The bottom octave

[paudio]

I love <40hz. You don't want to listen to a lot of electronic without it.

Extreme example: https://lorn.bandcamp.com/album/vessel

 

[Dal1as]

Plenty of music has energy in the bottom octave. I believe a lot of people just haven't experienced it. You don't know what you're missing until you've experienced a system that is capable of sub 30 hz at 120 plus db.

Yesterday I listened to Bass I Love you. Amazing experience which moves the resonances through your body to the beat so much it felt like a small animal was crawling inside of me.

I need to setup RTA to check the frequency arrangement because it is almost like it was produced to make the resonance dance through the body. Really cool although I felt like Richard Gere at one point when the resonance went down to my nether regions. Lol

 

[ZolaIII]

Usually there is little below 40 Hz going on including modern electronic music (swing sometimes to extend lowest fundamental). It's a lie how R'N'R even from 70's doesn't go under 70 Hz it goes to about 40. Keep in mind progressive (first and second generation) and experimental peaces from time including electronic and tone float are the one's who opened the way for more modern electronic gernes. Some good recorded Jazz peaces with clow drums go down to mid 30's
In short kick and drums:

Eliminate Competition Between The Kick And Bass - Sonarworks Blog

In the article we will learn you how to ensure the kick and bass parts don't conflict with each other and how to avoid fundamental arranging mistake

www.sonarworks.com

Regarding me and my speakers Q3030 cross is 90 Hz siled port's and 10" closed enclosure sub as I get tighter/faster response across the spectrum, they go about 2 dB higher to ported counterparts (both speakers and subs) and there is less room problems. It also helps regarding space as you can put them close to the front wall. I do Equal loudness normalization to speakers and RBA128 to source, EQ them and do a room and phase correction. At least that's me, best regards and happy holidays.

 

[FeddyLost]

A question, within the situation of a condominium, where neighbours must be cared of: What would be the effect of EQing down the first octave and EQing up the second octave in order to try to preserve the energy balance of the recording as much as possible?

If you are really interested in that, the best objective way is to work with neighbours and SPL meter to find out via stepped sine graph of "acceptable volume vs frequency".
If you are little more selfish, you can start with local regulations codex and see if you have legal rights of using higher volume than was found out earlier.
Regarding the subwoofer and multi-apartment building, it's very complicated and heavily depends on building itself, frequencies involved, location and method of using the subwoofer(s). If you need IMAX loudness, you'll have troubles anyway, but for normal home SPL you might have very different results.
If you can, you'd better consult construction company that was building this exact house without asking neighbours, because there's a big chance that your subwoofer at moderate SPL will not be noticed at all unless you directly ask neighbours.
Typical noise floor in lively city is relatively high and fletcher and munson are on your side.
Of course, if you have subwoofer on spikes, wooden floor glued to reinforced concrete, subwoofer placed in room corner and EQing some bass nulls, most probably, you'll meet a lot of neighbours very soon even without partying hard.

Regarding EQing LF I'd not think about this without understanding what is possible in your case. Any EQing below frequencies within band that is being calculated in architectural design regarding noise isolation is dangerous.
Because, for example, you can EQ down lowest rumbles that are barely audible for neighbours and EQ up some upper bass that will excite modal issues (+10 Db is easy) in their empty untreated designer room next floor.
Result is bent FR of your program material and annoyed neighbours.

 

[frangle]

Low bass needs cone area to move enough air to reach realistic SPLs if that is important to you.

For me, it is most noticeable (but still quite subtle) on classical music. It adds a sense of realism it is then difficult to live without.

 

[sergeauckland]

Low bass needs cone area to move enough air to reach realistic SPLs if that is important to you.

For me, it is most noticeable (but still quite subtle) on classical music. It adds a sense of realism it is then difficult to live without.

Exactly this. However, today I got a CD of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet recorded by Tony Faulkner in London, with the most appalling traffic rumble on it. I don't know where it was recorded, but it clearly wasn't good! It sounds a lot better with the 80Hz filter on.

