What's up with lousy bass on classic rock recordings?

The OP may want to get acquainted with discogs to learn what to look for in a period press. 

It's all in the matrix.

Arguably, a first press IS the definitive version of any album.

Van Halen's debut isn't a rare, obscure album to find. The rub is finding one that's unmolested. 

Van Halen – Van Halen (1978, Winchester Press, Vinyl) - Discogs

Boston – Boston (1976, Vinyl) - Discogs

The Who – Who's Next (1971, Vinyl) - Discogs

Find one for cheap in the bins,or pay for someone going thru a dozen used copies to find "the one"  @better-records.com

@mapman I don’t have a white noise generator and the SPL app only measures down to 31Hz, so thanks for the offer!

Baba O’Reilly (I’ve tried HR Quobuz and I have it on vinyl) and VH 1 Running with the Devil and Eruption (Quobuz - no vinyl)

But I really do think it’s the recordings AND the SQ/dynamics that I now prefer.

EDIT: and as someone pointed out some of this is meant to be played really loud, and I try to keep peaks below 90dB

Back in the day my car had a better stereo than my home (JBL 6x9s - no one had subs back then with an Alpine head and amp in the trunk) and what I have today far surpasses anything prior - and it’s all relatively new gear.

@tablejockey thanks for the advice and the links!

@dmac67 if you search I was able to find internet radio stations that play white noise last time I looked.

31hz isn’t perfect but still very useful.  Many hifis sans sub start to roll off well before that  especially in larger rooms.  The key is to keep the room response at your listening spot as extended and flat as possible.  That enables every inkling of bass to be heard at proper levels  

I’ll give Baba a play and report back.

@dmac67

Baba O Riley

I listened in two rooms off same system Cambridge Evo 150 to kef ls50 metas + sub in smaller 12x12 room and in adjacent much larger L shaped room with more full range Ohm F5s, no sub.

In both cases the track starts to roll off steeply below 50-60 hz. When Entwhistle strikes the bass notes during the main riff there is a peak again in the 50-60 hz range, but the same rolloff below that. There is some action down to below 30hz but not much that one would hear. Great tune! Tasteful but limited use of electric bass helps make the main riff hit home and keeps things rolling. That’s about it. No pipe organs……😉