Maybe I didn't mention…

In yesterday's post about bass, and how even the most expensive loudspeakers don't reproduce it in the room, I received many replies. Among them a scolding that I should have mentioned in the article why they don't propagate bass in the room. It's not that big expensive loudspeakers don't have bass. Many do, often flat to below 30Hz—not perfect, but adequate. Only, when you listen to them you're lucky to get sound below 60Hz. The reason's simple. We position our speakers for best high frequency response, a place unlikely to make low bass. Rooms and bass don't get along and one must either position the woofer where it can be heard at your listening position, or use brute force to make it so. The obvious solution is the external sub, which can be placed wherever it is needed to best advantage. That's not always practical and, besides, shouldn't be necessary when you spend as much as an automobile for a speaker. For that much money you ought to get bass at your listening position. It's not that difficult. Well designed floor standing loudspeakers should have amplified subwoofers built in. This permits users to turn the sub's level up and down according to the room. These subs shouldn't go too high in frequency. Perhaps 30Hz, maybe 40Hz at the max. When a speaker is built to a low price point it is understandable they don't include a powered subwoofer. The disconnect comes when a speaker over a certain price point doesn't afford full range performance at the listener's seating position.