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
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.
"Upon graduation from Acme Audio Engineering school today many of you will go on to do great things. The rest of you will be in pro audio."

omg Wolf that is funny
when nobody is looking i will flip the fuse on the church organ
......which sounds quite lovely run into those two little ribbons into my high speed B77

i actually know what 16 HZ sounds and feels like....on Sundays
Over the years I've had multiple setups with subs.  Sometimes they are very frustrating to get integrated, so the system doesn't sound like it has sub woofers, this last time was the most frustrating, as the room had terrible acoustics in the bass region (the room added a single bass note, no matter what the bass player was playing).  It took a LOT of patience and time, a calibration microphone and the REW software to help me place 10 bass traps, but when I finally got the subs "dialed in", I'm in "bass heaven"!
Oh, I have a pair of JL Audio F113V2 subs, augmenting a pair of Focal Sopra No2's.