The bottom line is that there are very different requirements of loudspeaker system responses for live versus recorded sources. If you want to do home theater right you need to be flat to 25 Hz minimum, while recorded music is generally adequate when flat to 35 Hz, and live-sound need only be flat to 60 Hz. Knowing that makes it a lot easier for both the home listener and the sound professional to make sensible and economical choices when either purchasing or building loudspeaker systems for their respective genres.

You wrote "recorded music is generally adequate when flat to 35 Hz, and live-sound need only be flat to 60 Hz."

I agree with the first half of this statemant, for 95% of all music, 35Hz is plenty. My home system is flat to below 20Hz, but adjusting the HPF on the X/O up to 35Hz usually does very little to the sound, for MOST music. But why-O-why should we restrict prosound to one octave higher??? It is so sad when I pay $100+ to see a live act on a $100K+ sound system, and it would have sounded better at home. Same is the case for the average cinema.

The bottom line is: BASS IS HARD TO DO RIGHT. 30Hz bass with low distortion at 100dB+ is VERY EXPENSIVE. That is why the prosound community is not interested. Are the kids driving around in their booming cars interested in sub 40Hz? You bet your bottom dollar they are! And they will open their wallets wide enough to prove the point. I have made a point of going a long way out of my way to experience every Servodrive and Aura sub installation I can. I LOVE GOOD CLEAN LOW BASS, and I know I am not alone. 80Hz punch is not what the punter wants these days. They are after the waves of pressure that lets you think you have just been spoken to by God. The rush that gives many punters just cannot be described.

For me the tickle of a sub 40Hz fundamental is addictive. I guess your mileage may vary.

Cheers

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