Bass Response Question!

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Gluecifer

Gluecifer

Member (SA)
Someone who I like to prove wrong made a passing remark that "Boom Boxes don't produce anything below about 80Hz effectively".

Now, I don't know if this is true or not as me and numbers aren't really friends. Due to this guys wildly limited experience I'm sure he's just doing this to get my goat, but I'd love to know if the bass response of the M90, BigBen, S90, C100 etc deliver much better bass than he's claiming.

I think Reli or some other learned colleague did some actual tests too? I don't know.

Because I don't know the answer I'd love to know either way. If he's right, I'll be happy to make another argument about why boomboxes are better, regardless of bass response, and if he's wrong I'll greatly enjoy rubbing his nose in it.



Rock On.
 
J

jimmyjimmy19702010

Member (SA)
My DIY V2.0 can go down to 38hz. :-)

Mid bass at best for open backed boomboxes which is fine because deep bass sucks the juice from the amps.

You can see why a wise Boombox designer wouldn't stress the internals trying to go down to 40hz with a battery powered amp. People wanted loud so mids it is! IMHO, 100 hz would be as low as most would go.

James..... :-)
 
J

jimmyjimmy19702010

Member (SA)
Gluecifer said:
Hmm interesting!
But only vintage, stock boomboxes are in contention here!



Rock On.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure how much trust you can put in the labels on graphic equalisers but my RX-C45 left slider says 100hz - that sounds about right by ear (non scientific I know) :-)
 
Lasonic TRC-920

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
The Louder Blaster will hit 808 notes....but these are not stock classic blasters

Everything I own with an EQ's lowest setting is 100hz

So I think that's about right, but remember, in 1985, pre-digital, there were no main stream music with 808 notes so no need to have portable electronics reproduce something that isn't there
 
Ken

Ken

Member (SA)
According to the Telefunken Studio 1M service manual, the "frequency range" of that boombox is 45-20,000 Hz. I'm assuming that this means the system (amp plus speakers) in that particular boombox has been designed and measured to reproduce sounds down to 45 hz.
For comparison purposes, the Super Woofers in a Sharp GF-777 have a claimed frequency range of 70-500 Hz & the Full Range portion of the system, 100-20,000 Hz.
In addition, the Conion C-100F system has an advertised "Tone Control Action" spanning a range from 100-10,000 Hz.

Most boombox specification sections only list the frequency response of the tape deck portion, where with quality tape (usually TDK SA, back in the day) an audio signal is being replicated, with additional figures for the addition of signal processing (cro2, metal, etc.) The Sanyo M-X920 & M-X960 (Big Ben) take this route.

Hope I got that right. Never really paid attention to the amp specs for a boombox before. Like James said, "sounds about right" always was good rnough for me when it came to boomboxes. I always knew that the Tele Studio was a bass monster. I would really be interested in somebody chiming in with the specs for the amp in a JVC M-90.

Rub his nose in it, Rick. Preferably with a Tele Studio playing something with an 808 in it.
 
redbenjoe

redbenjoe

I Am Legend
member prime --an electronics engineer ...
has accurate measuring rigs -
he measured his pioneer CK5 bass at about 30 -which is deeper than any box-
and --you can FEEL the bass on these pioneers

never asked him about the big kabooms ?
 
Ghettoboom767

Ghettoboom767

Member (SA)
Also Ira,I have that CK5II and it draws a massive 127 watts!!! :)
I can attest that the CK5 on loud volumes will dim the lights!! :)
 
redbenjoe

redbenjoe

I Am Legend
also --with the great m90 and s90 --you cant really feel the bass --very close - but NO .
with the conion 84 --you CAN feel it --just not as deep as the CK5 or the bigger pioneers in that series
 
Superduper

Superduper

Moderator
Staff member
The question is not whether a boombox can go below 80hz. Many can produce some sound in that range. The question is how much roll-off of the audio signal will be present in that frequency range. Would be interesting to see the results using some true testing. Some loudspeaker specialty places sell software that can map/plot the frequency response including the roll offs. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any "free" software yet and the ones I've seen are a bit pricey for my passing curiosity. As I'm not wanting bad enough to find out what the frequency response and roll offs are, I haven't investigated further.

