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Audiophile Bass?

I was reading an article about spikes vs. rubber feet and the author mentioned what he called "audiophile bass". His assertion was that the bass that audiophiles pursue is not real life bass. One comment from the article (paraphrasing) states that when you listen to bass at a live performance it will not be the tight, clean bass that you will hear from most audiophile's systems when they are playing music. The discussion in the article was that in order to get audiophile bass you would need spikes to reduce the transfer into the floor (because of the very small contact points). The rubber feet will cause the bass to be less clean and tight. I tried this on my system and he was right, with the rubber feet the bass was definitely boomier. But I do prefer the spikes. I like to here the notes on a bass guitar, it's not enough that it is just bass. Have any of you had similar experiences?
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lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,418 posts
 
It’s been mentioned many times here that using a rubber device as a speaker footer will not drain the vibration and resonances. It will absorb them resulting in lack of clarity (muddy, unfocused bass).

I’ll agree that a home audio system does not reproduce real-life bass. But I’ve heard a couple systems that produced "is it live or is it Memorex" sound, including the bass.


baclagg's avatar
baclagg OP
151 posts
 
When I audition my system for friends I still get some who say, where's the bass? My speakers are rated at 25hz, but with dual 6.5" Kevlar woofers they won't sit you back in your seat. I've read reviews that say they have tested them and they do indeed get into the mid to high 20Hz but there are no balls behind it. That is fine with me. I can hear the full range of bass, although I probably only hear down to 30-35Hz, I'm not really after hard thumping bass. I guess a pair of Cornwalls would be better for that.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
I'm not sure what this means. The idea is to reproduce accurately the bass that is on the recording be it studio or live. The bass that people hear in large enclosed venues is distorted by echos and standing waves beyond comprehension. The last thing I would want to do is reproduce that. There is accurate and there is everything else. Reproducing the bass of a good live venue is very difficult in a small room, not impossible but close to it. I would venture that not even 1 in 1000 systems even come close. All the theater systems I have heard just make a lot of inaccurate bass and most of the Hi Fi system do not have enough energy or go low enough but do fine above 50 Hz or so. 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
baclagg, Cornwalls are great speakers but they do not go that low either.
It is really the acoustics of residential sized rooms that is the issue. Speakers may be rated to get down in the 20s but as you say they have no "balls" down there. It really requires a purpose designed subwoofer system, room control and a lot of power. Having lived with subwoofer since the late 70s I can't live without them. Loud is no good if you can't feel the music. I love the visceral aspect of music. In order to get me to sleep as an infant my mother put a table radio in the crib with me. Screwed up by a table radio. 
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,204 posts
 
I understand the need for deep bass in rock music or some other musical genre...

But I listen mostly jazz and classical, then 40 hertz, even a 40 hertz without balls is ok.... I have that and nothing more is necessary...

When I was in my crib my mother close the door and let me silent in a silent space... :)
That explain probably why i even disconnected my Kreisel sub....:)


With passive room treatment and active modifications of the acoustical space the speakers can plays 40 hertz with his 7 inches bass woofer...Without balls tough, i feel the bass in my body but no walls shaking... :)

I cannot resist mijostyn to tease you.... My best...
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