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Why is good, deep bass so difficult? - Myths and their Busters

This is a theme that goes round and round and round on Audiogon. While looking for good sources, I found a consultancy (Acoustic Frontiers) offering a book and links:

http://www.acousticfrontiers.com/guide-to-bass-optimization/?utm_source=CTA

Interestingly: AF is in Fairfax, CA, home to Fritz Speakers. I really have to go visit Fairfax!

And a link to two great articles over at sound and vision:

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/schroeder-frequency-show-and-tell-part-1
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/schroeder-frequency-show-and-tell-part-2

Every audiophile who is dissatisfied with the bass in their room should read these free resources.

Let me state unequivocally, deep bass is difficult for the average consumer. Most audiophiles are better off with bass limited speakers, or satellite/subwoofer systems. The former limits the danger you can get into. The latter has the most chance of success IF PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED.

The idea that large drivers/subs are slow is a complete and utter myth. Same for bass reflex. The issue is not the speed of the drivers. The issue is usually that the deeper a speaker goes the more it excites room modes, which the audiophile is then loathe to address.

Anyway, please read away. I look forward to reading comments.
erik_squires

Showing 4 responses by wolf_garcia

wolf_garcia
6,598 posts
 
This thread is a bass fishing tournament.
wolf_garcia
6,598 posts
 
Geoffkait is right…you can also get most of the joy of driving high performance cars from video games, and great food is available by simply looking at photos of it. It's not necessary to go outside to experience nature when high def TV has it all right there! I make the mistake of working with live musicians frequently when really, I should stay home festooned with my Grados and avoid crowds and pesky personal hygiene. I actually asked Jim Campilongo if he's tried reversing the fuse direction in his Princeton Reverb…no answer…at least he didn't take a swing at me.
wolf_garcia
6,598 posts
 
I think there is a lot of pretentious blather around this subject…any good main speakers in a normal room (furniture, books, things people simply own) should sound great if pointed at you properly, which requires some moving of the things away from walls, toward walls, wider apart, closer…until YOU think it's sounding good. Then get a sub or two (I use a pair of "previously owned" "Q Series" RELs), move 'em around until they seem to sound good, and relax. Done. If you think you think you need DSP then add that, although I don't like it. A friend uses the same main speakers I have (Silverline Prelude "D'Appolito" arrayed small woofer things) with 2 RELs like mine, and the DSP simply seems to strangle the sound somehow, so I remain without EQ of any sort, other than sub level tweaking here and there.
wolf_garcia
6,598 posts
 
Soundsrealaudio…I actually considered the RMAF this year since I haven't been to one of those things since around 1987 (NYC Stereophile show). Hmmm…also, although I am very kind at all times (well…sometimes I take a break from extreme kindness to punish someone for disagreeing with me), I wasn't kind to you at all 6 years ago simply because I wasn't there. Don't mistake other people for me as many have simply stolen my look and style to get free drinks or the chance to be the new James Bond.
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