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Can Bass make you feel sick? (1 Viewer)

Miles_W

Second Unit
Joined
Aug 16, 2000
Messages
436
I remember a while back a couple of 16-46 svs users were complaining of feeling sick from the bass. I was a little skeptical at first, but this weekend I borrowed a Martin Logan Descent to Eval on my system. This puppy is amazing the only problem I have is that after listening for a little while it is making me feel sick. I only have the thing on 3... any ideas, does phase have anything to do with it? Trevor S. Super bass head do you ever feel sick?
Thanks
Miles
 

Chris PC

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
3,975
Just an idea.......It is very important that you don't listen too loud for too long as it causes hearing loss. Basically, it ruins your ability to to do the thing you love oh so much; Listen to, or more importantnly, hear music.
It is easier to be aware that high frequencies are too loud as they sound loud and piercing. If you listen to bass too loud for too long, it will cause hearing loss and this can possibly make you feel sick. I'm not sure, but it would be my first guess. Best thing to do is get an SPL meter and use it when you suspect you might be listening to music too loud.
 

PaulKH

Second Unit
Joined
Oct 3, 2001
Messages
413
Miles, I keep my sub setting on '1' - a sub should be subtle in my opinion, supporting the main music/dialog, not being OVERLY APPARENT BY ITSELF.
Last night I played some of the new Star Wars DVD and was surprised how they've REALLY pushed the LFE bass on the disc - too much in my opinion.
Sure it might impress some people, but not me.
 

Sania M

Agent
Joined
Nov 4, 2001
Messages
27
I auditioned an SVS 20-39 at a local Techies house and the PW 2200 while watching the pod race. I was exhilerated, but then started feeling sick and like I was on a rollercoaster and couldn't get off. That's what I call good bass. And if anyone's wondering the 20-39 barely egedt out the 2200, but if I already had either I wouldn't think twice about it. Both were far superior to any of the other garbage subs I have had. Lower End Velodyne JBL SONY and AIWA.
 

Randy G

Second Unit
Joined
May 18, 2000
Messages
460
Chris PC,
Our ears are not nearly as sensitive to damage from low frequencies as high ones, but a concern for the structural integrity of one's house might be well founded. :^)
[Edited last by Randy G on November 10, 2001 at 11:54 PM]
 

Sean Conklin

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 30, 2000
Messages
1,720
quote: Both were far superior to any of the other garbage subs I have had. Lower End Velodyne JBL SONY and AIWA.[/quote]
Sania,
I find that you calling these subs garbage rather offensive, a lot of us cannot afford higher end subs and get great pleasure from our "Garbage" subs.
I can tell you, and others can too that a finely tuned JBL, Velodyne, Sony, can sound tremendous. Just because you think they are garbage does not make them garbage!
Us JBL, Velodyne and Sony sub owners do not like our equipment called Garbage.
furious.gif
!!!
Miles,
Not only can bass make you sick it can STOP your Heart!!!Really! Of course it would take probably at least 160dB at 50 hz or so but if loud enough can actually send you into defib!
My friend had some Fosgate woofers and megawatt amps stuffed into his little pick up truck and after listening to some sorta rap for about 10 minutes, I felt queezy and could not take it any longer, so I said hey man your bass is too much it's making me sick!
------------------
Sean
"I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates who said.......I drank what?"
[Edited last by Sean Conklin on November 11, 2001 at 12:45 AM]
 

Jerome Grate

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 23, 1999
Messages
2,989
Recently on the Discovery Channel there was a show about Non Lethal Weapons. On that show there was discussion about utilizing Low Frequencies and projecting them towards and individual or group of people in a crisis situation. The effect was to cause internal body discomfort. I believe the low frequency range was to shake and rattle the organs hence causing the discomfort.
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Ted Lee

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 8, 2001
Messages
8,390
when i worked at good guys a friend use to demo subs using some test disc he had.
it contained an ultra-low frequency sweep. i'd guess it got pretty darn close to 20Hz if not even lower.
i distinctly remember the queasy sensation i would get when it got near the bottom end. it was like a low, nauseous (sp?) and dizzying feeling.
so, imo, yes, ultra-low bass can definitely make you queasy!
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Kimmo Jaskari

