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I remember growing up with his movies, RIP Buddy.

Old Hardy Boys, Movies w/ Garland,Taylor...200 movies they say. RIP

Well I doubt that people would say that if they actually tried it instead of just talking about it. My listening habits are casual not critical or trained in any way and my hearing is surely nothing to brag about. But just hearing the difference with just new caps alone, nothing else, was very surprising. I don't know how anyone could not hear a difference, the difference for me was more of what I'm not hearing.

You tend to notice more things as you move through your recordings. Favorite passages tend to jump out at you since there is usually an emotional connection associated with them. So, I did a simple part for part replacement. There was one minor change, I used a 3.3uF with a .47uF film and foil bypass capacitor in place of the 3.65uF. So we are .12uF off the target value but still within 5%, and I think we can all agree that it is very unlikely that this small difference accounts for the change in sound that Michael is experiencing. All other values were spot on. I used Dayton Audio metallized polypropylenes, which are rebranded Bennics. All of these capacitors were bypassed with Dayton Audio film and foils. Yes, I believe bypassing works. Resistors were replaced with Mills non-inductive types. The resistors actually cost more than the capacitors. The Dayton capacitors are entry level, but sound very nice. When bypassed, things smooth out nicely and they take on a nice creamy quality that belies their price. The new capacitors will certainly bump up the level of refinement, and this is anything but subtle, and very easy to hear. Mills claims that their resistors have a characteristically "warm sound". I strongly agree, and believe there is no better resistor for Klipsch modification work. Consider that most will put the perceived changes down to placebo, and will insist that if done under controlled conditions with a stock loudspeaker, no differences would be heard. I believe that this an insult to one's sensibilities - the changes are real. The problem lies within the testing methods, as beautifully explained by Mark Deneen (see my DBT page). To say that Michael really isn't hearing differences is, well... stupid. I will soon be fighting the same battle with my Charge Coupled builds, and never-mind the fact that five different people reported the same type improvements using almost identical language. You will notice how the burden always falls to the listener who hears, and never to the listener who has convinced himself that differences don't exist. Michael should not be hearing any differences whatsoever, and yet here we are. Richard Marsh once told me, "...new capacitors are a little cranky, you might want to give them 10 - 20 hours before evaluating their performance."

By then you'll just be used to the new sound and you won't care anymore. The initial impression along with the first week is where you notice the changes because you'll go to your favorite CDs, movies, and concert discs -- the things you are most familiar with. After a month you won't care about the difference anymore, you'll just be enjoying it.

Youthman and DeanG, very informative thread. Thanks for taking the time to enlighten all of us.

Yes, he will be missed. Rest in Peace.

Thanks for clearing that up for me

Wondering if it's just me but it happens on 2 different computers and I've seen it happen to others. If I hit reply to a topic, most times my text is either bold, italic, underlined or lined through. Normally I have to delete a sentence, unclick the box and type over. Is there a fix for that or do I have something set wrong? Thanks, Carl

Forum has helped me, time to give back to a good home - not reseller. RCX-4 (Silver) and SW-2 have never been used, only powered to verify they work. SW-2 includes grills that can be painted. Can arrange Pick-up only in Metro Detroit, between Detroit and Grand Rapids on I-96 or between Detroit and Lexington/Louisville along I-75. No boxes except RCX-4. Will only Ship RCX-4 if shipping is at least partially funded via paypal. Will split. Tried to give the K-Horn grills away before but got busy and had airplane troubles, If that member is still out their they get first dibs. Send E-mail.

Tests negative they'll let her out in the morning.

Yes a lot of four members including myself received an email from them I've already banned him

Thanks for all the kind words. As a new member, I want to say that I am NOT here to sell any products or services. My comments and ideas are just meant to be for your entertainment. I joined this community to learn from the collective genius of all the good people who gather around here. Hopefully I can return the favor if something I share will help you on your own personal audio adventure. Like you, I think this is a fun hobby.

I think that's where I'm at now. These days I just turn everything and settle into some music and a big smile.

