Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, Stephanie <sellison-unix@a...> 
wrote:
> big problem I used to have, with systems involving a few 
amplifiers and 
> several speakers, including a 12" dual voice coil sub, would be 
that the bass 
> would always lag quite a bit behind the rest of the beat in the 
music, so it 
> would sound like "de-boom, de-boom, de-boom" instead of happening 
together.  

Steph,

Right on. It's so nice to find someone who understands that 
expasperating slow bass. A lot of people scoff at the idea of a 
quick deep bass that can keep up with the rest of the music and the 
difficulties of achieving it, or finding it. But it's a genuinely 
audible phenomenon.

> I solved that by putting a stiffening cap on the bass amp.  The 
last car I 
> had, I had a 1 farad cap for the amp (big thing!).  Once I did 
that, then I 
> had a lot more power plus accuracy, then I ran into another 
problem, which 
> would be called upward spread mask, another term for hearing 
nothing but bass 
> while a bass note hit.  You would hear the sound stage collapse 
literally at 
> your ears everytime a bass note hit.  I added speakers and another 
1 farad 
> stiffening cap for the other amps, so the sound stage wouldn't 
collapse like 
> that.  So, it takes plenty of power to drive things accurately.  

It is a real art to make effective compromises in such designs. I 
have nothing but respect for the people who do it, even at 
relatively modest price points. Sound staging is a delicate 
enterprise, easily lost. I've heard vaunted seven speaker setups 
that couldn't hold a candle to an electronically and acoustically 
sophisticated stereo system. Most of my experience is with high-end 
electronics (primarily as a consumer and avid listener), which has 
been a hobby for about 30 years or so (at least until my daughter 
came along in 1999). 

Steph, you've certainly been able to overcome many of the limits in 
your hearing. You certainly put to good use what you have. It's 
inspirational, really.

Ed