Jump to content

Recommended Posts

to me...

 

good bass is like round, nice neat and tight low frequency sound. Just like the low B flat note produce from the tuba (when in tune)

 

Bad bass is like when you on a song too loud, or over alr.

Like eating laksa, add too much chili padi...till you can only taste the chili, not the noodles and tau pok.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

"Bad bass is like when you on a song too loud, or over alr.

Like eating laksa, add too much chili padi...till you can only taste the chili, not the noodles and tau pok."

 

I too mix up 'bass as an ingredient of music' with 'bass as in sonic fidelity' - like laksa n chilli padi! :blush:

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

well, that my experience la...for example you listen to a orchestra music, which suppose the melody to come out more, feel the melody...then skully got 10 string bass playing at holding notes...

 

like, in the orchestra, got 2 first violin, 2 second violin, 1 viola, 1 flute, 1 clarinet.

then suddenly got 20 string bass...the bass will confirm over power the melody people.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, the question,"what's a good or bad bass?", refers to whether the reproduction of the bass is as high in fidelity to the source music - a hifi question. I suppose the other question, "is bass necessary?" refers to whether the music is too bass-biased in the way it is played - a whimsy musical question. In regard to the hifi question, I extend it to the overall musical reproduction and suggest that more than the hifi system used, the high fidelity of the recording (the recorded music source) determines the musicality of it all in reproducing :-

 

(1) the soundstage - layers, postions, breath n width

(2) the balance of the music (high, mid, bass)

(3) the weight of the music

(4) the characteristic of the instruments or vocal

(5) the separations of the overall music

(6) the clarity n tones

 

and all the 'she-bangs' of musicality involved in the sound reproduction. Waiting for some hard :bash: from audiophiles! :grin:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What is a good Bass?

 

Warwick, Ibanez and Gibson makes some pretty good Basses. :P:P

 

Jokes aside.

 

I still say it depends on personal preferences. In an audiophile way there is no absolute "good/bad" bass. I enjoy my music when i turn on the bass booster, i also enjoy it when i turn off the bass booster.

 

If bass on music sense. I prefer the bass to be more pronounced. Not just in volume but in identity as well.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good bass to me will be a flat response curve as low as it gets.

 

If that is achieved then there's no need to talk about problems associated with bass or the lack of, because there won't be any problems.

 

Too much low frequencies without mid-bass makes it muddy

Not enough of the lower bass makes sound it too tight

Non-responsive mids will remove the striking sounds of instruments and make the bass sound "one-note"

Too much bass in general results in unbalanced sound

And the worst, lots of public events they like to just increase the bass loud without thinking about crossover, so for the same instrument one note is very loud and just one note higher you can't hear it

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes technically a flat response, taking into consideration of spikes n dips, is a good measure of fidelity in a sound reproduction. I suppose that's why hifi is an engrossing experience for the enthusiasts as familiar topics are visited and revisited by the old and new comers. From this perspective, I venture to say that this 'flat reponse' is in a greater part a measure of the recorded material rather than the hifi setup, including the earpiece. In another word, an average headphone can reproduce a 'flat reponse' base with a well-recorded source. Conversely, a highly-rated one sounds no better with a poorly recorded source. To paraphrase: "It is the recording, stupid". Me included - no offence meant. :))

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How abt getting some backgrd knowledge on how our ears hear... Tho it'll not really tell u wat's gd or bad bass but it may help us reason why certain ones do n prefer things certain ways... It's a bit long tho... : )

 

Frequency response varies when listening at different levels. Check out Fletcher Munson Curves theory. At low and mid SPL (sound pressure level), we tend to miss out hearing the Low's n Hi's.

 

Hence tat's why commonly ppl wld boost the Low's n Hi's on the graphic equalizer on their mini-combo system (if u've say 5-band EQ sliders), HiFi system, and even PA systems (schools, malls, churches, small outdoor setup etc) to compensate wat is perceived as lost or insufficient during the listening process of a sound source or program.

 

Some tech crews (whom i believe isn't quite trained in audio nor understand wat each component they tweak constitute to wat consequence) i came across whom i believe hv no real clue wat a Equalizer does n don't even bother to "tune the room/venue", so by default - zoom right in to the graphic equalizer sliders n set a 'Smiley face' setting, or a 'V' setting. i.e. the lowest frequency boosted way up n create a gradual dip for the rest of the EQ sliders towards the middle section of the EQ bands n then create a gradual boost up till the highest frequency hits the top. Faint!

