[Best songs to test speakers]

Well if we are sharing favorite CDs and DVDs, some include:

 

James Newton Howard & Friends

Probably the standard by which almost all other stereo CDs can be measured.  Mr. Howard is actually backed up by members of the band Toto (the Porcaro brothers and David Paich).

 

Silver Rain by Marcus Miller

He has a recording history including David Sanborn and Miles Davis. This CD really gets your attention, but I'm a little biased with the Jubs sitting in my room. BASS, and more BASS - and this isn't hard bop--funk and soul here.

 

Blues Singer by Buddy Guy

This one is a sleeper - acoustic blues but you should see the guys backing him, including Clapton, Keltner, B.B. King, etc.. This one grabs everyone's attention with its "in the room" feel. I'm not a blues aficionado, but this one is in my top ten for sure.

 

 

Best of Chesky Jazz- Vols. 1 and 2

Well, what can I say. If you want to know what your system will do, try these. They blow away other "test CDs" I've heard.

 

Stepping Out by Diana Krall

Wow - this one was an instant hit in our place, but I like swinging piano jazz.

 

Something Cool by Tierney Sutton

The recorded sibilances are good on this one (female jazz vocalist).  Also try her Dancing in the Dark CD.  Her pianist is superb.

 

Swingin' For The Fences (DVD-A) by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band

The 5.1 DVD is a real treat--a true surround sound experience. This is 21st Century big band--tight and demanding of your sound system.

 

Live in Paris - by Diana Krall (DVD-V)

I would say the word "sultry" sums this one up. By the time you get to the 10th number in their set, they've forgotten the audience and they're pumping out the improv like a locomotive.

 

Famous Blue Raincoat - The Songs Of Leonard Cohen (Gold Edition)

Many tracks off this album are extremely good for female voice with various accompaniments. 

 

Chris

[K-402]

I assume that you're talking about an installation drawing--an engineering drawing, from my experience, is the one that is used to make the part(s) and assemblies. In that case, an installation drawing would detail the bolt-up sections and the overall dimensions. If you need any more dimensions, let us know.

Chris

[K-402]

Another view...

Thanks. It would be so much easier if there were just some engineering drawings available.

Greg

I don't think that the horn is a strict tractrix shape. Here is another view - you'll see a non-uniformity in the horn about 2/3 of the distance to the mouth. Good luck on the engineering drawing. It may be easier to acquire a real one.

[K-402]

I presume you are at least buying some 402's or else, why build an enclosure for them, right?

Still in the "I wonder if they'll fit" stage right now.

I can try to get you some measurements but would need to know what you are looking for so I don't butcher it for you

Thanks. I need the three measurements indicated in the attached rough sketch; the overall length, the approximate "length" of the throat, and the width of the mounting flanges. The rest I can get from the Klipsch brochure.

Greg

Another view...

[Owner's Report - The First Hundred Days of Jubilee Ownership]

Also, what are the RCA/XLR issues?

The connectors. XLR connectors are 3-pin "professional" connectors that you generally can't buy off the shelf from RadioShack. RCA connectors are the ones that you can buy from RadioShack. I go to Guitar Center locally to buy XLR stuff. XLR is clearly superior in noise/EMI characteristics. But if you've got a rack full of components that have RCA connectors (most of us do...) then you can spend a fortune buying RCA/XLR adapters.

Chris

P.S. Thanks for the reply, Richard, on the Dx-38--I couldn't imagine that it didn't have attenuators available to the user. That's a good portion of the job of a "balancing crossover network", as Roy puts it.

[Owner's Report - The First Hundred Days of Jubilee Ownership]

Sounds like the Dx-38 doesn't have the ability to do attenuation like the XTi does...bummer.

[Owner's Report - The First Hundred Days of Jubilee Ownership]

 

Just curious, but what would be needed to bi-amp the Jubs with an active crossover? I would be interested in using my VRD's on the 402 horns and a SS amp (Crown, DBX) on the bass bins. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

 

Look at the Crown XTi series. Everything in one package (crossover, delay, EQ) for less than $500/speaker biamping. You also get 48 db/octave crossover capability. Look at the free "System Architect" application from Harman Kardon (Crown's parent company) to understand all the capabilities of this amp/DSP combination.

 

Other than that, the Electrovoice DX-38 active crossover is the most often used among the Jub crowd. Unfortunately, it's a bit more pricey for what you get, but you can use your existing amplifiers if you go this way. The Behringer Ultradrive Pro DCX2496 is also used, but fewer advocates exist for this product.

