Bass boost theory

[stl_314 10+ year member]

Why do so many people say do not use bass boost at all. Just about every single amp has it so it must be useful. I know it clips the signal faster, but if you set it right it does make your subs louder.

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[MANTI5 10+ year member]

You answered your own question.

 

[duanebro 10+ year member]

How does it make the subs louder?

 

[stl_314 10+ year member]

Ok but clipping a little on small power 99% of the time will not kill a sub. So why not use it. Also I dont think all these big name company's would have it, if it was simply bad for the subs

 

[stl_314 10+ year member]

U can hear your subs get louder with it. I want someone with an oscop and tl to do a test and prove bb is a bad thing

 

[duanebro 10+ year member]

They have it because all the other amps have it. They might not sell as many amps if they left it off.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

All your hearing get louder is the distortion.

 

[MANTI5 10+ year member]

Bass boost isn't just boosting all frequency usually. Most amps have the boost for certain frequencies, say 45hz. If you know you dip in a frequency that the boost help in you can flatten the response curve, otherwise you could be clipping because you're using it as a volume control. You would need a RTA to see where your peaks and valleys are to eq properly.

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

From some testing on a few mono block amps I have seen that you can adjust bass boost to about 5% at most prior to getting distortion. Even a little bit of clipping will damage your driver over time. Unless you are using a scope to set up your amp I highly suggest not using bass boost what so ever. Instead if you think you need more output fix the real issue weather it be power, subs, enclosure, install, or whatever it is that needs to altered to gain more "loudness".

 

[stl_314 10+ year member]

And you have proof that its distortion im hearing?

I would think the companys that invested millions of dollars did alot of research before they added the bb so it has to do something positive

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

Bass boost isn't just boosting all frequency usually. Most amps have the boost for certain frequencies, say 45hz. If you know you dip in a frequency that the boost help in you can flatten the response curve, otherwise you could be clipping because you're using it as a volume control. You would need a RTA to see where your peaks and valleys are to eq properly.

This is very true, but as suggested you would need test equipment to make it all work out. Some amps have a switch to adjust what frequency bass boost affects, but that is more then likely just another way to damage product when used incorrectly.

 

[IonRL205 10+ year member]

And you have proof that its distortion im hearing?

I would think the companys that invested millions of dollars did alot of research before they added the bb so it has to do something positive

It does do something positive, only if you set your gain accordingly. If you use max bass boost, and adjust your gain to where you won't clip with bass boost, then you'll be fine, but you'll lose output everywhere else because bass boost targets one frequency.

When you raise the bass boost, your amp puts out more power at that frequency. Well when your gains are set, you have your amp set to do it's power at the ohm load. Now when you raise the bass boost, your amp is trying to put out more power than it's meant to, which will cause you to clip.

 

[stl_314 10+ year member]

Thats what I was looking for, I hear so many people saying its bad but it has to have a use or it would not be there

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

Thats what I was looking for, I hear so many people saying its bad but it has to have a use or it would not be there

yep, the issue is 99% of users have no idea how to use. The 1% that does wont use it they use other external ways of adjusting the signal to fix any issues with the response.

 

[IonRL205 10+ year member]

Thats what I was looking for, I hear so many people saying its bad but it has to have a use or it would not be there

You can use it, only if you set your gains accordingly. But honestly, you don't need it at all. If your system isn't loud enough for you, it's time to upgrade.