S.

 

[frangle]

Exactly this. However, today I got a CD of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet recorded by Tony Faulkner in London, with the most appalling traffic rumble on it. I don't know where it was recorded, but it clearly wasn't good! It sounds a lot better with the 80Hz filter on.

S.

I would guess that it is probably Kingsway Hall if pre-1984 and you are hearing the infamous Kingsway rumble from the Tube.

 

[sergeauckland]

I would guess that it is probably Kingsway Hall if pre-1984 and you are hearing the infamous Kingsway rumble from the Tube.

No, it was recorded in 1994, the recording venue is just listed as 'London'. The noise is pretty much a constant rumble rather than the Kingsway Hall underground noise I'm familiar with. It's not too bad on my main system, which is in a large room, and actually sounds quite good, but on my study system, with a sub under the desk, it's better with the sub switched off, and the mains rolled off at 85Hz.

S.

 

[Specialcause]

In my experience: Speaker makes it to ~75 Hz and then drops like a rock (36 dB/oct) = oh crap, there's a lot missing.
Same speaker, but EQ'd to maintain a decent level into the mid-50s with slow dropoff starting at ~70 Hz = good for general purpose / casual listening, a bit missing at the bottom but nothing dramatic.

Without any EQ, my (sealed) speakers start to drop off just under 70 Hz, are -3dB at 50 Hz and -6dB at 40 Hz. The -10 dB point is ~32 Hz. You may say those are fine for a general purpose / casual listener like me but the bass (40 - 80 Hz) isn’t as tight/well defined as with my cheap/EQ’d headphones. Would I get closer to that on the speakers with some EQ? Say a peak filter of +2 to 3dB at 50 Hz with BW of 45 to 55Hz. Or would it be a better idea to use low shelf boost so that roll off starts nearer to 50 Hz? With either option ( peak or low shelf filter) should I also low pass at say 40Hz?
Phil

 

[bodhi]

Without any EQ, my (sealed) speakers start to drop off just under 70 Hz, are -3dB at 50 Hz and -6dB at 40 Hz. The -10 dB point is ~32 Hz. You may say those are fine for a general purpose / casual listener like me but the bass (40 - 80 Hz) isn’t as tight/well defined as with my cheap/EQ’d headphones. Would I get closer to that on the speakers with some EQ? Say a peak filter of +2 to 3dB at 50 Hz with BW of 45 to 55Hz. Or would it be a better idea to use low shelf boost so that roll off starts nearer to 50 Hz? With either option ( peak or low shelf filter) should I also low pass at say 40Hz?
Phil

It just might be that you can't get the same bass tightness/definition from speakers in a normal room. I know I can't.

But why not try those options? Most sensible place to start is to compare the frequency responses of the speaker and the headphones.

 

[FeddyLost]

Without any EQ, my (sealed) speakers start to drop off just under 70 Hz, are -3dB at 50 Hz and -6dB at 40 Hz. The -10 dB point is ~32 Hz. You may say those are fine for a general purpose / casual listener like me but the bass (40 - 80 Hz) isn’t as tight/well defined as with my cheap/EQ’d headphones.

I'd try to measure properly what do you have in room (at least) with your speaker.
IMO decent sealed speaker with such anechoic LF extension (F6=40) must sound really competitive when properly placed in room.
If you have F6=40 already IN ROOM, it's a different case, and you can feel some bass deficiensy compared to EQd headphones.
But I'd like to add that 50Hz and below is more pressure, than sound, and Fletcher-munson curve is also works.
So, without measurements we can't tell what exactly is going on and how deep you need to EQ your bass.
Personally I'd say that from untrained listener's point of view even flat shelf +3 Db below ~100 Hz is still very dry and neutral. Maybe you'll need +10-12 Db "to feel some bass". I know such people, and wouldn't call this extreme.