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Bass extension

post #1 of 16
8/9/11 at 5:33am
Thread Starter 

I just can't get my HD438s to hit sounds below 43-45Hz.

The technical specs state that the HD438 can reproduce sounds as low as 18Hz,

but using a signal generator, I couldn't make out anything below 43-45 Hz, at max volume.

 

I'm doing this test on my computer. Anyone has any solution for this?

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post #2 of 16
8/9/11 at 9:06am
Thread Starter 

bump


Edited by koolkat - 8/11/11 at 8:45am
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post #3 of 16
8/9/11 at 11:42am
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Sound test

 

But why? Audio usually doesn't dip lower then 55hz

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post #4 of 16
8/9/11 at 12:03pm

It doesn't? confused_face_2.gif

An actual kick-drum might not go well below 55hz, but there's whole genres of music with synthesized tones far below 55hz, and there's a couple actual instruments that can go below 55hz.

 

Anyways, frequency response numbers don't mean much, they're technicalities more than practicalities.  A headphone manufacturer might state a certain headphone can go down to 5hz, but that might be at an absurdly low volume.  Practical frequency extension is far different.  You should look and see if the numbers say it goes down to a certain frequency with a value of +/- a certain amount of db.


Edited by TMRaven - 8/9/11 at 12:07pm
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post #5 of 16
8/9/11 at 1:24pm

Perhaps you can't hear anything below 43Hz. I know I can't hear anything below about 30Hz, no matter the volume.

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post #6 of 16
8/9/11 at 1:43pm

Although our hearing covers a range between 20-20.000 Hz (when young) it is not linear.
In fact so non-linear we wouldn’t buy any microphone with such a horrible chracteristics.
As the graph shows, you must play horrible loud to hear the lowest frequencies.
Audible.jpg

 

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post #7 of 16
8/9/11 at 2:03pm

Lots of the music I listen to uses computer generated bass notes which might not be centered but will extend WAY below those frequencies (55Hz or whatever, that's like where bass is centered around in some hardstyle songs and dubstep but I'm not a big fan of it). With this XB500 I can hear down to 15~16Hz using a sinwave generator (but at the same time I can say my upper limit is relatively low in comparision around 17.5~18kHz, 24 yo. I don't need to listen loud to hear those very deep notes but according to headphone.com's graph the XB500 has a +15dB boost down to somewhere around 10~15Hz so that's maybe the reason. ^^


Edited by RPGWiZaRD - 8/9/11 at 2:08pm
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post #8 of 16
8/9/11 at 2:09pm

That graph seems odd.  I don't think I have to go up to 90-100db just to clearly hear a 30hz tone.


Edited by TMRaven - 8/9/11 at 2:11pm
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post #9 of 16
8/9/11 at 2:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TMRaven View Post

That graph seems odd.  I don't think I have to go up to 90-100db just to clearly hear a 30hz tone.

 

Was thinking the same.... on the XB500 I'll hear those frequencies at volume levels I'll also barely hear midrange tones, ie, something that's more silent than a whisper...


Edited by RPGWiZaRD - 8/9/11 at 2:14pm
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post #10 of 16
8/9/11 at 2:13pm

Sorry doublepost.


Edited by RPGWiZaRD - 8/9/11 at 2:14pm
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post #11 of 16
8/10/11 at 1:56am
Thread Starter 

The lowest it can produce is 43Hz. Lowest. 

Gets louder at 45Hz and it gets really audible on 50Hz.

 

What's the point of having headphones that have epic bass extension,

if most humans can't go below 30Hz, or in my case 43Hz. Seems highly

unlikely.

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post #12 of 16
8/10/11 at 5:43am

I doubt its your hearing, it's the headphone most likely, some Sennheisers do have really poor bass extension and don't put any faith into the specs, they are just not worth looking into.

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post #13 of 16
8/10/11 at 7:34am
Thread Starter 

How does your DT770 do in the sub-bass section? Like sub-50Hz? :o

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post #14 of 16
8/10/11 at 7:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RPGWiZaRD View Post

I doubt its your hearing, it's the headphone most likely, some Sennheisers do have really poor bass extension and don't put any faith into the specs, they are just not worth looking into.


Seems that the HD 438 is the exception though.

500

Check your windows settings, sometimes there's a "small speakers" setting which cuts all low frequencies to protect small speakers.
Edited by khaos974 - 8/10/11 at 7:43am
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post #15 of 16
8/10/11 at 9:25am

Ya there's definitely something wrong.  Even with an AD700 I can hear 35hz and down to 30hz, although 30hz is very, very low.

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