Simple loudness-compensation bass boosts cannot work for dynamic-range music

Evidence

This is wrong. It is also wrong to think that a simple variable bass boost can compensate for all components in a program that has dynamic range; loud portions need only slight bass boost, while quieter portions will need much more boosting. If the loudness compensation addresses the low-level portions, the high-level portions will have greatly excessive bass and so on. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 334

“Loudness” controls have been in audio equipment for decades. The attractive premise is that as the volume is reduced, automatic adjustments to frequency response compensate for the disproportionately reduced bass. For no obvious reason, some of them also boost the treble. This is wrong. It is also wrong to think that a simple variable bass boost can compensate for all components in a program that has dynamic range; loud portions need only slight bass boost, while quieter portions will need much more boosting. If the loudness compensation addresses the low-level portions, the high-level portions will have greatly excessive bass and so on. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 908

Categorization

• XREF: Directly contradicts the common ‘loudness control’ folklore; echoes Chapter 1’s ‘circle of confusion’ theme. — connects to: No single loudness compensation curve can serve music with dynamic range; Reduced dynamic range forces nonlinear amplification to avoid over-amplifying loud sounds; Mixdown at loud levels makes tracks need bass boost at quiet levels — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 267 (+2 more)
• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 334; Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 908

Broader Connections

• Turning down volume suppresses perceived bass and treble relative to midrange #qualifies (0.75) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 626