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There's a lot more bass in a 6.5" driver than most of you think

One topic of discussion I often see new audiophiles touch on is whether to get larger speakers for more bass.

I usually suggest they tune the room first, then re-evaluate. This is based on listening and measurement in several apartments I’ve lived in. Bigger speakers can be nothing but trouble if the room is not ready.


In particular, I often claim that the right room treatment can make smaller speakers behave much larger. So, to back up my claims I’d like to submit to you my recent blog post here:

https://speakermakersjourney.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-snr-1-room-response-and-roon.html


Look at the bass response from those little drivers! :)


I admit for a lot of listeners these speakers won’t seem as punchy as you might like, but for an apartment dweller who does 50/50 music and theater they are ideal for me. If you’d like punchy, talk to Fritz who aligns his drivers with more oomf in the bass.


erik_squires
emailists
923 posts
 
I'm not sure if this is applicable, but something I have noticed.

When my next door neighbors (several throughout the years) would play their small systems, it was quite audible in my space.  However, I've played my system, which obviously has much greater bass extension and capacity, and yet didn't hear it next door.

So obviously something in those small speaker systems was hitting a resonant frequency which was exciting the wall,  while my more spread out bass didn't.  Perhaps these systems (seemed like powered speakers) uses the resonant frequency to make bass, and higher end systems with smaller woofers don't.  
fundsgon
150 posts
 
Hello Erik-squires,
Would you kindly describe your sub system and room treatment that gets you down to 16Hz? And the room size? 

Thanks,
Me

fundsgon
150 posts
 
Ps: I like foundation cracking bass, when it’s in the music, I also like to hear the purr of the tremolo. Both are important to me.

thanks
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,724 posts
 
Personally, I'd like to thank pirad and erik for their exchanges; it's one of the primary reasons I return here...^5's guys.

If you two hadn't disagreed, we'd all be the poorer and less informed of the nuances of the subject.  Which, like most audiophilia, is complex in itself....and is then plopped into our various and varied spaces....

....followed by head scratching and 'wt...' observations....;)

For the record, bass traps in my 'space' would be a physical improbability, as would most any other enhancements.  A long story that you can be spared.   Suffice to say, 'room averaging' from multiple locations to multiple memories.  This gets 'averaged' down to 3 'main' selections; an 'average entire', suitable for 'local Muzac", 'sweet spot', and 'center/all'....
...and then there's the different sets of speakers involved....
Yes, I keep notes....;p  My memory only has so many slots...*L*

Thanks again for your patience with each other...

Regards, J


erik_squires OP
16,268 posts
 
Thanks @asvjerry

To be clear I am not AGAINST the use of multiple subs to solve a problem.

I am against religious advocacy of any particular methodology. EQs, room treatment and multiple subs are all useful choices.

I am reminded of a textbook I read on the National Electric Code, which I will attempt to paraphrase below:

The NEC only tells the electrician what is possible, legal and safe but it is up to the electrician to determine what the right solution is for a given situation.


Best,

E
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