Low volume bass...comments?

jaxwired

Well-known member
Feb 7, 2009
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Hey everyone,

My system produces deep powerful bass with the volume at moderately high and very high levels (it's fantastic at very high levels), but at low level listening (vol at 8:30 or less), the bass is less prominent than I would like.

What are your experiences with this? Anybody solve it?

My speakers are only 86db effeciency so I'm wondering if my amp is the problem. The next step up in the NAD line, the C375 has double the power. My current 80 w/c amp seems to have no problem going very loud without signs of distortion or strain.

Suggestions?

Oh, one more thing, I'm switching to Chord Odyssey 2 when it get's here from the UK (should be this week)... Not sure if this will help or not.
 
Surely this is a characteristic more so of the speakers than the amp?
 
A subwoofer would help, but if you're happy with the bass at higher volumes might be a bit overkill?
 
This is what tone controls are for
emotion-43.gif
 
margetti:A subwoofer would help, but if you're happy with the bass at higher volumes might be a bit overkill?

A good subwoofer would certainly be worth considering.
 
jaxwired:
Hey everyone,

My system produces deep powerful bass with the volume at moderately high and very high levels (it's fantastic at very high levels), but at low level listening (vol at 8:30 or less), the bass is less prominent than I would like.

What are your experiences with this? Anybody solve it?

My speakers are only 86db effeciency so I'm wondering if my amp is the problem. The next step up in the NAD line, the C375 has double the power. My current 80 w/c amp seems to have no problem going very loud without signs of distortion or strain.

Suggestions?

Oh, one more thing, I'm switching to Chord Odyssey 2 when it get's here from the UK (should be this week)... Not sure if this will help or not.

You need an amp with a loudness button. Human lugholes are more sensitive to mid range sound at low volumes.
 
that was the one fantastic thing about my previous sub setup - the system sounded the best it ever had at low volume levels with the sub filling in the bass
 
The problem is the human ear.

At low volumes the bass needs to be louder, relative to the music, which is described by the Fletcher-Munson curves:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour

The best solution would be to apply some EQ when listening at low levels. A loudness button is suitable, or bump up the bass using iTunes equaliser.
 
Jax, you've been beating around the bush about getting a more powerful amp between the lines of your posts - and yes as much as the less bass at low volumes is physcoacoustic, it can be remedied to some degree by a more power amplifier, strange though that seems.

I really don't know the NAD sound not having used one since the original 3020 back at University, but as with my previous comments another amp, such as a MF, or a tube-hybrid may bring out the best at low volumes. The caveat ofcourse is that when you crank it, it may, but not necessarily become a little bloated.

Definitely try some bigger or tubed amps - pity you're in FL, otherwise I'd loan you my amp to try out - I'm in OR. My local shop is Echo Audio, check them out on the web, they currently have a fantastic 200W Hybrid integrated that I'm seriously looking at.
 
jaxwired:

Hey everyone,

My system produces deep powerful bass with the volume at moderately high and very high levels (it's fantastic at very high levels), but at low level listening (vol at 8:30 or less), the bass is less prominent than I would like.

What are your experiences with this? Anybody solve it?

My speakers are only 86db effeciency so I'm wondering if my amp is the problem. The next step up in the NAD line, the C375 has double the power. My current 80 w/c amp seems to have no problem going very loud without signs of distortion or strain.

Suggestions?

Oh, one more thing, I'm switching to Chord Odyssey 2 when it get's here from the UK (should be this week)... Not sure if this will help or not.

Hope I don't sound like an old "nag" but when I audition any new equipment I always test its sonic credentials at idling levels before I even start thinking about medium - high numbers. Got to keep the natives sweet, especially when they're OAP's.

Yeah I think at 86db your speakers require a muscular amp. Have you thought about bi-amping a power amp? Or maybe [don't snigger, please] Arcam DIVA range.

From personal experience my A65 + is quite impressive at low levels. Of Course not all Arcams excel in this area - the A70 springs to mind.
 

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