Bass Terminology

The intention of this post is to solicit a vocabulary for terms used to describe low frequency performance.

My favourite term is low bass sock and I associate it with contemporary dance tunes not unlike those on the movie "Be Cool" and "Moulin Rouge". The effect is to watch a beer glass literally rattle of a coffee table.

I discovered this term after auditioning a revision of my current preamp a Nelson Pass design in which I added cascoded super symmetry tm.

The effect is to cancel all common mode distortions and subjectively increase dynamic range. In a word ...perfect amplification.

I was not expecting much of a difference however it has become a re exploration of my Cd and DVD collection so much so that I need to categorise the bass end of some of these recordings and keep an eye on the volume level because of the un capped dynamic range. Its just inappropriate to play certain tunes at certain time now....according to Mrs Lansing.

On the dance stuff the use of electronic effects is far more obvious while on others the acoustics of the venue/studio environment are far more apparent.

Other recordings appear to have a larger and deeper sound stage where the bass just appears to come rolling in over you like a big wave.

The point is previously played titles were generally regarded as having bass, maybe lots of it or deep bass but without a specific tonal signature.

So if anyone can come up with descriptive terms or phases perhaps we can draw up with a useful list.

Members with 4345's, 4435s and 1500's please come forward and show us your stuff and sing your phases..Of course Genelec or 604 owners won't have much to say.

The Doctor

My friend, who assisted me with my 4344 & Sub1500 cabinetry builds, referred to the phenomenon of “Bose Bean Bag Bass”. Paraphrasing him; “This system will crap all over the BBBB sound”.

Puzzled, I enquired what this meant. He took his carpenters pencil and started to draw an exploded view of a Bose 901 on his work bench surface. We had heard the 901’s together many years ago in our youth.

OK; we have the cabinet, the 9 holes, a bean bag (filled with the polystyrene balls), and the obligatory solenoid controlled hinged foot fitted with a size 9 leather boot kicking it.

Well I guess Bose don’t really use a old boot kicking a bean bag but the quality of the bass reproduced is certainly analogous to it.

Jarrod

well, since my newly reconed 2235's have sat unused for over 2 years now I won't be able to tell you how they sound

and since my current bas drivers are only 8" and are considered to be mids on this forum, I still won't be able to tell you about my bass

so I'd say, visit this site from mr linkwitz [from linkwitz-riley fame] and read what he has to say about bass:

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/rooms.htm

frank