I'm pretty sure that the Big Ben can definitely go below 80. The kaboom, definitely way under.
 
Reli

Reli

Boomus Fidelis
My Sanyo MX920 service manual claims 30 Hz.....but do you think the speakers can actually reproduce that? yeah right. :lol:

The numbers are just frequency RESPONSE.........In other words, they just hooked it up to some testing equipment and measured the signals it produces. But there's no law requiring them to verify that the SPEAKERS can audibly reproduce those frequencies.
 
Lasonic TRC-920

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
Rick, the TRC-975 and it's LBS system hits about as hard as any Big Blaster and really moves the speakers, but again the EQ only goes down to 100hz.

I think that the mid 80's was the very beginning of the low bass revolution. RunDMC's "Dumb Girl" was the first time I ever heard a song "Built" around the BOOM and that came out in 1986.

The Kabooms hit harder, but those are 90's bass tubes, not classic blasters.

I have never heard a Studio 1

And like many said above, just because the spec sheet says it, doesn't mean the radio can reproduce it. The amp might have a freq response down to 30hz, the speakers might have a freq response down to 30hz and the tape head might have a freq response down to 30hz...but collectively, in their circuitry do they deliver?

I don't think so. I think in the mix of caps, filters and other components on the amp board they don't and they DON'T because the music of the time didn't call for it (YET!) I think they used components (in the higher end radio's at least) that had spec's down to 30hz to leave enough "Head Room" in the collective components to deliver un-taxed quality sound.

But then again, I have no proof, I am just talking out my arse! :-D
 
AE_Stereo

AE_Stereo

Member (SA)
I believe, most quality boomboxes handle and reproduce low end frequency very well. Only we don't hear it through the speakers fitted on the vented plastic body.

Just connect the speaker out to any decent speaker and see how much punch is handled by the circuitry and even the boombox speaker itself.

I am always amazed by the sound output from a Panasonic RX-7000 through a full sized 3 way Sansui speaker. It can beat many amplifiers!
 
Lasonic TRC-920

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
AE_Stereo said:
I believe, most quality boomboxes handle and reproduce low end frequency very well. Only we don't hear it through the speakers fitted on the vented plastic body.

Just connect the speaker out to any decent speaker and see how much punch is handled by the circuitry and even the boombox speaker itself.

I am always amazed by the sound output from a Panasonic RX-7000 through a full sized 3 way Sansui speaker. It can beat many amplifiers!
Click to expand...
I totally agree with that....

Again, mid 80's tech wasn't there until Amar Bose's research into cabinet design showed the world how to build a proper enclosure.

3 piece Boomboxes soon followed.
 
bill

bill

Member (SA)
Lasonic TRC-920 said:
The Louder Blaster will hit 808 notes....but these are not stock classic blasters

Everything I own with an EQ's lowest setting is 100hz

So I think that's about right, but remember, in 1985, pre-digital, there were no main stream music with 808 notes so no need to have portable electronics reproduce something that isn't there
Click to expand...

Not so fast ☺ 808 notes all over Marvin gayes sexual healing and Micheal Jackson's thriller album. Not that I listened to either of them back then or now.
 
bill

bill

Member (SA)
Superduper said:
The question is not whether a boombox can go below 80hz. Many can produce some sound in that range. The question is how much roll-off of the audio signal will be present in that frequency range. Would be interesting to see the results using some true testing. Some loudspeaker specialty places sell software that can map/plot the frequency response including the roll offs. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any "free" software yet and the ones I've seen are a bit pricey for my passing curiosity. As I'm not wanting bad enough to find out what the frequency response and roll offs are, I haven't investigated further.

I'm pretty sure that the Big Ben can definitely go below 80. The kaboom, definitely way under.
Click to expand...
True dat
 
J

jimmyjimmy19702010

Member (SA)
Pick your favourite bass machine and play this youtube video. Check how well your boomer reproduces the 808 notes:
http://youtu.be/YeZZk2czG1c

Have fun,

James.... :-)
 
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