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Tight Bass

I'm tired of hearing this term as it does not exist outside of the audiophiles world. Where does this term come from? Bass is not tight. It is loose, warm, enveloping, harmonically rich. What I hear from solid state amps and ported speakers is an extended low frequency without the definition and body that tubes and a good sealed box or transmission line speaker serves up. I equate tight bass with consticted bass and perhaps that is a question of semantics as I feel the bass should be full and round but not out of control, perhaps if those that use the term "tight bass" are actually trying to describe what I would term a "rich/ripe bass". I would like to hear some discussion on "tight bass", "rich/ripe bass" same or different terminology.
rhljazz

Showing 2 responses by detlof

detlof
1,899 posts
 
Ka, lady or not, you deserve two points at least, because you made me laugh.....no, I would not get a shrink, I would get what you mention and enjoy!! Regards,
detlof
1,899 posts
 
You bring up a very good point. If you ever have had the chance to attend a live performance of R. Strauss's "Also sprach Zarathustra", you will indeed notice in the opening bars of this tremendous work, how the deep bass of the organ and the huge double bass section of the orchestra open and unfold and come at you in one huge wave of harmonically rich sound....there is indeed no "tightness" in that experience. Quite to the contrary, as you so rightly say. Also listening to bass lines in a live jazz performance, the only "tight" sound may be the slap of the strings bouncing on the neck of the instrument, but not the sound as it unfolds from the belly of the instrument itself, which can be tought, that is cut short in its unfolding, but never "tight". "Tight" is not something, which you have in the live music experience, neither in the bass, nor anywhere else in fact. Its sort of against the laws of physics. If we describe the bass in our rigs as tight however, I think we use it as a synonym for "well controlled", with a fast and controlled beginning of a note and natural decay to its ending, close in its timing, its musicality and its inner rythmic qualities to the real thing. Just my 2cents. Interesting post!! Cheerio
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