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  Why the obsession with the lowest octave
From what is written in these forums and elsewhere see the following for instance.

Scroll down to the chart showing the even lowest instruments in this example recording rolling off very steeply at 40 Hz.

www.homerecordingconnection

It would appear that there is really very little to be heard between 20 and 40 Hz. Yet having true "full range" speakers is often the test of a great speaker. Does anyone beside me think that there is little to be gained by stretching the speakers bass performance below 30-40 cycles?
My own speakers make no apologies for going down to only 28 Hz and they are big floor standers JM Lab Electra 936s.
Mechans  (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

01-20-11
  Responses (1-50 of 130)
Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

01-20-11   The same could be said for the highest octave. as for me, i ...   Unsound

01-20-11   My tweeter goes out to 60,000 hz [i'll take their word for i ...   Stanwal

01-20-11   Mechans - quality of the bass is more important than extensi ...   Kijanki

01-20-11   Stan all due respect but i had used a test tone cd which di ...   Mechans

01-20-11   Mine goes to eleven! i'd agree that quality of bass, and ...   Jax2

01-20-11   The 1036 is a bigger and more expensive speaker. the 3 db do ...   Stanwal

01-20-11   It feels soooo good!   Rodge827

01-20-11   The male fantasy/obsession with bass reproduction is directl ...   Elizabeth

01-20-11   Because part of the music occurs there normally with a good ...   Mapman

01-20-11   From a different perspective. talking about treble say from ...   Uru975

01-20-11   Often one will chose to not worry about it initially then ta ...   Mapman

01-20-11   Well, in defense of my sex i can say that women only like th ...   Samujohn

01-20-11   My speakers go below zero down to -10hz thanks to the quad o ...   Audiofeil

01-20-11   Even though my speakers are said to go to 30hz, i have often ...   Mitch2

01-20-11   My focal 836v speakers are rated for 40hz to 28khz +/- 3db w ...   Mceljo

01-20-11   Sit mid hall or balcony and you won't experience the viscera ...   Tvad

01-20-11   Tvad nailed it like he often does. if its meant to be there ...   Chadnliz

01-20-11   You do catch a lot of low bass in a large building/auditori ...   Hifihvn

01-20-11   Most people here who are listening to deep bass are actually ...   Shadorne

01-20-11   My main speakers don't go low enough, but sometimes i do tur ...   Hifihvn

01-20-11   Feel me and he nailed it , sounds like more of his distortio ...   Lithojoe

01-21-11   Lithojoe - seeing the word "bloviate" reminded me ...   Mceljo

01-21-11   this word was one of the few contributions to our culture b ...   Stanwal

01-21-11   ' yeah, i'm going with what tvad said. i have a set of infi ...   Mitch4t

01-21-11   Great post, mitch4t. i've heard it said that a lot of the i ...   Drubin

01-21-11   Its human nature's hard wiring of the brain. think about it ...   Buconero117

01-21-11   Reaching down to the lowest octave creates a realism in mus ...   Rrog

01-21-11   If one can get deeper bass without any tradeoff of other qua ...   Larryi

01-21-11   To ignore the range from 20 to 40 hz is to deny the fact tha ...   Dan_ed

01-21-11   Electronica artists have the freedom to create music without ...   Bizango1

01-21-11   Interesting thread, some like low bass and others do not.... ...   Larryken

01-21-11   The logic involved in intentionally limiting frequency exten ...   Douglas_schroeder

01-21-11   one need only attend a single show, look around at a dealer ...   Jax2

01-21-11   Why the obsession? i'd guess that a big part of it is peopl ...   Martykl

01-21-11   "sit mid hall or balcony and you won't experience the v ...   Mapman

01-21-11   "when you hear the rumble, t-rex may be near, and that ...   Mapman

01-21-11   "electronica artists have the freedom to create music w ...   Mapman

01-21-11   "some like low bass and others do not" i'll go ou ...   Mapman

01-21-11   Remind me never to post a picture of my gallo reference avs ...   Dcrugby

01-21-11   A couple of responses mention lower overtones. this is not ...   Pryso

01-21-11   "removal of the lowest source frequencies (requiring th ...   Mapman

01-21-11   When i had my nelson-reed 1204s [4 12" drivers a side] ...   Stanwal

01-21-11   Its fundamental   Stringreen

01-21-11: Mapman
From Wikipedia:

"A distortion is the alteration of the original shape (or other characteristic) of an object, image, sound, waveform or other form of information or representation."

So if it is in the source but not heard, it is an alteration and can be considered a form (by omission) of distortion.

How acceptable is it in those terms now, audiophiles?

This is truly how I look at it personally and why I find I cannot be satisfied fully (despite being satisfied greatly still though in practice ) by even excellent smaller speakers otherwise that punt by design and chose to omit the lowest octaves in order to achieve greatness.

Mapman  (Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)


01-21-11   understood. carnegie is a fine hall for good reasons. imagin ...   Tvad

01-21-11   "imagine the impact of the tympani had you been sitting ...   Mapman

01-21-11   I confess i was being naughty. (8^q... but i do love the upp ...   Elizabeth

01-21-11   "my idea of really bad low frequency is driving, then h ...   Mapman

01-21-11   Btw, despite all appearances otherwise, let me make it clear ...   Mapman

01-21-11   As a card-carrying male i agree with elizabeth, i'm happy to ...   Hack


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