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 27, 2000
Messages
1,528
Sean, if you're happy with it there is no reason to get all worked up about someone considering them garbage, is there? :)
I had an old swedish Audio Pro sub before getting my current Paradigm. In my opinion, the AP sub is garbage. The guy who bought it from me loves it, though.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion. :)
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/Kimmo
 

Michael_UK

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 28, 2001
Messages
67
I think it depends on the person, Bass can hert people, my mother does not like loud low bass at all she profers not to be able to feel the vibrations from the sound of the MoviesTV.
I have listened to bass which constistantly is in the high 130's for a fair amount of time(yes I have used ear plugs) you can feel very pounded after a while of listening, I have never felt sick but I have had a headache after testing the maximum volume of my friends car.
Very low information 20 - 27 hz at high volumes IMO can make people feel a bit giddy, those notes if played loud can have a tremondous amount of power.
I have heard of occasional times people have thrown up when experienced to bass in the 155+ db range.
I sat in a SPL car with 6 x 12 inch subs getting 1000 rms each and I could hardly keep my teeth together on some of the notes.
 

joe goswami

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 10, 2001
Messages
70
Real Name
Joe Goswami
Finally a topic thats not too serious technically speaking. I love bass, always have. I can't at this time afford an SVS sub but their's always next year. My "bottom end" comes from a decently sized sealed home box with a 15" radio shack "subwoofer". Please don't laugh. I can see you're all making fun of me right now. This "sub" actually is pretty loud and clean with no excursion issues until about 27Hz or lower.
I'm running the box with a Adcom GFA-555II amp with a Harrison Lab's 100Hz filter in series with the internal electronic sub filter output of my Denon 1802.
I'm happy but not "sickened" by the bass as of yet. I'm sure I could start peuking (did I spell that right?) with an SVS sub in my system.
 

Randy G

Second Unit
Joined
May 18, 2000
Messages
460
Jerome,
Yeah, I also saw that show about the crowd control weapons. What really scared me was the prospect of police using these weapons to squash free speech and rules of assembly. It wouldn't be too difficult to imagine a future scenario whereby all types of protest rallies would be broken up before they even started. Scary
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AndrewW

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Oct 21, 2001
Messages
141
The first time I listened to my SVS 25-31, my sinuses felt really weird....no like I was going to barf or anything though.
 

Chris PC

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 12, 2001
Messages
3,975
I wonder if low bass massages at moderate volumes? I really like bass and it makes me feel comfortable. I guess its analogous to a massage. A massage feels good up to a point, and then its pain if there is too much pressure.
[Edited last by Chris PC on November 11, 2001 at 10:24 AM]
 

Jeffrey_Jones

Second Unit
Joined
Nov 6, 2001
Messages
283
I Believe that Bass can make you sick from overexposure or at very high volume levels.
If you believe the Howard Stern movie...bass can also have some very positive effects :)
Thanks,
Jeff
 

brentl

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 7, 1999
Messages
2,921
I guess having a Servo 15 just wasn't enough eh Miles?? :)
Brent L
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Ned

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 20, 2000
Messages
838
I dunno about you girly-men but I can listen to deep, floor-rumbling, chest-shaking bass all day and still love it :)
I want another 20-39 in fact to increase the output!
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SVS-Ron

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 2, 2001
Messages
1,074
Well with twin SVS Ultras (one CS and one prototype PC Ultra) in a 13x12 dedicated HT I can affirm that very low and very clean/powerful bass can SOMETIMES give you that twinge in the midsection. Honestly though, I think maybe that's happended once or twice (usually after about 15 successive test runs thru the first scene in Toy Story 2, at full ref. level of course) in over two years of beating on SVS's (yes, I know, someone has to do it, Tom can't have ALL the fun ;^).
IMO part of it is frequency related the rest of the phenomenon may well result from a combination with simulated motion (i.e. flying thru the canyons in TS2). If you have gotten a light stomach in an IMAX demo you know what I mean. Low bass is the hardest sound to simulate this cleanly, but when you have that sort of accurate power on hand you quickly realize there are "effects" on your DVDs that very few folks ever discover.
All things considered I feel this effect to be a sign that you are getting very close to the "reality" that's being depicted...understanding there is little real about TS2!
Ron
[Edited last by SVS-Ron on November 11, 2001 at 12:07 PM]
 

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