# H.Bass and subwoofer mysteries **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 3, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103 "2007-11-03T13:39:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/1 "2007-11-03T13:39:32Z")
I just replaced a 15 year old stereo system with a cheapo new system. (Panasonic SC-AK750) and since I’m somewhat tone deaf I’m at a loss as what to do with a couple of buttons. The H.Bass button (whatever that is) has settings of ON or OFF, and the subwoofer button has settings of MAX, MID or OFF. Would somebody be so kind as to inform me as to how these should be set for normal or default operation? I can hear differences when I play with them but I have no idea of what sounds good or bad. Thanks Dick ETA this is primarily for when friends visit. I personally never listen. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/2 "2007-11-03T15:09:57Z")
H.Bass - “You can enhance low-freq sound so that heavy bass can be heard clearly even if the acoustics of the room are not optimal” (Whatever that means) The other selector is just for how loud the bass is. From the manual found at the bottom of this page. [http://panasonic.com.au/products/details.cfm?objectID=3852](http://panasonic.com.au/products/details.cfm?objectID=3852) ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/3 "2007-11-03T16:05:51Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] H.Bass - “You can enhance low-freq sound so that heavy bass can be heard clearly even if the acoustics of the room are not optimal” (Whatever that means) The other selector is just for how loud the bass is. From the manual found at the bottom of this page. [http://panasonic.com.au/products/details.cfm?objectID=3852](http://panasonic.com.au/products/details.cfm?objectID=3852) [/QUOTE] Thanks but I had already read that. What I’m really looking for is suggested settings. My tin ear can’t tell what sounds right. The speakers are sitting in a corner of a 26 ft. by 20 ft. room. I understand that a definitive answer is probably impossible without seeing the room, but maybe someone could recommend the normalist setting. Or some sort of default setting or anything at all. I’m completely out of my depth here. ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/4 "2007-11-03T16:08:58Z")
Also, out curiosity what is H.Bass? Is this a setting that’s independent of the sub woofer or is it something that does something to the SW or what? ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/5 "2007-11-03T16:12:44Z")
It really depends on a lot of things. The most important is probably what kind of music you and your friends listen to. If you listen to rap and hip hop, you’ll probably want to turn it up as high as possible. If you listen to anything else, you’ll probably want the bass at mid, and H.Bass on. I’m pretty much tone deaf, but I usually set the bass by setting it as loud as I can without drowning out the other sounds. With only six possible settings, it should be easy to tell when there’s too much bass. Set it one level below that. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/6 "2007-11-03T16:20:44Z")
[QUOTE=Ring] Also, out curiosity what is H.Bass? Is this a setting that’s independent of the sub woofer or is it something that does something to the SW or what? [/QUOTE] I think it’s just a bass boost, to amplify the low frequency tones. It may be a low pass frequency, which is a filter that only allows, for example 80Hz or lower frequencies to be sent to the subwoofer , which allows for a cleaner, less muddy sound (because the large cone isn’t trying to vibrate at 1,000Hz). ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/7 "2007-11-03T19:18:38Z")
[QUOTE=Ring] Thanks but I had already read that. What I’m really looking for is suggested settings. My tin ear can’t tell what sounds right. The speakers are sitting in a corner of a 26 ft. by 20 ft. room. I understand that a definitive answer is probably impossible without seeing the room, but maybe someone could recommend the normalist setting. Or some sort of default setting or anything at all. I’m completely out of my depth here. [/QUOTE] First off, get the speakers out of the corner if possible. Reflection of sound in/out of corners notoriously changes the sound and, depending on the speakers, can create “dead spots” in your audio coverage. ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/8 "2007-11-03T20:09:45Z")
[QUOTE=11811] First off, get the speakers out of the corner if possible. Reflection of sound in/out of corners notoriously changes the sound and, depending on the speakers, can create “dead spots” in your audio coverage. [/QUOTE] Unfortunately, I can’t. Wifey dear says that’s where they look the best. And it “would” be extremely difficult to move it any where else. (And no I’m not PWed) I’ve been playing _Negotiations And Love Songs_ ( Kodachrome, Me and Julio, etc.) by Paul Simon with my ear plastered up against the various speakers. And I think that I’m coming to the conclusion that H-Bass is for a system that doesn’t have a subwoofer. Without it turned on, no bass comes out of the main speakers at all, but with it the bass comes blasting out. And with both the SW and the HB on - the stuff on the bookcase starts to jump around. On the other hand the HB does adds some kind of desirable quality to the sound but I don’t know how to describe it. If there were a Low setting for both, I think that’s what I’d use.But I’m still unsure about any of this so any additional comments would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/9 "2007-11-04T02:24:53Z")
[QUOTE=Ring] And I think that I’m coming to the conclusion that H-Bass is for a system that doesn’t have a subwoofer. [/QUOTE] Could someone give me some indication as to whether the above statement I made has any possibility of being true? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/h-bass-and-subwoofer-mysteries/425103/10 "2007-11-04T02:47:55Z")
[QUOTE=Ring] Unfortunately, I can’t. Wifey dear says that’s where they look the best. And it “would” be extremely difficult to move it any where else. (And no I’m not PWed) [/QUOTE] No need to justify yourself: over on the HTF, we call that “SAF” – spousal approval factor.