![]() |
#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: houston
Posts: 104
![]() |
Why is bass boost bad?
From what I understand and have read using bass boost on your amp is not good. Exactly why is this bad and why do all amps come with a bass boost knob if it is bad?
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Associate
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Banned
Posts: 13,621
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
whenever someone uses bass boost, a puppy dies
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2007
Location: post whorin'
Posts: 2,061
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
because it's a boost. The bass doesn't sound as natural with it
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Cascadia Subduction Zone
Posts: 8,047
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Bass boost can induce clipping, which can in turn contribute to premature failure of your subwoofer driver (if the amp is powerful enough).
If your sub/enclosure/install is planned and executed correctly, you won't need bass boost. If feel the need to use bass boost with your current subwoofer setup, then you did something wrong. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
If you buy a premade box for your woofer you will probably use bass boost because those boxes are not made to the woofers specs for the best sound.
In that case you may need bass boost to emphasize the lower bass. I use it but in moderation, its just like the bass setting on your head unit but with a more narrow frequency range. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Registered Spam Offender
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: north of the 49th
Posts: 20,058
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Using bass boost (think of it as bass frequency specific equalization at the amplifier) or excessive EQ or tone control at the head unit will cause your amp's output to clip earlier on the volume dial than it typically would when used normally...this is assuming your gain settings are properly set and your amp isn't putting out full power long before your head unit's volume control is maxed out.
When an amp is driven into clipping, it will output more than it's RMS rated power into the sub- that's fine if your sub is thermally rated over and above the clipped power outputted by the amp, but not so fine if you're sub's continuous power rating is above or matched to that of your amp's RMS rating. If you have a ported enclosure and you are not using a subsonic filter (or another brand's name for the same thing), it will probably be easier to damage your sub with excess boost, and the same holds true for a sub in a larger than optimal sealed enclosure. This could be in the form of thermal damage to the voice coil or mechanical damage to the sub itself. Clipping is bad, and boost makes it easier to get clipping. If you feel you need lots of boost cranked up to get the bass output you want from your sub, you probably require more power, a better-optimized enclosure, a different enclosure design, a different sub/amp, or any combination of the above. In a nutshell, boost makes it easier to blow up your audio gear, especially if you don't know what you're doing, if you don't listen for warning signs from your sub, or know when to stop turning up the volume ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,393
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
its only bad if it pushes too much to your sub or you dont like the sound of boosted frequencies
you can crank it all the way up as long as your volume or gain is down enough that it wont hurt your sub |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Atop look out mountain, blowin clouds
Posts: 763
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
I had the boost cranked all the way up on my cadence... and now the VC's on one of my eD 13Kv.2 rubs.. and sounds bad at higher volumes
![]() ![]() ![]() There's no way to repair this besides having it reconed correct? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ankara, TR
Posts: 176
![]() ![]() |
correct
I somehow had bass boost enabled on the amp, last week I adjusted the gains with an o-scope and turned down bb completely, now it sounds much better and also blends much better with the mids and highs. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Los Alamos
Posts: 23,607
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Boosting or cutting frequencies isn't inherently bad. Boosting to the degree that most bass boost circuits allow you to is a VERY bad thing.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#11 |
Registered Spam Offender
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: north of the 49th
Posts: 20,058
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
In the right hands almost any car audio tuning feature (including boost) has the potential to help things, but most noobs get into trouble with bass boost because they don't know what it does, and end up with some damaged subwoofers
![]() If a little boost is good, a lot of boost must be great, right ? ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 28,041
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Bass boost can work in some cases. For example, if the boost frequency is on the high side, then it can be used to create efficency in the system - ie turn the gains down and turn the bass boost up. You could tune a ported box to take advantage of the bass boost frequency and create a really efficent sub bass system. However, as a general rule of thumb bass boost is to be avoided.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 10,173
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#14 | |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 15
![]() |
Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#15 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 28,041
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
Even 6db is pretty high. When I equalize, I try to keep boost to +3db max. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Bookmarks |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|