 

B'cos of the way our ears hear, n the need to look for compensation of levels for those frequencies perceived as lost, our instinct is to boost what we think r lacking n need to be added back in. According to the Curves theory (which is pretty true), as the SPL goes higher, the lesser we make-up for the percieved frequencies lost. As we seem to hear it more flat (or even) across the whole frequency spectrum as the sound level reach a certain (loud) SPL.

 

I guess we cld all hear most of the instruments and vocals at live concerts or theatre performances (indoor/outdoor) cos usually of the hi SPL pumping out from the sound system. Unless the sound guys are zzzzing during their sound mixing or busy checking out sweet young thing next to the control booth ;)

 

So, imho, we usually begin with our search for some form of frequencies compensation, whether we're doing leisure music listening, auditioning a system or headphones. Then, the rest is up to individual sound preference as sound can b quite subjective. Our music appreciation can date back to our childhood times (late beginner dones not apply here). Wat our parents/relatives/siblings/frens listen to may hv some influence on wat we like to hear now. If e.g. one is exposed to chinese wayang stuff since young day in day out, perhaps (not definite), tat person don quite like much bass freq response or may not see the need for it cos most of those instrument n vocals in chinese wayang don exhibit Low's. But for another, who's involve in say Lion Dance, he may b all out for 'Smiley Face' EQ setting :yes: cos Lion Dance drum produce Low's n the clapping of cymbals produce the Hi's. Barely any Mid's in tat. Well, my e.g. somewhat extreme lah. But i was trying to drive at the "influence" n the impact it may hv on us -- our listening preferences.

 

I've a few links here, if u're interested in the technical explanations and wana find out more on Equal Loudness Curves or Contours.

 

http://www.webervst.com/fm.htm

http://www.sfu.ca/sonic-studio/handbook/Eq...s_Contours.html

http://www.allchurchsound.com/ACS/edart/fmelc.html

 

Btw, i'm bass player too for more than a decade. I love the bass frequencies region. Info for those who don play bass - doesn't mean bass guitar goto only tune or EQ Low frequencies (may b between 30Hz - 500Hz). No, in fact bass guitar has as much Hi-Mid range (approx up to 8Khz) as well. Some bass amps provide up to 12-15Khz of EQ! The Hi's can cause the upper harmonics above the root frequency to shine n bring clarity n characteristics to the over all tone. Bass players oso do solos on upper frets register, play chords, create harmonics, slap/pop techniques (like Marcus Miller for e.g.) etc. Without those Hi-Mid EQ bands, the notes wld sound muddy n dull, most likely the absent of clarity. Blending with other instruments in the song mix, it wld further disappear in the mix n can b perceived as 'bad' bass tone or freq. This applies to Drums or other instruments which produce Low freq. When listener can't hear it well on their headphones, some quickly considered the set has poor bass response. The mix, the individual instrument tone play a part too.

 

Hope i din bore u to death with tis post.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Flipwitch for an informative n interesting post. So to put it simply (hopefully without over-simplification), a person respond to 'bass' by:

 

(1) compensating for perceived 'loudness' (SPL) in the band, and

(2) compensating 'bass' according to preferences

 

Therefore a technical 'flat response' curve is not a normative meaure of a good bass?

 

regards

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The bass is the reason why I switched from UM2 to the Atrio. Atrio do not lose out in details compared with UM2. On that same level, the much natural sounding bass from the Atrio is what made me decided. (not that I am a basshead)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There is bass quantity (like what I had with my old speakers) and bass quality (which is what I get with my new ones).

 

Bass quality is loud almost boomy but has no definition.

 

Bass quality may not be as abundant (but it can be when it is in the source material), but there's a lot more low end information you can pick up.

 

This may be embarassing but for someone who tries to play Guitar Heroes ;) Bass QUALITY speakers allow me to get the rhythm on the drum tracks more easily

 

hehe

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There is bass quantity (like what I had with my old speakers) and bass quality (which is what I get with my new ones).

 

Bass quality is loud almost boomy but has no definition.

Bass quality may not be as abundant (but it can be when it is in the source material), but there's a lot more low end information you can pick up.

 

This may be embarassing but for someone who tries to play Guitar Heroes ;) Bass QUALITY speakers allow me to get the rhythm on the drum tracks more easily

 

hehe

 

ahh...are you refering to bass quantity??

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest crumple_r

ahh...are you refering to bass quantity??

 

I would think so! There's nothing like good thumping accurate textured bass! :holiday:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...