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Interesting blog regarding bass tightness

But tightness isn’t about the fundamental frequencies put out by the sub, it’s about whether the higher frequency leading edges are integrated and in time with them.
 
The phrase “low frequency air pumps” perfectly sums up my experience with subs! I far prefer my bass to come from the same point and time as everything else I’m listening to!
 
Tony L said:
The phrase “low frequency air pumps” perfectly sums up my experience with subs! I far prefer my bass to come from the same point and time as everything else I’m listening to!
Click to expand...
Exact same thing here.
In fact, acoustic double bass always sounded horrible on all separate subs I listened to.
 
Getting 'tight' and on point bass is in my view about phase alignment around the listening area, managing RT60's, removing some but not necessarily all the low frequency nodes, choosing the right amplifiers that can 'drive the cone and damp it properly, a light but rigid cone. All the performance metrics matter BL^2/RE, MMs. taking care about transients is key in my view, meaning the system needs to be as responsive and dynamic as possible. Plus the right balance of driver for the right frequencies. It took me a long time to find that all the 'low frequencies are long waves so thinking about them in milliseconds makes no sense' is wrong - That is not the case if you use your ears. If I was starting again I'd keep my 18" subs and swap my 12" subs for very lightweight (necessarily low excursion) 15" drivers. I also accept as you go very low it's pressure reinforcement and this does augment the overall sound.

Cabinets need to be rigid too and easier to stay with sealed than moving to reflex IMO, having said that a huge horn bass system has a lot of appeal
 
My main speakers are floor standing KEF R700's which go quite low but I have recently added an SVS sub. The sub crossover is set at 50Hz and the roll off at 24db as recomended on the SVS website for these speakers. I have set it up by ear, but the main discovery I made was that most of the setting up process was just keep turning the level down. The result is that music (mainly rock) just sounds more lifelike. The most noticable improvement is with bass drums. They just sound more real. The sub itself is doing very little but overall a real improvement is the result.
 
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