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<!-- #thumb --> <p>Getting the midbass right in a system is something many of us overlook in loudspeaker setup, focusing instead on the low bass. *I have seen this time and time again and the reason we do this is two fold: rooms are tough on the low bass levels requiring a lot of speaker moving decisions and low bass performance is pretty obvious to most listeners.</p>
<p>But the midbass (80Hz to 150Hz) and upper bass levels (150Hz to 300Hz) are where the ear is most sensitive to proper levels. *If getting the instruments to sound real is your goal, and I am assuming it is for all of us, then this is the area to focus on first, letting the very low bass (80Hz and below) do whatever it’s going to. *You can fix it later with a subwoofer, bass traps or EQ if necessary.</p>
<p>Here’s how I set the midbass up in my system. *I focus on an instrument I know that has a good amount of midbass. *For example, in classical music I prefer the cello, tympani or string bass on some tracks. *You can even use a male vocal if you know it well, but I believe these classical instruments are perhaps the best. *You don’t have to even like classical music, just get the sound of the instrument correct and everything else falls into place.</p>
<p>For tympani I use the Reference recording <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Orchestra-Showcase-Eiji-Oue/dp/B00004YWRK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380553417&sr=8-1&keywords=reference+recording+showcase" target="_blank">Showcase</a>. *Track 4 by Sibelius, Finlandia, is my favorite. *It’s easy to compare the sound of the tympani to the other instruments and get them perfect, even if you don’t quite know the proper sound – it is the relationship to the other instruments that makes it easy. *From there I have several other favorites but as of late I am relying on Brian Bromberg’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wood-Brian-Bromberg/dp/B000FQJPBO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380553548&sr=8-1&keywords=brian+bromberg+wood" target="_blank">Wood</a>. *Track’s 1 and 3 are excellent for getting the midbass and lower bass to work together.</p>
<p>Here’s a couple of tips to get the midbass right. *If you have a lack of midbass energy and moving the speakers farther or nearer to the listening position doesn’t help, put the two speakers closer together. *Placing them closer together will help couple the two woofers together better and increase the amount of midbass energy in the room. *If you lose stereo imaging or focus because of this, pull the speakers away from the rear wall a touch to increase lost depth and play with toe in for lost focus.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, pay attention to the midbass. *Everything else just kind of works when you get this all critical frequency adjusted properly.</p>
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<p>But the midbass (80Hz to 150Hz) and upper bass levels (150Hz to 300Hz) are where the ear is most sensitive to proper levels. *If getting the instruments to sound real is your goal, and I am assuming it is for all of us, then this is the area to focus on first, letting the very low bass (80Hz and below) do whatever it’s going to. *You can fix it later with a subwoofer, bass traps or EQ if necessary.</p>
<p>Here’s how I set the midbass up in my system. *I focus on an instrument I know that has a good amount of midbass. *For example, in classical music I prefer the cello, tympani or string bass on some tracks. *You can even use a male vocal if you know it well, but I believe these classical instruments are perhaps the best. *You don’t have to even like classical music, just get the sound of the instrument correct and everything else falls into place.</p>
<p>For tympani I use the Reference recording <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Minnesota-Orchestra-Showcase-Eiji-Oue/dp/B00004YWRK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380553417&sr=8-1&keywords=reference+recording+showcase" target="_blank">Showcase</a>. *Track 4 by Sibelius, Finlandia, is my favorite. *It’s easy to compare the sound of the tympani to the other instruments and get them perfect, even if you don’t quite know the proper sound – it is the relationship to the other instruments that makes it easy. *From there I have several other favorites but as of late I am relying on Brian Bromberg’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wood-Brian-Bromberg/dp/B000FQJPBO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380553548&sr=8-1&keywords=brian+bromberg+wood" target="_blank">Wood</a>. *Track’s 1 and 3 are excellent for getting the midbass and lower bass to work together.</p>
<p>Here’s a couple of tips to get the midbass right. *If you have a lack of midbass energy and moving the speakers farther or nearer to the listening position doesn’t help, put the two speakers closer together. *Placing them closer together will help couple the two woofers together better and increase the amount of midbass energy in the room. *If you lose stereo imaging or focus because of this, pull the speakers away from the rear wall a touch to increase lost depth and play with toe in for lost focus.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, pay attention to the midbass. *Everything else just kind of works when you get this all critical frequency adjusted properly.</p>
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[Source: http://www.pstracks.com/pauls-posts/getting-it-right/11837/]