Don't get relevant search results on "X-Bass", but bass enhancers like Wave's MaxxBass, BassXXL, etc. generate or accentuate musically related bass harmonics that give the impression of the missing fundamental frequency, without actually increasing the output level below an adjustable low frequency corner.
As Universal Audio's Precision Enhancer Hz ad copy states, it "selectively adds upper harmonics to fundamental bass frequencies, sometimes referred to as "phantom bass." By creating phantom bass, this plug-in significantly enhances the perception of low frequencies beyond the normal frequency response of small speakers."
Different plug-ins or stand alone processors designed for the purpose all use variations to achieve the same goal- some work better for certain types of music, some are easier to use, some have more potential to change the dynamic content of the harmonics.
There is technology available to achieve whatever "flavor" you want your bass to have.
That said, an impression of the missing fundamental frequency will never sound the same as the real thing, but it also won't shake the walls and upset the neighbors as much..
As Universal Audio's Precision Enhancer Hz ad copy states, it "selectively adds upper harmonics to fundamental bass frequencies, sometimes referred to as "phantom bass." By creating phantom bass, this plug-in significantly enhances the perception of low frequencies beyond the normal frequency response of small speakers."
Different plug-ins or stand alone processors designed for the purpose all use variations to achieve the same goal- some work better for certain types of music, some are easier to use, some have more potential to change the dynamic content of the harmonics.
There is technology available to achieve whatever "flavor" you want your bass to have.
That said, an impression of the missing fundamental frequency will never sound the same as the real thing, but it also won't shake the walls and upset the neighbors as much..
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This is also a trick that a good small loudspeaker does, pklays teh first harmonic of a bass note in such a manner you think the fundemental is there, making them “play” much bigger than they actually are.
dave
Dave,
The first harmonic of a bass note is the fundamental frequency, the second harmonic is double that.
Even order harmonics are all octaves of the fundamental, so will musically fit with (almost) any musical composition.
Odd order harmonics (third, fifth, seventh, etc.) may be perceived as discordant.
Audible harmonic distortion (above ~10%) is (mostly) a result of driving the speaker past it's linear range.
You could say the trick of a "good" loudspeaker is it has more even, and less odd order harmonic distortion, but by the level required to hear the second harmonic doubling the inaudible fundamental bass notes, it's upper range becomes amplitude modulated, which usually does not sound good.
The bass "enhancers" generate bass harmonics while still playing within the speaker's Xmax (linear excursion) range, reducing power requirements considerably compared to driving the speaker beyond it's linear range to generate a similar sound.
I know this nomenclature is treated differently in different situations. I come from quarter-waves where we talk about the fundemental (ie 0) and the 1st harmonic is double that.
Same thing, i am starting at 0 (as any marthemetition would do) and you are strating at 1.
dave
Don't know what a "marthemetition" would do, but in physics or music, harmonics are multiples of the fundamental frequency "1"
The fundamental frequency (sometimes abbreviated as f0...) is the first harmonic, or H1.
A wavelength of "0" is an impossibility in music, it would be zero Hz, no movement.
.25 x "0" = "0"
A quarter wave is .25 x the length of the fundamental frequency "1".
At any rate, the first overtone of the fundamental is the second harmonic, H2 is 2x1, the third harmonic H3 is 3x1, etc.
Yeah. I guess you might be right about that. I guess I should have wrote that.. uh My mind is crashing. Hm.. Harmony was wrong expression by me. Fundamental is also not a harmonic. But if we say f0 I guess people would know what we mean.
I only find X-bass® and X-bass™ about product from an indian brand call NU. They claim they use the "technology" in both bluetooth speaker and in-ears. They don't explain what it is on their homepage.
I feel I've seen it on mini/midi stereos and ghettoblasters many years ago without it being trademarked.
Im pretty sure its nothing but a re-naming of generic topologies.
Cheers!
I only find X-bass® and X-bass™ about product from an indian brand call NU. They claim they use the "technology" in both bluetooth speaker and in-ears. They don't explain what it is on their homepage.
