including Acoustic Zen) use underhung motor, perhaps because it requires much larger magnets.

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
I hate to judge before all the facts are in but it appears a big advantage of headphones is you can get very good bass performance without all the angst, effort and cost oft required to obtain very good bass performance for speaker systems. And that's if you're lucky and don't actually make matters worse.

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
Clean bass needs a Q of 0.7 or less and two 15 inch woofers in most domestic settings. (4 x 12" woofers will be equivalently capable.) I rarely see this kind of setup on Audiogon so I don’t think many people are even aware of the issues raised by Erik.
The Classic Audio Loudspeakers that I have (model T-3.3) use dual 15" drivers, one forward firing and one down firing. The model T-1 employs a 15" forward firing and an 18" down firing. Both cut off at about 20Hz and are 98db 1 watt/1 meter. I regard the bass as very musical- its is very nuanced and has plenty of wallop.

A subwoofer system that solves many bass/room issues is the Swarm by Audiokinesis. It employs mulitple small subs and so effectively reduces room nodes, standing waves and the like.
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