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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
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
@bdp24   

I believe Meyer do this also (a microphone in front of the woofer).

The alternative to correcting for errors is to eliminate them by using a single layer large 4" short length voice coil in extremely tight tolerance massive long magnetic gap - very expensive woofers indeed!
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,975 posts
 
Schrodinger didn't microwave a cat. He came up with a thought experiment Schrödinger's cat about the bizarre nature of quantum superposition's. To me one making such a wrong comment in a technical article shows incompetence of author. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
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johnk
Schrodinger didn't microwave a cat. He came up with a thought experiment Schrödinger's cat about the bizarre nature of quantum superposition's. To me one making such a wrong comment in a technical article shows incompetence of author.

I trust he was attempting a little audio in light of the fact microwaves had not yet been invented in 1935. Maybe the author would have been well advised to write, Schrodinger was the dude who shot the cat, or poisoned the cat or smothered the cat. Say, how could the cat live inside the box with no air? 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
johnk
Schrodinger didn’t microwave a cat. He came up with a thought experiment Schrödinger’s cat about the bizarre nature of quantum superposition’s. To me one making such a wrong comment in a technical article shows incompetence of author.

I trust he was attempting a little audio humor in light of the fact microwaves had not yet been invented in 1935. That didn’t come along for another 10 years. Maybe the author would have been well advised to write, Schrodinger was the dude who shot the cat, or poisoned the cat or smothered the cat. Say, how could the cat live inside the box with no air? More to the point the cat was alive. It was alive AND dead at the same time. Duh! 😛
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bdp24
9,804 posts
 
Richard Vandersteen has an interesting twist on servo-feedback woofers in his subs, He employs feed-forward (in contrast to feedback) in them, compensating electrically for the known non-linearities in the behavior of his woofers.
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