The Room Lives and Breathes in the Bass

[mep]

I was listening to music the other night and thinking to myself that maybe just maybe some people don’t realize and/or appreciate how much of the room that the music we own was recorded in lives and breathes in the bass-specially music recorded live. I really do think that the bass carries the cues of the listening environment. It gives us a sense of the overall space the music was recorded in.

It’s almost like there is another universe of information that is in parallel with the information that most people hear that goes unnoticed until you can decode it. But I do think that the information that is present way down low contributes towards the feeling of greater realism. If you can’t get to at least 30 Hz cleanly, I’m not sure you will hear what I’m talking about. But it is there to be heard, and when you can add the two together, the sum is greater than the parts.

 

[LL21]

I was listening to music the other night and thinking to myself that maybe just maybe some people don’t realize and/or appreciate how much of the room that the music we own was recorded in lives and breathes in the bass-specially music recorded live. I really do think that the bass carries the cues of the listening environment. It gives us a sense of the overall space the music was recorded in.

It’s almost like there is another universe of information that is in parallel with the information that most people hear that goes unnoticed until you can decode it. But I do think that the information that is present way down low contributes towards the feeling of greater realism. If you can’t get to at least 30 Hz cleanly, I’m not sure you will hear what I’m talking about. But it is there to be heard, and when you can add the two together, the sum is greater than the parts.

+1. I cut my Velodyne DD18 off above 41hz, and i still hear plenty when i mute the amp which drives the main speakers...on probably 8 out of 10 CDs i play. There is information down there, and i've read about/spoken with many who've introduced massive tower subs, or gone big-time full-range who have found the 'spread' 'completeness' of music (and particularly musical scale, and ease introduced even in the lower mids increases dramatically with that bass information in the room. i certainly have.

 

[andromedaaudio]

There are quite a few systems that can do a 30 HZ tone (min 3 db ) but to really feel it , you need membrane speaker surface , there are 2 way systems that do 30 hz , but that same tone through mike lavignes speakers will be quite different .

 

[mep]

There are quite a few systems that can do a 30 HZ tone (min 3 db ) but to really feel it , you need membrane speaker surface , there are 2 way systems that do 30 hz , but that same tone through mike lavignes speakers will be quite different .

I agree, but in this context it's all about the volume of air being displaced at low frequencies. Having a two-way speaker that can hit 30Hz some number of dBs down isn't the same as an army of large low frequency drivers playing low bass.

 

[FrantzM]

Well count me among those who believe in correct bass reproduction for true realism in music reproduction ... Many speakers touting 30 Hz with a smallish woofer/midrange can only do so at modest, not realistic SPL ... Hitting 30 Hz at 60 dB is not the same as being able to play sustained 90 dB and plus in the region. The darn thing though is that good bass improves even music that shouldn't call for much bass in theory say chamber music .. or a choir a capella .. weird but true .. Once you have the woofing ability to go there then you become aware of something else .. Often an impression of the volume of the place where the recording took place ... somewhat subliminal .. You don't really hear it as much as you feel the volume ...

 

[mep]

Well count me to those who beleive in correct bass reproduction for true realism in music reproduction ... Many speakers esepcially those toutin their 30 Hz can onlu do so at modest, no realistic SPL ... Hitting 30 Hz at 60 dB is not the same as being able to play sustained 90 dB and plus in the region. The darn thing though is that good bass improves even music that shouldn't call for much bass in theory say chamber music .. or a choir a capella .. weird but true .. Once you have the woofing ability to go there then you become aware of something else .. Often an impression of the volume of the place where the recording took place ... somewhat subliminal .. You don't really hear it as much as you feel the volume ...

Frantz-I do believe you said exactly what I was trying to convey.

 

[LL21]

Well count me among those who believe in correct bass reproduction for true realism in music reproduction ... Many speakers touting 30 Hz with a smallish woofer/midrange can only do so at modest, not realistic SPL ... Hitting 30 Hz at 60 dB is not the same as being able to play sustained 90 dB and plus in the region. The darn thing though is that good bass improves even music that shouldn't call for much bass in theory say chamber music .. or a choir a capella .. weird but true .. Once you have the woofing ability to go there then you become aware of something else .. Often an impression of the volume of the place where the recording took place ... somewhat subliminal .. You don't really hear it as much as you feel the volume ...

Aboslutely my experience.

 

[RBFC]

Every recording space has a fundamental resonance that lies in the very low bass. If, for instance, you step into a large auditorium, you immediately sense the volume of the room with no sound as cues.

Lee

 

[JonFo]

+1 on having bass capabilities that both extend deep enough and loud enough to accurately paint' the space' of a recording venue.

Most of the high-rez classical recordings I have contain ultra-LF content that gives a sense of being there. Noticeable mostly if I mute the sub, then the space is no longer as 'large'.

I found that having a LF system capable of hitting 22Hz at 105dB with low distortion is critical to realistic reproduction of all forms of music. An infinite baffle sub is a great way to get there IMHO.