BP_redbear

Agreed. As a first time owner of Klipsch products, I have to say that the F-3 mains and the Sub-12 are the best speakers that I have ever owned, and possibly the best that I have ever heard. As far as fiddling? . . . there is the Gain knob on the sub, AND the 0/180 dgeree phasing switch to 'adjust' [ip] []

Looks like I will have to stick to the Hi-Level connections (In from receiver & Out of sub to Mains). I connected the mains to A-Channel, and the Sub-12's Hi-Level In to the receiver's B-Channel. With only 'A' on, the mains played fine. With ONLY the 'B' on, the sub sounded good. I, then started with just 'A' on, with mains sounding good, then switched the 'B' channel on while leaving the 'A' channel on. The sound level to the mains dropped out significantly. Just didn't seem right, so I switched back to the standard Hi-level connection, with the sub-12 connected to the A-channel out (L&R) of the receiver (and the F-3 mains connected to the Hi-level Out of the sub). With the Low-pass dial on the sub set at just above 100Hz, the set of 3 (F-3 x2 and Sub-12) sound very good.

It does make sense, as sivadselim and wuzzer have discussed earlier, that it may be best to have the sub-12 thumping out the sounds best thumped out by its 12-inch driver, and have the Klipsch F-3 floorstanders removed of all sound freq below 100Hz. If it will keep the 8in. woofers of the F-3s cleaner sounding, then I may stick wit my current configuration. ...however, I do plan to connect the F-3 set directly to the receiver A-channel, and the Sub-12 to the B-channel (which are probably paralleled off the same amp), to experience the difference, experiment with both configuration, settings, and see hear which I like best.

Does DrWho agree with the Sub-12 portion of my previous comment? The second part was in reference to a set of Sound Dynamics 500 Concert Monitor loudspeakers (2-way with 10 in. woofer and metallic-horn dome tweeter each). I recently had the woofers professionaly rebuilt, then discovered that one of the tweeters is not working. I am not currently using them, while I search for a OEM replacement tweeter.

Thanks for the inputs... So, obviously, it is fine to connect a Sub-12 by using the high-level connections (IN) and no speakers on the hi-level (OUT) connections. Is this correct? Then, second question, if I had a two-way speaker that the tweeter didn't work in, and I disconnected the tweeter at its connections, would the woofer and all the other speaker components play undamaged? Once a crossover or low-pass filter passes on frequencies, does it not care if the signal is used or not? BP

Most of the time, my setup will be used as a 2.1, just playing music. Occasionaly, I will play a DVD with surround. In the future, I would like to add surround and center speakers (my receiver DOES have a 'Center Pre-Out' and a Surround Pre-Out'). I will try the different methods of connections that we have discussed, and see (hear, lol) which arrangement that I like best.

Am I thinking at all logically that my Klipsch F-3 speakers would sound better (or more complete) with a full-range signal when connected directly to the receiver's speaker channel output, and the sub connected to the B-channel speaker output of the recv.? It just seems to me that with all sound freq below 100Hz being removed from the signal out from the sub to the mains, that something is missing from the sound quality from the very good Klipsch F-3. And, if I am correct, and connect my F-3 and Sub-12 as mentioned previously, would it generally sound best or optimal to set the Low-Pass dial on the sub at the lowest freq capability of the F-3? (Which Klipsch lists as 35Hz), so that I don't end up with a condition in which BOTH the mains AND the sub are playing frequencies between 35Hz and 100Hz? ...Or are the 8in. woofers in the F-3 best suited to play only frequencies above 100Hz, and I should just use the Hi-level connection as described in the Klipsch manual? ...Which would leave the very good Klipsch Sub-12 playing only sound between 24Hz (it's listed low-end) and a 35Hz dial setting, which may not be taking full advantage of the Sub-12... And/or is this precisely why it would be better to upgrade my receiver, which would have a sub pre-out...which would lead me to a new thread and a new set of similar questions...

Klipsch Sub-12 plugged into a surge protector here. Along with receiver, and record player. CD is plugged into the switched outlet on the recv.

Actually, haven't connected the DVD as of yet. Strictly listening to music with it. So, given my current receiver, which has A and B channel speaker connections, if I connected the F-3 speakers directly to the A-channel and the Sub-12 to the B-channel, then the F-3 would receive the full frequency range output, and the sub would then play all sounds at a frequency below where it's low-pass dial is set? And, if I chose to not use the sub, I could simply turn off the B-channel?

I do recall reading that in the manual, also. I believe that I understand now... When using the High Level connections, the main speakers are going to receive all sounds above 100Hz, and the sub will play any sound that is below the setting on its dial, and will play frequencies up to its max of 120Hz, if the dial is set there? So then, maybe it's like Dr. Who said earlier, I should set the dial on the sub as high as it will go (at least a min of 100Hz - to avoid that hole - ), or somewhere between 100 and 120Hz. ?

LOW PASS (LP) CROSSOVER The crossover allows the user to select the upper-frequency cutoff of the subwoofer. The frequency is selectable from 40-120Hz. Frequencies above the set level are filtered out, allowing you to blend the subwoofers output with that of your main speakers. Hmm, now I'm really confused. So the main speakers are unaffected in any way by the setting of the dial on the sub? Seems like I recall reading something in a Klipsch literature that mentioned passing any frequency above 100Hz, but then the manual describes the Lowpass Crossover as the above definition from the Sub-12 manual.

I was referring to the dial on the back of the sub.

I thought that if I set the sub's lowpass crossover too high, (eg 150Hz), that I would be robbing the F-3 of some bass that would be better sounding from them. Suggestions and opinions are considered and appreciated, and I will continue to enjoy adjusting the lowpass and gain to find some optimal settings. Indeed the Sub-12 is impressive! I peeked beneath it during Metallica's 'To Live is to Die', and WOW, the woofer thumping in and out at tremendous speed.

On Saturday, Oct. 6, I purchased a Klipsch sub-12 to go with my Klipsch F-3 set. As good as the F-3 speakers are, I was missing the deep bass that the Sub-12 fills quite superbly! Wow. Mostly, I will be listening to music, and occasionally a DVD, or TV. I will be connecting my DVD to the receiver via 2-channel L/R cable. With a CD in, and the receiver volume just below 1/2, and the gain on the Sub-12 is set at about 1/2, it puts out tremendous bass. I set the lowpass control at about 70. Then, I turned the gain down just a bit. Lovin' it so far. BP

I have just recently purchased a new pair of Klipsch F-3 (Sept. 24), and to my ears, they sound very good with my receiver. I believe that my plan is to save for a bit then purchase a Sub-12, a C-3, and probably a set of S-2 speakers. Thanks for the input.