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New member Username: Flame_rosePost Number: 5 Registered: Sep-07 | Hi guys. Let me put up a theoretical question. Is a boomy bass exclusively the result of speaker/room interractions or does amplification play a role as well? If so what does boomy bass tell you about the amplifier at hand? Lastly, if boom was traced down to the amplification, should this be tackled at the preamp or poweramp stage? |
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Bronze Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 58 Registered: Jul-07 | Maher, some more knowledgable folks than I will wade in on this I'm sure, but I believe the answer could be in any of these areas. It certainly could be room related, so you could try moving your speakers further from walls, and perhaps putting something in the corners that will absorb some of the energy. Is the bass boomy only when you play your stereo loud, or can you hear it at moderate listening levels ? What type of amp are you currently using ? What speakers ? What cables ? Are you using a subwoofer ? If so, placement and adjustment of this is critical to integrate it with your main speakers. I'd start with speaker/sub placement and room setup and see if you notice an improvement. This will let you know if your on the right track. And it's free ! |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11628 Registered: May-04 | . MA - You've mentioned several things which could be causing boomy bass. You've left out the sepaker which would be the most likely culprit. Certainly, the amp/speaker match up could be wrong and the room - particularly the speaker/listener position within that room - will be the final influence on what you hear. The pre amp is the least likely to be causing the problems though an incorrect match up with a power amplifier could still result in less than adequate sound quality. If the question is purely hypothetical, there is no single answer or even multiple answers that can be given as bass problems are best left to a case by case discussion. If this is a real problem disguised as a theoretical, then we'll need more specific information before we can proceed. . |
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New member Username: Flame_rosePost Number: 6 Registered: Sep-07 | Jan; Well, the question obviously has a practical side to it. I always had an odd sound in my room... the Mid to lower bass would sometimes be boomy (depends on the track played) while the upper bass/lower mids were flat and pale. Move the speakers into the room and the little upper bass I had would disappear completely. Push the speakers back and the bass would be too boomy to tolerate. And the total inches moved never exceded 3-4 inches. Always thought this sound character i was getting was due to my inadequate AV receiver (NAD T753) driving my demanding speakers (Jamo D590 4Ohms). BTW, source is a naim cd5i. I borrowed a naim 112 pre and a naim 90/3 (30W/Ch) poweramp and tried them at home and the improvement was amazing. The upper bass became present. The mids sweetened up and the trebble lost its harshness. The boom also became less in the mid to lower bass but it was still apparent. The 90/3 is a relatively weak amplifier and I was wondering if a more capable amp (Nait 5i or NAP 150X) would have more control over the bass. This is not to ignore the fact that my huge 3 way floorstanders with downward facing 12" woofers being placed in a relatively smallish room does contribute to the problem. What do u think about it all? |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11630 Registered: May-04 | . There's no doubt the Naim gear outclasses the NAD receiver by a wide margin. Frank is more familiar with the current and recent Naim gear than I am but stepping up in Naim usually means a house sound that pervades the line. Since the overall sonic character of the product doesn't change, there must be some other reason to buy more expensive Naim equipment. Generally, this reason is power and flexibility. So, I would expect a more expensive Naim product to outclass a smaller Naim when the load gets difficult. But Naim is odd gear that sometimes surprises you with upgraded power supplies bringing lower powered units to life with less cash outlay than buying larger power amps would gain you. I don't know your speakers at all so I'm at a loss as to just what sort of amplification you might require. While four Ohms nominal is not a terrific start, its the consistency of that load that determines which amplifier should be in front of the speakers. Read this article; http://www.symphonysound.com/articles/tubefriendly.html. If the speakers are tube amp friendly, they are also amplifier friendly. You'll see how to determine whether your speakers are terribly difficult to drive or not so bad but just low in impedance. You'll need to find a review which measures impedance and phase angle before you begin as each plays a role in how much current the speaker will require. If the amplifier doesn't have enough current to control the woofers, you'll have what some would call boomy bass. There's more to it than just that but that's where you begin. Otherwise, I would suggest you try a few specific speaker placements. I would think, from what you describe, the Wilson W.A.S.P. technique will get the most out of your speakers. Give it a try before you spend money on a new amplifier. Also, you might want to consider changing your listening position since it will have the same effect as changing speaker placement. You've got to have the listening position down before you can hear the speakers. . |
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Bronze Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 60 Registered: Jul-07 | Maher, do you have the speakers sitting directly on the floor ? I would think that a speaker lift with the appropriate spikes might be a huge help if you don't already have one deployed. Large down firing woofers will certainly reek havoc if your speakers are not properly isolated. And if you are running misguided speaker cables there is a thread in the Speaker section on how to make very cheap, very good, speaker cable. This can bring some control to the bass, and relax the treble as well. I had a pair of Infinity floor standers and until I got them up off the floor they were quite boomy no matter where or how I placed them, or myself. I have the little brother to your NAD receiver and can't wait to ditch it. It's not really offensive, but it gets in the way of the music. Underpowered however it isn't, but I find it doesn't control things very well at elevated levels and things get congested in a hurry. |
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New member Username: Flame_rosePost Number: 7 Registered: Sep-07 | Chris; Thanks for the suggestions. I've had the speakers on spikes since day one. After the speakers were run in I increased the clearance between them and the floor by increasing the spike length. I also had the speakers slightly inclined. The raise improved bass while the incline improved soundstaging and trebble. My cables are Chord company sliver carnival plus and interconnects are chord cobra 3 RCAs. |