Jmcgrogan2:
This is a very thoughtful observation.
I'm wondering if bass 'slam' vs bass 'definition' is mutually exclusive - not in terms of equipment but in terms of sound from the real world that a system could/should reproduce.
At first blush maybe not - the example that comes to mind is a large bass drum (not a kick drum) versus a timpani.
Elements of 'definition' and 'slam' apply to each however if forced to a mutually exclusive choice, I'd opt for definition from the timpani and slam from the bass drum. Granted the frequency range of the timpani is higher than the bass drum.
Is it the case that the lower in frequency, the less definition? I'm not sure. The visceral impact from a kick drum is probably below 90Hz. We might say the front wave does have some sense of definition - if it gets rendered as bloated does some of its impact go away? Some of the issue might be about tonality - maybe that is where some aspect of "clarity" comes in to play.
I know this may be an issue of words as much as sound - typically not the sort of thing these forums tie in to - and describing sound is not always easy. But in doing so we probably set the vocabulary for talking about what we want from the gear that reproduces sound.
In the ideal situation I want a cable or cord that adds and subtracts nothing from what is delivered by the amplifier and rendered by the speaker. So I'm inclined to agree with those who say look there first rather than at wires. Two different approaches: attempt to tune the sound of an amplifier with a wire versus asking which wire distorts the amp's output least? If the amp/speaker combo doesn't give you what you want, then trying to get there by applying distortion always brings tradeoffs - imo, etc. Unfortunately, high quality bass tends to be pricey.
In terms of sound, I want it all: slam/boom and definition/clarity though those descriptions may not apply to the same instruments.
Bass slam tends to come from bass being a bit bloated, or slower. Faster, tighter bass, that is better defined bass, many will say sounds lean, not boomy enough for some.
This is a very thoughtful observation.
I'm wondering if bass 'slam' vs bass 'definition' is mutually exclusive - not in terms of equipment but in terms of sound from the real world that a system could/should reproduce.
At first blush maybe not - the example that comes to mind is a large bass drum (not a kick drum) versus a timpani.
Elements of 'definition' and 'slam' apply to each however if forced to a mutually exclusive choice, I'd opt for definition from the timpani and slam from the bass drum. Granted the frequency range of the timpani is higher than the bass drum.
Is it the case that the lower in frequency, the less definition? I'm not sure. The visceral impact from a kick drum is probably below 90Hz. We might say the front wave does have some sense of definition - if it gets rendered as bloated does some of its impact go away? Some of the issue might be about tonality - maybe that is where some aspect of "clarity" comes in to play.
I know this may be an issue of words as much as sound - typically not the sort of thing these forums tie in to - and describing sound is not always easy. But in doing so we probably set the vocabulary for talking about what we want from the gear that reproduces sound.
In the ideal situation I want a cable or cord that adds and subtracts nothing from what is delivered by the amplifier and rendered by the speaker. So I'm inclined to agree with those who say look there first rather than at wires. Two different approaches: attempt to tune the sound of an amplifier with a wire versus asking which wire distorts the amp's output least? If the amp/speaker combo doesn't give you what you want, then trying to get there by applying distortion always brings tradeoffs - imo, etc. Unfortunately, high quality bass tends to be pricey.
In terms of sound, I want it all: slam/boom and definition/clarity though those descriptions may not apply to the same instruments.