Below 20 HZ Notes/Instruments

TAS had a chart in past issues going through the instruments in the orchestra and their frequency ranges. Other than an organ with 32 foot stops, and synthesizers, I don't think any instrument goes below 20 hz in its fundamental pitch (double bass and contrabassoon go only as far as 27 hz, as I recall, and a tuba doesn't go that low). However, there is a great deal of ambient information in recordings that may extend below 20hz, even in recordings that might otherwise not have musical content in that range (some you might not want to hear, like air conditioning systems and subways); in that regard, a full range speaker that can reproduce those sounds is more likely to give you a better sense of an acoustic space. As far as recordings with deep bass go, I recall that the Michigan Woofer and Tweeter Society had a listing of recordings with deep bass below 25 hz, any members out there remember? I may have the list at home, I'll try to dig it up if no one else can find or recall it. One recording I do remember with content below 20 hz was an old M&K direct to disc record, The Power and the Majesty, a recording of a Los Angeles church organ reputed to have an 8 hz content if your phono replay system was up to it. I tried to play it to hear it, but the vibrations made me sick and caused my house to collapse, so I had to stop the record, and my system only goes to 20 hz! There may also be a sub 20 hz note at the very end of the first cut on Pomp and Pipes (the Karg-Ellert piece, not necessarily the other tracks on that disc), and the second (quiet, not the finale) movement of the Philips recording of the Saint Saens Organ Symphony with Gillou and the San Francisco Symphony has some true 16 hz pedal notes. I recall that I was surprised that there were not that many recordings with true sub-20 hz content. Just remember not to do your listening on a full stomach, as some of those notes can really make you sick at high volumes.

I bought my first Rel about three years ago and I was having a real hard time setting it up. I gave a call to Sumiko and they recommended using the movie Sneakers. I guess theres a part in it that has a 20 hz repeating thump on I think track twelve. There advice got my there without so I never tried it but I thought I would pass along the advice.

Thanks to you all. Rcprince, I did try the pomp and pipes, actually 2nd and 4 th cut which has both organ and kick drums. I also tried Asante from Maplesahde which contains lots of drums that ranges from 20 hz and up, with ambient info lower than 20 Hz,( by feel). Yes, Sumiko did suggest the Sneakers soundtrack, and I will see what others have to suggest. But so far my conclusion ( after spending about 3 hrs of listening and tweaking and right now completely tone-deaf)is that although the REL adds 'musical' Content at the basic reference 80 db level now up to 15 Hz, with - 4db at 13 Hz ( all measured withRadioshack meter with requisite interpolated corrections), it ADDS 3-4 db from 20 to 30 Hz, (even at lowest crossover point of 22 Hz and Volume set at midpoint), upsetting overall balance. The subwoofer location w.r.to left and right speaker further deteriorates the perfact imaging (both time and phase coheraent) the Dunlavy V's are capable of. Overall result is obscured soundstage ( hard to believe but I trust my hearing) So I may use it for HT set-up or the Stereo surround casual and dance music, with cross-over now set at 49 Uz for that night-clib added, but musically clean PUNCH. What do you guys think? Am I giving up too early?

I also own SC-V's. I listen to a fair amount of organ and electronica which are the only instruments with fundamentals below 27Hz. I use a Sigtech and with a realtime analyzer measure my Sigtech corrected Dunlavy's flat to 22 Hz with very decent output at 16Hz due to room placement. (Try the Dutoit recording of the Pines of Rome with a 16HZ pedal on the final track).

I've tried several Subs and have found that they detract from the Dunlavy's for music reproduction. I only use mine when we set up the room for dance.

I wouldn't use a sub with your speakers. The bass the Dunlavy Vs produce is so deep, accurate and tuneful that it seems to me that you're more likely to hinder the overall presentation in both balance and soundstage.

Good luck, Dave