What is Tight Bass?

@ghdprentice

Yes, I was shocked and perplexed when I first moved from a good ss (Pass x350) to a tubed Audio Research Reference 160s. Two things immediately struck me… what a big reduction of slam… and how much better and more articulate the bass was… and well, the Pass is never going back into my system.

Imagine my surprise when I bought an inexpensive Bob Latino ST-70 just to dip my foot into the tube world and finding that it bested my SS amp (CJ 2500A). I sold the Cj and never looked back.

@realworldaudio

the main barrier to good bass was looseness,...

Solid state amplifiers give a boost to midbass, and have relatively lean deep bass, upper bass, and very thin midrange, and then a shrill top end.

So many good points that its hard to point out just one. But your description of the modern SS amp is spot on to my experience.I first noticed it in the late 80’s when I bought a Luxman R115 to replace my Harmon Kardon 730. I disliked the Lux and sold it & got the 730 back in service. But you are right about early amp’s bass being very loose. I never heard a Pioneer that didn’t have flabby bass.

In 2000, I started putting together a better system but never found a SS amp that was satisfactory. It was an inexpensive tube amp that gave me back the bass line I had been seeking.

FWIW, I am making my judgements here based on years of playing drums and having the bass amp right next to me I also spent many years in the clubs & festivals listening to amplified and unamplified. music. Bass is not sharp, quick or tight. Bass is more rounded with body and a slight amount of sustain which I call overhang. The exception is Funk where the bass player snaps and slaps the strings. But it is a technique used and not its natural sound.

@mijostyn 

Bass is the hardest part of the audio spectrum to get right.

That is my opinion also. maybe because so much of the music rides on the bass

@realworldaudio ..Janos, no offense taken just a mild rebuke made over...

"...not because they are dumb and do not recognize slam, but because the slam is overdone."

One persons' slam can be another's' restraint in the world of wham, bam, and making the orchestra seats deaf for a week. ;) *L*

'Slam' may be mixed into the final cut sent to a cutter for an LP, or just turned loose into the CDs' or streams.  What one is faced with, tube or SS, is how one reacts and responds with their selection of speakers and the 'up stream' devices one owns or wants to the replicate that in their spaces....

'Flabby bass' may be the intent of the player involved, due to the type and style of the music played, which is something I try to keep in mind upon a listen.  Certain styles have an 'approach' that, unless you know the player(s) involved begs a mind-reading skill I gave up years ago....and I'm kidding here. *G*

"Bass is the hardest part of the audio spectrum to get right." per @artemus_5 ...

... and I'll agree with that comment, SS or tubes (the latter of which I grew up with....and grew away from...).  It's possible now to mimic 'tube w/SS' and the reverse, the sharp-eared can discern the difference...along with other discrepancies I can, can't, or ignore....

So much of what we desire in our 'personal audio experience' is tied up in what we expect to hear and/or want to, imho...  Tube vs. SS are basically responding much the same (since electron flow is roughly speed of light, +/-), it's the way a particular type of 'valve' (glowing elements in glass vs. hot silicone with 'amendments') effect what's flowing through them.

I prefer upping a processors' speed and peripheral's to rolling tubes....which is my excuse and I'll stick with it. ;) 

Yes, a different perspective.  (...joking now..)  I'm sure you've noticed there's a lot of that going on here...*L*

Viva the differences, frankly....but...when I have the opportunity to listen to someone else's system, or an item at a dealer...

A grain of salt may not be enough, and usually a variety of other spices may help.

Mid-lag is a concern of mine; 'slam' I determine with dB personally.
If it exists at high levels, it ought to be noticeable at low ones'.

..at least the RTA's will notice...;)

Again, no offense taken...*G*

(Don't own a gun, but have access to a Real fencing foil....*L*...other than this keyboard.... :)...)

...mmm....a kick drum goes *boom*....pretty much a one note pony...

It's all that goes on 'twixt it (as it existed and went 'boom' ) and your ears is what we BBQ here....*G*

Like yours blood rare or crisp? 😏👍

@realworldaudio

Thank you for that great explanation of what I have observed. Makes sense… particularly with double bass and other similar sounds… those are so startlingly differentiated and wonderful to hear once I added my tube amp.

It is very gratifying to continue to delve deeper into subjects after fifty years of continuous learning. 

@asvjerry Hi J, I hoped that it was clear that I protested against people being called dumb. Should be pretty obvious from my wording.. or so I thought, apparently wrongly. My humble apologies. Thank you for pointing it out!

I am also upset, just like you that people are called dumb over matters, that's why I mentioned it the way I did as people who prefer linear bass response are called dumb and deaf all the time. 

I'm sad it backfired, but lesson learned. Thank you for teaching me to be more prudent!

Cheers,

Janos

@realworldaudio ..Janos, no offense taken just a mild rebuke made over...

"...not because they are dumb and do not recognize slam, but because the slam is overdone."