Clean clear bass is more important than BASS; often the crossover is just as important so that you can hear a distinct difference between the low-midrange instruments vs strong bass lines in an ensemble. To get the best LOW bass performance, the room acoustics become extremely critical, as does the upper treble frequencies (too bright AND too boomy). For me the final answer is, as i am
using my living room as a listening room, to find the right volume level. I have way more stereo system than my room can handle (i often wish i had stuck with a smaller pair of speakers but a good deal came along, etc.).
IN conclusion, the more you hear "clearly", the more enjoyable the experience of listening over extended periods of time. But if, in the end, you aren't going to be satisfied with less than 20Hz bass, you're going to have to address the other issues i mentioned above.
using my living room as a listening room, to find the right volume level. I have way more stereo system than my room can handle (i often wish i had stuck with a smaller pair of speakers but a good deal came along, etc.).
IN conclusion, the more you hear "clearly", the more enjoyable the experience of listening over extended periods of time. But if, in the end, you aren't going to be satisfied with less than 20Hz bass, you're going to have to address the other issues i mentioned above.