I feel I've seen it on mini/midi stereos and ghettoblasters many years ago without it being trademarked.
Im pretty sure its nothing but a re-naming of generic topologies.
Cheers!
This conversation has gone deep into the weeds.
The Microlab FC-330 is a 2.1 computer speaker with "Microlab's proprietary X-Bass" technology. The claimed frequency response is 35hz - 20,000Khz. A 5.25" driver in a 6L cabinet, I suspect the lower frequency claims to be beyond a stretch.
The effects on a larger driver? I utilised the plate amp in a 20L cabinet with an 8" driver. Bass response begins to drop off at around 42hz.
The overall effect is hard to describe. It reminds me of when you push up 31hz on an equalizer connected to speakers that have little or no interest in 31hz
The Microlab FC-330 is a 2.1 computer speaker with "Microlab's proprietary X-Bass" technology. The claimed frequency response is 35hz - 20,000Khz. A 5.25" driver in a 6L cabinet, I suspect the lower frequency claims to be beyond a stretch.
The effects on a larger driver? I utilised the plate amp in a 20L cabinet with an 8" driver. Bass response begins to drop off at around 42hz.
The overall effect is hard to describe. It reminds me of when you push up 31hz on an equalizer connected to speakers that have little or no interest in 31hz
The speakers could respond to 35 Hz without providing any useful output below ~50-60Hz.
Here is an example of a low distortion sub driven past Xmax, (it's linear excursion capability) with a 30Hz sine wave:
The 30 Hz fundamental is at 96dB, the 60Hz second harmonic is 81dB, -15dB below the fundamental, about 18% distortion.
The 90Hz third harmonic is 78dB, about 12% distortion, 120Hz fourth harmonic about the same, the harmonics continue upward in frequency at multiples of the fundamental.
If the speaker has little output at 30Hz ("little or no interest") to begin with, the distortion may be louder than the fundamental (over 100% distortion), but you will still hear the even order harmonics as the same "note" (around the low B on a five string bass):
In a sealed enclosure, four times the displacement (excursion) is required for each halving of frequency to maintain the same level.
12dB more power is required to achieve the same level at 30Hz as 60Hz, if the speaker has the linear excursion capability.
Distortion may increase to over 100% with as little as 3dB increase in power over what is required to reach Xmax.
A "bass enhancer" like Microlab's proprietary X-Bass can selectively add harmonics over a limited range, (perhaps adding only 2nd and 4th harmonics to frequencies below ~60Hz, so can give the impression of a speaker that would require over ten times the power and four times the displacement.
The added cost of the proprietary X-Bass harmonic generator could be under $1, adding real bass down to 30Hz could easily double or triple the cost of the sub.
Art
That is the sound of additional harmonics, AKA harmonic distortion.
Here is an example of a low distortion sub driven past Xmax, (it's linear excursion capability) with a 30Hz sine wave:
The 30 Hz fundamental is at 96dB, the 60Hz second harmonic is 81dB, -15dB below the fundamental, about 18% distortion.
The 90Hz third harmonic is 78dB, about 12% distortion, 120Hz fourth harmonic about the same, the harmonics continue upward in frequency at multiples of the fundamental.
If the speaker has little output at 30Hz ("little or no interest") to begin with, the distortion may be louder than the fundamental (over 100% distortion), but you will still hear the even order harmonics as the same "note" (around the low B on a five string bass):
In a sealed enclosure, four times the displacement (excursion) is required for each halving of frequency to maintain the same level.
12dB more power is required to achieve the same level at 30Hz as 60Hz, if the speaker has the linear excursion capability.
Distortion may increase to over 100% with as little as 3dB increase in power over what is required to reach Xmax.
A "bass enhancer" like Microlab's proprietary X-Bass can selectively add harmonics over a limited range, (perhaps adding only 2nd and 4th harmonics to frequencies below ~60Hz, so can give the impression of a speaker that would require over ten times the power and four times the displacement.
The added cost of the proprietary X-Bass harmonic generator could be under $1, adding real bass down to 30Hz could easily double or triple the cost of the sub.