Mike, Welcome to the forums! If you build the box to go underneath your LS, there is already a hole in the doghouse. The bottom is the woofer access. Easy to match up. Bruce

I think the secret to that mix is to use a dry rub with spices you'd normally put in the sauce as well. Make a sauce that is flavorful, but not overpowering. Then it all comes together with the smoking harmoniously...like good music! Dave

Your right it was old original capacitors and it was shocking. Your right, I wasn't considering Youthmans parts were almost brand new but even with that and conventional wisdom, almost anything can be improved by better parts. For anyone wondering if you should update your old original caps, Yes it does easily make enough difference in sound quality to be one of the first things to upgrade, if you do nothing else replace the caps. Like many I was not sure and had doubts since it was working and I thought it sounded good, but to me the difference was really shocking.

for jumpers, since they are so short, any 16ga OFC wire would be fine & easy to connect. you dont need big fat wire for that. my cf-4's went through many gear changes while i had them. at first they were just hooked to an onkyo 105wpc receiver & used for 2ch music & some occasional 5ch movie. then as i got other speakers to dedicate to home theater use, they were moved to 2ch only duty hooked to adcom seperates. the adcom at 200wpc made them really come alive. like you said the more power (clean) they get the better they sound. they are rated at 1200 peak & a very high continuous power. due to the high efficiency they sounded good down lower too on both my onkyo & adcom gear. i would increase the bass a bit at lower levels or use "loudness." i felt they were a little large for casual TV listening, ive never been one to use a stereo for "normal TV viewing like news or sitcoms etc... & never got the whole "crank up a football game thing" why would anyone want to listen to a cheering crowd & announcers calling plays through their stereo?!? the tv speakers have alwys been fine for me on that kind of stuff. your 100wpc receiver should be fine for the time being, but after you get them refinished they really do deserve some "better" gear, look into a better brand receiver if you want both music & movies ability, or get some nicer used seperates if new isnt in the budget. you can fine good deals on used amps & preamps on ebay CL or even on this forum.

Here too, I just refresh the page hitting the F5 key.

Came across something this weekend I just could not pass up. 10 Ft Curved granite counter with a matching smaller straight granite countertop. The 10ft fits behind the theater seating nicely and was exactly what I wanted. It even matches the granite in the kitchen upstairs. It is counter top height, not bar height. All the wood base you see here will be removed and I will build an oak base to match the rest of the woodwork in the room. Obviously it will be designed differently so legs can go under the bar from this side. This is the old table it is replacing. It is sitting on a pretty tall flat dolly here. The final height will be about 2-3" shorter at 42". The length is perfect and the recliners lean beside it with a couple inches to spare. It is a little tight near the foosball table, but not a big issue. I didn't get a pic of the second piece that matches. 50" long by 24" deep with matching backsplash. This will be for the wet bar under the stairs. I already have the black sink and fixture to mount into it as well as a single drawer dishwasher.

Yo so someone really don't want all our stuff

Type C: Type D: Type E:

I dont have anything like you do Claude although im 2ch only. I refuse to step into such places as "classic stereo" cause i always end up pissing them off cause my 2ch rig sounds lumps better than any of there theater setups let alone the $30k theater room they have locally which both my theater and 2 ch especially sound so much better its not funny with their new up to date gear. Iv had it and want 2ch hifi only. I just cannot get enough. Thanks for your direction if you could take a moment to tell me where to get this info, please. Mark Beeker

dtel I'd say you have a self trained ear through years of listening on your Klipsch

+1 Dean on the above post , I feel that there are persons who have a trained ear , much like a Symphony Conductor who with a life long of leading a orchestra can tell exactly which one of his musicians is playing outta time or is not hitting his notes correctly . I'm always amazed at the birders that can tell the different song birds apart to my untrained ear the birds mostly sound the same . training & experience refines one's perception , there is no measuring that can differentiate a person with a higher perception over another .

lookin good! i would have skipped the filler for the gouge too if it sanded out to look better, restaining it will improve it alot & not be so obvious. i should have mentioned the sanding block too if you decided to do the whole speaker, thats a lot of area to sand. & im sure you know but be sure to sand with the grain. cross sanding will create scratches that will show up in the stain & look like crap. forearm cramps? try sanding an entire 70's firebird (or any car) for repainting prep. then color-sanding (wet-sanding) after the paint for buffing. then swirl remover & waxing the car. that causes complete body aches & numb forearms & hands. then do that all week as your job! its not my job but i feel for teh guys that do that. ive repainted 2 firebirds & did most the prep work. p/e posts should be fine, do one speaker & keep the other original. get some good wire for the jumpers, untill you can get another amp to bi-amp them!

