Is bass the most important frequency band?


One thing I’ve noticed when upgrading my audio system is that when I have really good bass, I’m happy. If the bass is top notch, I can overlook less-than-stellar treble or so-so midrange. The opposite does not seem to be true. Sure, I can get tremendous enjoyment out of a high-fidelity playback of a flute or other instrument that doesn’t have much bass impact, but when I switch to a track that has some slam, if my sub/woofers don’t perform, I’m left wanting, and I am inclined to change the track. When my subwoofer game is top notch, there is something extremely pleasing about tight, powerful, and accurate bass response that easily puts a smile on my face and lifts my mood in a matter of seconds. Maybe it all boils down to the fact that bass frequencies are heard AND felt and the inclusion of another sense (touch/feeling) gives bass a competitive edge over midrange and treble. I am not talking about loud bass (although that can be really fun and has its place), but the type of bass that gives you a sense of a kick drum’s size or allows for the double bass to reach out and vibrate the room and your body. I propose to you that bass and sub-bass should be optimized first and foremost, followed by treble and midrange in order to maximize enjoyment. Thoughts?
mkgus
"It is definitely the hardest band to get right."


I’d also agree that it is the hardest band to get right.

I’d also add that because of that, far too many systems don’t even try.

Asking any speaker to go flat down to 40Hz probably also goes a long way to explain the popularity of subwoofers.
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No bass is not the most important frequency. I have heard many large panel speakers without the low frequency drivers turned on. They still sound pretty good. 
I would agree 100% with the @mkgus.    

Until I resolved the bass I was never satisfied and suffered greatly from listening fatigue.    

The addition of a distributed bass array was life changing. Bass is now "real". It's not bloated or uneven and it provides a blissful foundation to all the rest.
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