35Hz - 25kHz -- A Partial 'Purist'?


It's amazing how much musical information can be found in the lowest bass regions say 30Hz down to below 20Hz, whether classical, folk, instrumental, pop, etc..

Yet, I'm purplexed to see some to many audiophile 'purists' refuse to even attempt to resolve the obvious deficiency in their systems which simply cannot reproduce any musical information in the lowest regions of the frequecy spectrum.

No matter how musical, how refined, and/or how infinite the configurations a good musical subwoofer can offer, the 'purist' simply will not consider adding a subwoofer to supplement their mains. There's too many good subs (you only need one) ranging from $1k to $30k that can be quite quite musical and allow for near-infinite configurations to adapt to most any system and listening preference. And, yes, I am aware there are many more bad subwoofers, but's that's another thread.

As a self-proclaimed 'fundamentalist', my quest is to ensure my 2-channel system is such that any musical information coming from the source stands an excellent chance of being faithfully reproduced for my listening pleasure.

And by adding a musical 18 inch subwoofer, I don't believe I've given up anything.

I would enjoy hearing what others think.
stehno
Stehno, may I respond with a video analogy. Removing the lower edge of a video screen might not deny most opportunites to appreciate the esscence of the scene portrayed, but sometimes it would. Unfortunately, unlike video, rooms and/or budgets force us into this situation with audio.
Unsound, as one who watches TV mostly just for Fox news, the no spin zone, I ain't buying the video analogy.

If the majority of the members here on A'gon did most of their audio shopping at Best Buy, then your video analogy might make sense. But at least those people shopping at Best Buy try as it seems many of them will pick up some cheap subwoofer because they know they're missing something way down there.

It just doesn't make sense for so many to snub their noses at retrieving low frequencies. Especially when they've dumped tens of thousands of dollars into their systems and rooms and especially when some to many others have integrated a subwoofer into their system with much success.

I believe it's a mental block. I also believe somebody told them or they read long ago they were not a 'purist' or true to the hobby if they were to use a sub. So they refrained and continue to do so.

Kinda' reminds me of the scientists claiming for the last 15 years that eggs were bad for us to eat. All of a sudden last year, the next generation of scientists refute the previous generation (as scientists always do) by announcing that eggs are now good for consumption on a regular basis claiming in the announcement that the cholesterol contained in eggs is good for us.

Well, I've been eating eggs all along every chance I could and enjoying every minute of it. Yet there are still many who will not eat eggs to this day because they've been conditioned to think eggs are bad.

I think the same analogy applies to many here and their view toward subwoofers.

Well, that's my take anyway.

-IMO
Stehno, ok, you might be right about some people, some of the time. I still think that for some people, some of the time, room and expense are an issue. As for the video analogy, I think by it, you can see that I kind of agree with you.
For some it comes down to expense also.I wish I had found a sub to go lower than 25hz.,but at the $400 price point what's a boy to do!So I bought an NHT Subonei that is ok.I really would rather have a fullrange speaker that goes to atleast 22hz. not ported.

I think a big thing that is mentioned elsewhere is the way a Sub can force some music out which is not a good thing.Forget what I had read or where I read about that ,but I have noticed it at times.

My new speaker's will go down to 30 Hz.(might be less to 27Hz.).So there will be very little in the way of help from the NHT and I might sell it and wait for a sub that goes to 20Hz and blends well with my system.Bought the NHT before finding my favorite speaker's.

My 2-ways go down to 32Hz. with very acurate ,articulate Bass and that is a big plus.If you do not have the region of 40Hz. taken care of in the Mains your screwed!

One other factor is what type of music you play?If there is alot of Bass Pedal then you are gonna pay for that 20Hz..

The best thing that came from knowing my Sub was worth having is checkout Pink FLoyds Umma Gumma Remasterd.7th track "Down the Narrow Path" at the beginning there is a heartbeat that when I heard it I wonderd if there was something wrong with my system.I had never noticed it before and when I turned the sub off it was not there.Freaked me out!

Things like that are worth knowing they are there!

Good luck!