LOL! I "+1'd" you right back, buddy! In your honor: Edited: Be sure to go back upstream and check the pic I added of my binding post problem.

I like PE as well. I buy my DIY speaker stuff from there. They have good posts, but they don't have a good match for what I have. Believe it or not, Ebay has something similiar to the stock posts, for about $6. I don't mind paying a little more, but I really want one replacement that will match, I don't want to replace all the stock parts. The binding posts I have have a nice pitina to them, so I doubt I'll be able to exactly match them. I think I'll get something for now, then upgrade in the future if I want. +++ Edited: Here are the binding posts, including my amazing re-engineering of Klipsh's original equipment:

That's a great camera. We have one also. No intention of upgrading it anytime soon though. I'd say the wife has over 100,000 clicks on hers. She took over 4000 pictures in Scotland!

Unfortunately, I have been busy most of the day but had a 20 minute section of time where the house was quiet and I could devote to some listening. This isn't a comprehensive review but I wanted to share with you my thoughts as I develop them. First of all, I REALLY missed my RF-7ii's. As stated before, this is my first experience hearing any DeanG crossovers on any Klipsch speakers. I have no preconceived ideas of what my ears are supposed to hear. My ears aren't what I consider "critical". I began by listening to some familiar material (Hotel California, Norah Jones, and a few various audio CD's), When i first began listening to them, I notice that they seem to be not as bright as I remember them being. Back when I compared the RF-7, RF-7ii and RF-83, I documented that the RF-7's were indeed very bright, sometimes too bright. The RF-83 are the most laid back of the 3 and the RF-7ii are somewhere in the middle. I would like to do a separate comparison thread of the RF-83 vs the RF-7ii with DeanG Crossovers to see how they compare now but I'll start a new thread for that when I do. At first I wasn't sure I liked the less bright sound but the more I listened to them, I began to recall what I first experienced when I installed acoustic panels in my room. You know how in some rooms, even when it's quiet, it's loud? Not sure how to explain that. After adding acoustic panels in my HT, it is now very quiet without the "noise". In the same way, the RF-7ii seem "quieter" now in the fact that you hear the vocals and instruments very specifically, nothing else. Another thing I notice is these are definitely not ear fatiguing at all. I wanted to see how they sounded cranked up so I turned the dial up to 0db on the receiver and they sounded fantastic. They never got harsh, shrill or sharp. I could listen to them at high volume with no problem without feeling that shrill that you get with the original RF-7's. To answer Dean's questions: Keep it simple: That's all I know how to do. Do you like the change? As mentioned above, at first I wasn't sure I did because they sounded quieter and my ears have always loved the Klipsch sound partly because they are brighter sounding than most other speakers. But the more I listened to them, the more I realized I wasn't hearing anything extra....just the instruments playing. Clarity, detail, every subtlety was there, just nothing extra. When the soundtrack gets quiet, the speakers get really quiet, when they get loud, they remain clear and detailed, never sounding harsh. Is it subtle, or fairly noticeable? To my non-critical ears, there is definitely a noticeable difference but it's not a night and day.....not like going from BOSE to Klipsch type of difference. Would you do it over again, or leave them as they were? Honestly, before Klipsch, I always used to increase the treble on my receiver because I tend to like a brighter sounding speaker. I enjoyed how the RF-7ii sounded before the DeanG crossover because they were a little brighter but although they seem less bright, they have a more refined sound to them. An upgrade, or a lateral? I believe it's an upgrade, although not an extreme upgrade. I have never heard DeanG RF-7's but I could DEFINITELY see how DeanG could help tame the highs on the original RF-7's. I say it's an upgrade even for the RF-7ii because they sound more precise now. I don't drink but you know the saying, "Taste great, less filling." The DeanG crossovers now "Sound great, less filling." I definitely will do some additional listening when the family isn't here and will post some thoughts after I've been able to listen to them for a week or so. I'm grateful to Dean for providing me with the opportunity to experience my first DeanG crossovers and am glad to be able to share my experience with the rest of the Klipsch community. I hope that this has been helpful. Let me know your thoughts.

