EXCEPTIONAL BASS... tight? slow? fast? I have to feel it ? what's your definition?

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you know it when you hear it
snappy,tight ,powerfull and hits you in the chest

i think the key is dont try to go to low ,it spoils the sound and creates too much other problems with vibrations ,room nodes and such unless we are talking about ht

best bass i ever heard was in a large 2 way i built using an eminence beta 15 sealed in 40l using a mini dsp programed with an lt circuit and powererd by icepower modules run in btl mode
 
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i think the key is dont try to go to low ,it spoils the sound and creates too much other problems with vibrations ,room nodes and such unless we are talking about ht

In my opinion this statement is totally and utterly wrong.

I have four original 15" Tempests in a infinite baffle setup, which is flat to 20hz (using DRC) and has usable output at 10hz (you know it's there, but you can't hear it...freaky feeling). The effective Q is mostly irrelevant as the rolloff occurs below most music - it's reasonably flat through the audible range.

Yes, if I crank the bejesus out of it with a test tone at 15hz, the roof jumps up and down...

...But during normal listening the sound just opens up - it's effortless. It makes the focal stand mount speakers sound like monster super high end mega buck stuff.

IMO extended bass past the audible band (not a bass bump), is the foundation of hifi.

With four 15" long throw woofers, I have enough headroom to EQ in any desired bass response, within the limits set by the dips in the room.
 
What to look for when the matter is bass? what is you definition of an exceptional bass reproduction? do I have to feel it? is it a pressure sensation? I have to hear it or feel it in my chest?

Good bass is when the bass sounds like a real instrument, not a dull thud in the bottom end of the music. The notes should have clear pitch and tone, and that tone should be consistent through the range of the instrument. An acoustic bass should sound like an acoustic bass, projecting the size of the instrument and the vibration of the wood. The pluck of the string should be integrated with the fundamental. You should hear the skin of the kick drum as well as feel the impact from it, and is should be distinct from . I want to hear all of what the bass is playing clearly enough that I could copy the bass line (if I could play bass).

Bill
 
My definition of good bass is how it sound through high quality headphones.

There is some truth to this because headphone bass has no modes - it is usually very flat. It is certainly possible to get this same bass in a small room, but you have to do some work to get there. I do agree that the bass in a good set of insert earphones - when sealed properly - is a very good representation of what good bass in a room should sound like as well. At higher freqs, of course, headphones lack the spatial imaging qualities of speakers in rooms (unless you have a virtualizer).
 
At higher freqs, of course, headphones lack the spatial imaging qualities of speakers in rooms (unless you have a virtualizer).

Of course, there's other aspects that are important that headphones miss, such as the sensation of bass impact on the whole body, not just the ear. Visceral elements definitely contribute to the impression of music. As my acquaintance says, headphones are "solo sex".
 
Good bass is when the bass sounds like a real instrument, not a dull thud in the bottom end of the music. The notes should have clear pitch and tone, and that tone should be consistent through the range of the instrument. An acoustic bass should sound like an acoustic bass, projecting the size of the instrument and the vibration of the wood. The pluck of the string should be integrated with the fundamental. You should hear the skin of the kick drum as well as feel the impact from it, and is should be distinct from . I want to hear all of what the bass is playing clearly enough that I could copy the bass line (if I could play bass).

Bill
Spot-on, this is 'good bass' to me, too, rooted in accurate pitch and timbre, and level. Good bass is when the whole sound, the gestalt, is so natural you're not 'listening to the bass'.

Personally - I've zero time for 'stunt bass' which unfortunately seems to be the common marketing perception of what 'good bass' has become.
 
Good bass is when the bass sounds like a real instrument, not a dull thud in the bottom end of the music. The notes should have clear pitch and tone, and that tone should be consistent through the range of the instrument. An acoustic bass should sound like an acoustic bass, projecting the size of the instrument and the vibration of the wood. The pluck of the string should be integrated with the fundamental. You should hear the skin of the kick drum as well as feel the impact from it, and is should be distinct from . I want to hear all of what the bass is playing clearly enough that I could copy the bass line (if I could play bass).

Bill

great definition Bill.
 
After building and testing my distributed dipole subs I think I'm more inclined to agree with Linkwitz idea here that good sound, in this case bass is not that the bass is awesome but that it lacks clear indications that it is fake like for example booming. It just sits there in the background and doesn't call attention to itself.
 
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