Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Frequency Response Specs

JohnK is pretty close here to how it works. The starting point though is the average db output across the frequency range above which point the low frequencies have reached there full output. This means that the +3db point may never be reached in the actual amplitude response of the speaker. The -3db point will always be achieved because of the drop off in the bass response above the low end of the specified window of 20Hz to 20kHz. Good bass from a speaker is usually achieved not by how low a frequency it can reproduce within the 3db range but rather by how steep the roll off is below the -3db measurement point. The -9db specification gives us a look at this roll off. Considering JohnK's point about the room affects on anechoic measured specifications, the roll off becomes even more important in achieving low bass response. In other words the room will not boost non-existent frequencies.