Heathit AS 101: Help with tuning cabinets for deeper bass

[alancohen]

Or simply interpretations of strong bass, and extended bass that vary from person to person as almost all aspects of sound do.

My WAG is that you are conditioned/trained to listening with a subwoofer in system, perhaps even augmenting VLF beyond a natural or intended level. I'm not aware of any vintage 2-way system designed for or capable of that type of reproduction. In a nutshell, you're hearing/judging the AS-101's with contemporary "bass heavy" pre-conceived expectations.

Agreed! I fell into the same trap. I also had (have) a 10" subwooder that I used with my crappy little satellite speakers for years. In order to get any bass whatsoever I had to turn the sub way up. Once I replaced the satellites with the Heathkits and left the sub out I felt something missing. I put the sub back in and it was back.

But a funny thing happened along the way, my musical tastes changed and expanded. Altec drivers, along with tube amplifiers, educated me to the nuance of more delicate and sophisticated music. I now enjoy more acoustic music, especially jazz. My subwoofer is startlingly out of place now. I learned I had the sub turned way up beyond the point of what would have been heard live or what the recording engineer intended. When I use it now. I keep the volume knob on 1-1/2 instead of 5 where I had it before. But to tell you the truth, it doesn't really enhance the experience. Mostly it's off.

I like the thump of good bass repsonse as much as anyone, but not at artificial levels that distort the intended musical experience. I have learned that the thump of a bass drum or the low E on a bass guitar are not located in that lower frequency spectrum. As far as I can tell, 30Hz does not thud, it rumbles. 40Hz is all I need for my listening taste and I do not want to give up that "in your chest' thumpy mid-bass for the occasional 30Hz passage.

I have also noticed that with the sub off, I can still hear very low frequencies depending on where I am in the house. The room acoustics plays a vital role in the ability to hear these very long sound waves. It is very possible that your speakers are producing them, you just can't here them because some aspect of your room is thwarting them.

[Phil-G]

so perhaps one last stream of assistance on testing those woofer, please....

Michael

try hooking the 15 up direct and maybe swap polarity at the speaker terminals?
i'm new to messing with crossovers myself. but did you say that when you adjust the L pad the lows get mushy? that should not happen at all. i would not rule out crossed wires
i added new crossovers to my regular home speakers and the bass went from vague and passable to downright painful.

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But a funny thing happened along the way, my musical tastes changed and expanded. Altec drivers, along with tube amplifiers, educated me to the nuance of more delicate and sophisticated music. I now enjoy more acoustic music, especially jazz.

altecs must make you old after many years of thrash/metal i find myself more and more on the elevator music station.
i've found it's not always the music but the spaces in beween.

[bowtie427ss]

Altecs certainly helped broaden my musical tastes. Certainly agree with them being particularly adept with acoustic stuff, and jazz. They've really helped turn me on to good big band/swing type stuff.

The "Chairman of the Board" comes to mind Count Basie "Blues in Frankie's Flat" (Frank Foster) - YouTube

Here's a pretty decent audio only version: Count Basie - Blues in Hoss' Flat - YouTube

[Phil-G]

or like when you hear wille nelson and you almost smell beer.

[mpent]

Yes, I agree. Low powered tube amps and horn loaded speakers are a match made in heaven for jazz and acoustics.

[alancohen]

Altecs certainly helped broaden my musical tastes. Certainly agree with them being particularly adept with acoustic stuff, and jazz. They've really helped turn me on to good big band/swing type stuff.

The "Chairman of the Board" comes to mind Count Basie "Blues in Frankie's Flat" (Frank Foster) - YouTube

Here's a pretty decent audio only version: Count Basie - Blues in Hoss' Flat - YouTube

Back at ya Sonny Stitt Quintet - The Nearness of You - YouTube

And to think I cut my pre-pubescent teeth on Uriah Heep & Deep Purple.

[bowtie427ss]

Back at ya Sonny Stitt Quintet - The Nearness of You - YouTube

And to think I cut my pre-pubescent teeth on Uriah Heep & Deep Purple.

Nice! Righteous and crisp! That's goin in my "after 8" collection.

For the working part of the day i have to keep the tempo up a bit. Big Jay McNeely and Detroit Gary Wiggins - YouTube

Big Jay McNeely and Detroit Gary Wiggins - YouTube

[cradeldorf]

Your in for the ride of your life then because I can't tell you how many times mine sounded great one night and the next day...Blahhhh. It will truly drive you to insanity. BTW I also have become a jazz listener. Every Sunday Morning on WLAV. Jazz Brunch.