Please remember if you have type E crossovers (factory or aftermarket) both the midrange and tweeter are set to +3db on the autotransformer as compared with the original type C crossover. It will definately sound more forward than it did from the factory. If you want to hear what the H-700's were like when new, you can try the type C setup.

Can't wait to see pics of the refurb. Parts express is popular for replacement parts.

The original gouge looked horrible and I just figured it was not going to go away. It is gouged all the way to the substrate, but only in a couple of places, so the veneer grain will not be contiguous. What I didn't know is that all the sanding I did close to the bad part really helped to minimize the size of the scratch. Those water marks (top) are now totally gone. I've only worked on the worst spot of the worst speaker, knowing I couldn't make it any worse. The other finishing will be MUCH easier. For reference, the 5" wide sanding block is above the gouge spot. The other light spots is where I sanded to take out smaller scratches. My next step will be using the recommended 220 sandpaper all over, then I can stain. (this picture is upside down and backwards to the other pic, so the drivers on are the left of the pic, and the speaker top, is bottom of the pic.) I'm not going to try filling in the spots with wood putty, because I think simply staining the cab might hide much of what is very visible right now. I'll have to try it and see. +++ Ryan, I did pick up a rubber sanding block. That cheap rubber made in China was still curing, and stinks. +++ I've got a binding post stud on missing, so there is nothing for the knurled knob to screw in to. I was told both speakers worked, but there is NO WAY this speaker worked. The outside knob was shoved in the hole and it didn't attach to anything, but I didn't know that until I looked at closely and saw that it was missing. Does anybody have a recommendation for a replacement? The stock parts have a nice gold knurled knob and have a nice heft to them, although they are probably smaller than some others I've seen. No $75 binding posts, please.

x

It's definitely a labor of love. You might consider some soft sanding blocks. I like them a lot because you've got something to grip instead of just pressing down with paper. You will probably need some sort of filler for the deeper gouges. If the substrate is mdf it will definitely not stain the same as the oak. Just get the stainable kind.

OK, which one of you guys forgot to tell me this was going to be a lot of work! My attitude was pretty much "OK, I'll start at noon and sand, stain and apply the poly. Then by about 1:00 I'll have the rest of the day to rest." I've been wrestling with sanding just the TOP of ONE speaker for about two hours! That's because I am being very deliberate, and I am trying to cleanly sand out a gouge with 220 sandpaper and I am trying hard not to take too much off. (Dave pauses for hysterical laughter) On the positive side, I am figuring out how to sand, and how to get cramps out of my forearms. I have taken out some deep scratches on the worst top which I think might look pretty decent when I'm done. I'm hoping now to get done by the end of the week... In my own defense, I did practice first by sanding and staining on one of my wife's end tables which had a couple of nicks on top. She'll never notice.

if you use minwax stain i would stay with minwax poly, they are pretty cheap at home stores. yes you can try doing half & half on the bottom just to see how close it matches, but unless its to your liking i would lightly sand the entire speakers to get a fresh surface to lightly restain & then a coat of poly. but i have had good luck doing just the top on a speaker, the golden oak stain was very close match to the rest of the cabinet. if the sides are in good shape, aside form the gouge, maybe just clean em up real good & see how they look. no need to do them if they are good & you can get the tops to match. also, sometimes the stain will raise the grain just a bit, so after its dries good you may want to do a very light sanding to smooth it out, as long as it doesnt change the color too much. once you test the bottoms you will see its really pretty simple to do staining.

IF I could afford NEW, that's what I'd buy.

Tarheel, Sounds like ten days took its toll on you. Next time she is away, please come to my house. I have all kinds of yard work to help you out!

