What's up with lousy bass on classic rock recordings?


Few examples: ACDC Back In Black, Van Halen 1, Boston (1), WHO's Next, Def Leopard Pyromania. 

The low end is almost non-existent. Digital and vinyl. 

It's not my system, I listen to a lot of jazz, other classics like Janis Ian Breaking Silence - bass is rich, full, has slam when appropriate.

Compression? Or were the low frequencies never there? Pretty disappointing. 

macg19

It just so happens I was listening to Who's Next this week via Qobuz. I loved the balanced mix of the remaster. Keith Moon's drums killed. And there was enough separation to hear Entwistle's bass.

@lowrider57 Looks like you have a nice system - I don't disagree with you - in hind-sight "lousy" bass was a poor choice of words. 

What's missing is deep, lush bass that I've come to really enjoy that is present in many other rock recordings (and other genres of course).

You are correct there is no low level sub bass in older hard rock. I’d say it’s not much below 80hz. Try recordings with a prolific bassist like Phil Lynott, Jack Bruce, Felix Pappalardi etc. Or Beatles - Come together. If you are running Roon there are 779 recordings of Come Together to try :) Musica Nuda makes a fun version.

I think it may be the recording or even desired sound - I have Boston, LPs, DSD files and can stream lossless and they sonic characteristics are very close yet Boston doesn't have the bass line of Jazz I listen off of Linn Jazz.