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KXT "Sonic Signature"

C

Chuck

A few of my Dallas friends have asked me why KXT is very bass heavy. Since I no longer live in the area, I more or less blew off their questions, saying "I guess they like it that way." Yesterday, I got to hear what they are talking about. On my Buick's Harmon-Kardon factory radio, the bass was overwhelming. It wasn't just a little bit, but WAY over the top - and I like a lot of low end. After three or four songs, I had to tune out as it became very fatiguing to listen to. Yes, I could have reset the EQ on my radio, but I didn't feel like doing that in Dallas traffic on the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend. Besides, the other stations would then sound bass deficient.

I know I'm quite a bit older than their target demo, but I haven't gone totally stone deaf either. Now I'm wondering why it sounds the way it does. Perhaps they used a cheap 4 inch loudspeakers to set up the processor? Maybe their studio monitors are bass deficient or simply wired out of phase? I've visited their studios before and the equipment appeared to be top notch.

Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just me?
 
Chuck said:
Perhaps they used a cheap 4 inch loudspeakers to set up the processor?
Click to expand...

Funniest thing I've ever read on here! ;D ;D ;D
 
As friends often remind me, "you can bever have too much bass". ;D

R
 
Hi Chuck

I posed that very question to one of their engineers (you may know him...Darrell H.). I was told it is simply the default preset on their Wheatstone Vorsis processor. As you may well remember, I too enjoy bass, massive, EARTHQUAKE, chest-pounding SUB-bass (as evidenced by the 16 Cerwin-Vega Double 18" D horns George and I ruined our backs with, schlepping them from one venue to another througout most of the 70's!) I love KXT's rock-solid, pumping sound...with one exception; If only they could compensate for the overall bottom-end bump. It affects the announcer live mics and the P-popping from breath sounds is truly annoying. XM was able to fix that issue using individual Neural mic pre-processing, ridding the audio of the pops, but still allowing air staff to have to that "voice of God" sound.

But otherwise, KXT's music programming EQ is lovely, IMHO. Please don't change a thing!:)


Chuck said:
A few of my Dallas friends have asked me why KXT is very bass heavy. Since I no longer live in the area, I more or less blew off their questions, saying "I guess they like it that way." Yesterday, I got to hear what they are talking about. On my Buick's Harmon-Kardon factory radio, the bass was overwhelming. It wasn't just a little bit, but WAY over the top - and I like a lot of low end. After three or four songs, I had to tune out as it became very fatiguing to listen to. Yes, I could have reset the EQ on my radio, but I didn't feel like doing that in Dallas traffic on the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend. Besides, the other stations would then sound bass deficient.

I know I'm quite a bit older than their target demo, but I haven't gone totally stone deaf either. Now I'm wondering why it sounds the way it does. Perhaps they used a cheap 4 inch loudspeakers to set up the processor? Maybe their studio monitors are bass deficient or simply wired out of phase? I've visited their studios before and the equipment appeared to be top notch.

Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just me?
Click to expand...
 
That fancy processor they use, is that a 31 band unit, 1/3 octave processing? Must be why I get fatigued listening to KXT. Everything sounds the same, bright and bassy, the bass sounds almost synthesized to me.
 
FlyOnWall said:
Hi Chuck

I posed that very question to one of their engineers (you may know him...Darrell H.). I was told it is simply the default preset on their Wheatstone Vorsis processor. As you may well remember, I too enjoy bass, massive, EARTHQUAKE, chest-pounding SUB-bass (as evidenced by the 16 Cerwin-Vega Double 18" D horns George and I ruined our backs with, schlepping them from one venue to another througout most of the 70's!) I love KXT's rock-solid, pumping sound...with one exception; If only they could compensate for the overall bottom-end bump. It affects the announcer live mics and the P-popping from breath sounds is truly annoying. XM was able to fix that issue using individual Neural mic pre-processing, ridding the audio of the pops, but still allowing air staff to have to that "voice of God" sound.

But otherwise, KXT's music programming EQ is lovely, IMHO. Please don't change a thing!:)
Click to expand...

I like bass too, although I always thought the Cerwin Vega versions could border on "over the top." But it sure worked great as an effect, as in the movie "Earthquake." It was awesome.... It is always nice to have the horsepower, even if you rarely use it.

But this is radio. As you point out, the processing makes the announcer's mic sound very annoying. I think that is a tune out factor. It really is a little much on the music too. I think I'm not alone on that. The two people who asked me about it are former employees of mine who are very good sound engineers. I respect both of them.

Of course, it could be me. My radios stations use either Omnia or BW Broadcast processors. I think they sound pretty good, but others may have different opinions. I guess that's why there are different pre-sets... :)
 
Yep, "over the top" is probably an understatement. We actually DAMAGED the concrete stucco walls of Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on opening night of that movie?! We had 32 of the C-V JE model, stacked 4 x 2 in each corner, running about 8000 watts per stack (fairly tame by today's rigs), but all of it was 80 hz. and below! Walls cracked, plaster fell. Some patrons ran for the doors, thinking there really WAS an earthquake. Art imitating life! After all, the Silver Lake Dam (the one that gave way and flooded Hollywood in the movie) WAS only 3 miles away.

During the filming of "A Star is Born" in Tempe, AZ in 1975, I stupidly stepped out in front of the stage left stack of 16 Double D horns during Peter Frampton's set. It affected my inner-ear and sense of balance so bad, I almost fell off the scaffolding! Fitz was laughing his a** off at me! :)

Age now 63, but I DO still luv the bass!!! BTW, as I recall, you are a pretty damn good engineer yourself...
 
FlyOnWall said:
Age now 63, but I DO still luv the bass!!! BTW, as I recall, you are a pretty damn good engineer yourself...
Click to expand...
Great stories!

For me, I've never been quite the same since Alice Cooper in Union City New Jersey. During set change, I was moving a monitor speaker when some jerk threw a M-80 firecracker on stage. When it went off, it literally blew me over. I suspect you will remember the gig. I guess we could both claim to have been "rode hard and put away wet." They were interesting times though. ;)

I'll be 66 next month. I'm still here and having a good time. I'm glad you are too!
 
In my experiences, younger listeners could care less about "high fidelity".. they just want their music LOUD even if it's obnoxiously bassy or the high end is distorting like hell.
 
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