A question of bass... Several actually.

Dear Ranechak: +++++ " Is it necessary to spend $1000 per speaker or over to have audible, palpable, appropriate bass reproduction? +++++

IMHO it is necessary for low bass with good pitch, definition/precision, no overhang, etc, etc.

the 72's goes down in room maybe no more ( usuable ) than 50Hz that belongs more to the low mid bass that to the low bass. Btw, IMHO the " diso dancing bass " it is something totally different: in an audio pure concepts that is not bass.

About what the salesman told you that a separate sub is not appropiate on high end I think that he has a misunderstood about.

+++++ " doesn't putting the amp output into a sub's crossover to be split to satellites compromise imaging etc? " +++++

IMHO the answer is NO. As a fact it help to those speakers and your whole quality system performance achieve a level that you ever dream about.

If you can please read what I psted on the subject, maybe it could help you:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1238000018

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

When I asked about bass (speakers having full bass response) the salesman (who owns the shop) said "If you want bass you have to shell out the big bucks."
Is that it?
Is it necessary to spend $1000 per speaker or over to have audible, palpable, appropriate bass reproduction?

Good bass is really expensive. Just think about it - a good subwoofer is at least $3K if not a lot more. This is physics. You can get modest amounts of small speaker big bass sound from resonant designs which are underdamped for low cost - however this is really what I would call "fake bass". It isn't bad but it just doesn't sound like real musical instruments that's all.

I'd say I agree with your salesman if you are talking accurate bass reproduction. Big woofers in big boxes aren't cheap.

Shadorne,

There is probably some curve you can draw where the cost of accurately reproducing bass notes increases geometrically with lower frequency, requiring increasing quantities of power, woofer area and box volume and bracing. SO yes, "accurate" bass costs a lot of money (and breaks your back moving it around your room).

But I do think you can get "good sounding and reasonably accurate" bass with decent floor standing speakers like the Audience 72 by driving them with a powerful and high dampening amplifier.

And I also think there is nothing wrong with using good subwoofers to augment your system's ability to reproduce the lowest notes, but it requires patience, a sound meter and a good ear to set things up properly.

Ah that "good ear"...
Can I get one of those on Audiogon, or do should I get a new one (with warranty).

You really don't need a good ear, but you do need a SPL meter and the free program Room EQ Wizard available for free at the Home theater Shack for free, did I mention it is free?

If you really want to know what is going on in your system this is the best way, please, no more guessing about in room freq response. See the problems in your systems low freq response and fix them by tuning your system and room.

And know for a fact what it is doing. You can even post the results right here, and there are many here to help interpet the results and help you get better bass and therefore overall sound from your system.

Bob