I think that Heritage speakers depreciate at first, but after a certain time, maybe 10 or 20 years, their prices seem to stop falling, buoyed up by the slowly increasing prices of the new equivalent models. My La Scalas were 32 years old when I bought them, and they were slightly more costly than they had been when new, but still a bargain relative to new ones. The 1989 and 1992 Heresy IIs were also not far below their new prices, but still cost much less than new current ones. I suspect that once they get past a certain point, maybe 20 years old, prices of Heritage speakers start to inch upward. It won't make anyone rich, but it does make old Heritage speakers a good investment. What does everyone else think of this possibility?

I still have the Epik that I was considering for the HT. It was doing duty in the family room and now the small Klipsch sub is there. I am waiting to hear back from Chane Music and Cinema monday on a deal for the VS 18.1. I may get two and then I would basically have 4 subs in the HT which is large. Use the two vented near field and the sealed sub a little more spaced out. They all use the same driver are share other parameters that should make it not to hard to integrate. I can always seal the vent and convert the VS 18.1's into sealed sub according to Craig Chase.

What a ton of good advice, thanks! Ryan: I think I might have done the Watco if my finish wasn't so bad. +++ One question; do I sand the entire speaker, or just where the stains are? My instincts say lightly sand the bad spots and try to feather into the rest of the finish. Here's the plan, probably for tomorrow: Minwax Golden Oak stain it is, one coat. I don't want the finish darker, but as close to factory as possible. Just the opposite of a James Bond 007 martini, the stain will be stirred, not shaken Light sand with 220 Apply stain with rag, wait 2-3 minutes, wipe excess with a clean dry rag Practice on bottoms first. (I really like that idea) After it dries, no more sanding Wait 24 hours, although I think 4-6 hours is the minium for the stain to dry before applying a second coat. I'm not in any hurry. Minwax (or whatever brand) Satin poly, apply with foam brush. Does that sound like a plan? Any other suggestions or comments? This is great stuff. Thanks. +++ I did get one speaker hooked up. It sounds pretty good, but now I know what "beaming" is coming from that horn! That speaker really has a distinctive, characteristic sound. I ran into a small, fixable problem with the other speaker, but I'll address that later.

I'd take the rcx-4. I will be moving some gear around soon after selling a lot of it. I will be without a center channel.

Indeed. I've attached the original unedited versions for the curious. I love playing around in Photoshop. I'm no pro by a long shot, but it is fun to mess with. You can see all my stuff here, if anyone is interested to see how I spend my free time. I don't take photos for money, so I'm ok with putting it on here

My wait is over the crossovers came today

"I'm My Own Grandpa" Now, many many years ago When I was twenty three I was married to a widow Who was pretty as could be This widow had a grown-up daughter Had hair of red My father fell in love with her And soon the two were wed This made my dad my son-in-law And changed my very life My daughter was my mother 'Cause she was my father's wife To complicate the matters Even though it brought me joy I soon became the father Of a bouncing baby boy My little baby then became A brother-in-law to dad And so became my uncle Though it made me very sad For if he was my uncle That also made him the brother Of the widow's grown-up daughter Who, of course, was my step-mother I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa It sounds funny I know But it really is so I'm my own grandpa My father's wife then had a son That kept them on the run And he became my grandchild For he was my daughter's son My wife is now my mother's mother And it makes me blue Because, she is my wife She's my grandmother too I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa It sounds funny I know But it really is so I'm my own grandpa Now, if my wife is my grandmother Then, I am her grandchild And every time I think of it It nearly drives me wild For now I have become The strangest case you ever saw As the husband of my grandmother I am my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa It sounds funny I know But it really is so I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa It sounds funny I know But it really is so I'm my own grandpa Dave

Dtel will appreciate this. In talking to my aunt about my south Mississippi family tree, I found out I was actually related to myself! More than once!

Im so frickin close to you ClaudeJ1 you even drove right past my house when you moved i just wish i had room. It would match my belles perfect sound and color next year when i move. im trying to save money too. that $100 price drop is killing me. glws!

One is a spare. Swap em and give it a try. Bill

Lot of music in a smaller package, awesome bass.