Art
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The amplifier used is capable of considerably more than the 49volts used for the 30Hz sine wave before clipping.
The slight "flat top" may be from loading the file slightly before the screen has "settled", attempting to keep the run time as low as possible- it's takes little time to smoke speakers at that level with a sine wave.
The second graph was an illustration of what the harmonic distortion of a speaker with little output at the fundamental would look like, the 30Hz figure was "transplanted" from the second harmonic in the first graph.
The slight "flat top" may be from loading the file slightly before the screen has "settled", attempting to keep the run time as low as possible- it's takes little time to smoke speakers at that level with a sine wave.
The second graph was an illustration of what the harmonic distortion of a speaker with little output at the fundamental would look like, the 30Hz figure was "transplanted" from the second harmonic in the first graph.
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A pure sine wave has a single frequency, harmonics are multiples of that frequency, so yes, addition of harmonics to it's waveform create a waveform that is not a pure sine wave.
Musical waveforms are complex combinations of both periodic multiples of the fundamental frequency and aperiodic (non-periodic) sounds which are not multiples of the fundamental frequency.
Bass enhancement technology can add a mix of harmonics from frequency frequency range , waveforms within the affected range will be modified by the algorithm the technology uses.
"MaxxBass extends the perceived bass response of a speaker by up to one and a half octaves below the speaker’s cutoff. This is
achieved by utilizing the psycho-acoustic effect of the missing fundamental. MaxxBass process generates higher harmonics
from the low fundamental frequencies below the (set) MaxxBass Frequency, and adds them back into the signal. Additionally,
MaxxBass process removes energy below the (set) MaxxBass Frequency from the input signal, thus reducing peak power and
speaker excursions requirements."
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/10/ff/ec/5f7e3834111993/US5930373.pdf
MaxxBass patented their technology to do that in 1999, there have been many other patents granted that also utilize the psycho-acoustic effect of the missing fundamental since.
Since increased processing power cost has dropped so much in the last 25 years, manufacturers of small powered speakers can cheaply build in their version (or a copied version of some other design) of the effect.
An analysis comparing the original waveform to the "enhanced" waveform could give you a clue as to what the algorithm used in Xbass or other bass enhancement products actually do.
Art
Musical waveforms are complex combinations of both periodic multiples of the fundamental frequency and aperiodic (non-periodic) sounds which are not multiples of the fundamental frequency.
Bass enhancement technology can add a mix of harmonics from frequency frequency range , waveforms within the affected range will be modified by the algorithm the technology uses.
"MaxxBass extends the perceived bass response of a speaker by up to one and a half octaves below the speaker’s cutoff. This is
achieved by utilizing the psycho-acoustic effect of the missing fundamental. MaxxBass process generates higher harmonics
from the low fundamental frequencies below the (set) MaxxBass Frequency, and adds them back into the signal. Additionally,
MaxxBass process removes energy below the (set) MaxxBass Frequency from the input signal, thus reducing peak power and
speaker excursions requirements."
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/10/ff/ec/5f7e3834111993/US5930373.pdf
MaxxBass patented their technology to do that in 1999, there have been many other patents granted that also utilize the psycho-acoustic effect of the missing fundamental since.
Since increased processing power cost has dropped so much in the last 25 years, manufacturers of small powered speakers can cheaply build in their version (or a copied version of some other design) of the effect.
An analysis comparing the original waveform to the "enhanced" waveform could give you a clue as to what the algorithm used in Xbass or other bass enhancement products actually do.
Art
Even order harmonics are even multiples of the fundamental and not all are octaves.
I'm now even more intrigued. My work table is in a remarkably dead spot - you can't get bass out of anything. I've temporarily swapped this latest concoction for my regular desktop system (sub under my desk). There is no volume, there's only 28w to the driver, But the low-frequency response is such that it vibrates the facia panel outside, My regular 100w sub doesn't do that.
You are correct, I was wrong- above the fourth harmonic there are even order harmonics that are not all octaves of the fundamental.