Chris

[Interior architecture and Heritage speakers]

Bet that Dark Side of the Moon sound great in there!

It does...[H] So does Buddy Guy's Blues Singer.

Good ideas, thanks. It opens up the options. I need to set up a list of alternatives and weigh the WAF of each with the boss. I didn't know about and didn't think about IKEA storage and mounting hardware--I'll have to visit my local store. IKEA apparently believes in economy of store locations--our store is a 1+ hour drive from our hacienda.

[Owner's Report - The First Hundred Days of Jubilee Ownership]

Hi Flash!

Roy Delgado (alias "bodcaw boy", http://forums.klipsch.com/members/bodcaw-boy.aspx) is the guy you need to hook up with. He is a Klipsch engineer who worked with Paul Klipsch on the Jubilee bass horns and has been the proponent of the 2-way home system (I own a pair of these). If you are thinking about ever ordering a pair, Roy's the guy who will help you. He frequents this forum often so he'll probably find you if you don't find him first.

The 2-way (home) Jubs do not come with passive crossover networks: a large majority of Jub owners are running either Crown XTi amps, which contain equalization, delay and active crossovers (my configuration), or they are running an ElectroVoice active crossover and their favorite amps (one stereo amp or two monoblocks per speaker). Correcting for delay is a big deal for the Jubs, and the active crossovers in both setups do this job that the passive crossovers really could never do. They also allow you to change the crossover settings on the fly, and do 24 or 48 dB/octave crossovers much more effectively and cheaply than passives. Roy has had a Jubilee driven by a Crown XTI-1000 in Klipsch's anechoic chamber to determine the "flat" settings for them. The results (EQ, crossover and delay settings) of this amp/speaker pairing are published on this forum (see link below).

It's hard to describe the experience of listening to the Jubs. I'll let others on the forum try to describe relative to Khorns. The Jubilee project was meant to replace the Khorn when Paul and Roy worked on it.

If you need more info, just ask - there are a few owners that frequent this forum.

Also see http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/97984.aspx

Regards,

Chris A

[Khorns and "Jubilees"]

From Coytee:

"The 2 way version isn't shown on the forum but is available as a
special order. The 'standard' 3-way version is in the cinema lineup
and IS shown on the forum, but that is not what we're using.

You can read this thread and get a drift on what the deal is, OR just do a search on Jubilee and grab a pot of coffee

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/p/77599/767705.aspx#767705

The delivery pictures are on about page 11."

"This is for the 3 way version

http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/kpt-jubilee-535.aspx

[Interior architecture and Heritage speakers]

If your friend's speakers are in the picture then your friend has an
outstanding way to integrate them into the room [:$] I don't see them.

But the wire screen front is good in this shot. My wife thinks that
our horns themselves are a conversation piece, albeit in a more finished condition such as walnut or rosewood bass cabinet fronts.

I actually have another problem - I use bass traps above my speakers that I'd like to hide (see pic below). I'm thinking about bookcases above my speakers in the corners but they are going to be interesting to build and still house the big horns below them. I'd like to find a more generic solution than custom-built bookcases but that approach may be the best looking. The idea about screens in front is much more "generic" and easy to construct. But, you point out that this solution doesn't lend itself to real multi-purpose room implementation.

I've seen a picture of Cornwalls integrated down low into an entertainment center similar to the one you show. It was very good looking. The advantage of the Cornwalls is that their ports are on the front, allowing them to be mounted flush into an entertainment center. The Jubilees I show actually radiate directly into the room with no ports on the back. I'm trolling for ideas on how to integrate these type of units and also electronics and CD/DVD libraries.

[Interior architecture and Heritage speakers]

I guess my perspective is that a dedicateed room is more sole purpose. When you use a living room the aesthetic issues may change, as well as lots of other issues. Protection of equipment etc etc. Was just showing a way to skin the cat between the corners. All my walls have doors, sliders, windows or something.

True that (the sole purpose comment). Note that I still cannot see your pic-are you uploading via the "Options" tab, then "Add/Update" button?

This is what I currently am looking at:

[Interior architecture and Heritage speakers]

This was a friends and it caught our eye. Wire screen in the lower doors. We are thinking about something similar as all gear reses in the living room which is open to the kitchen. KHorns are a good bit taller than the counter, but if the finishes look good together I'd probably really like it. A lot of choice seems dictated by what you have to work around. Doors, windows, traffic flow, etc when it's not a dedicated room.

Did you post a pic or a URL to a pic? On another note: I was looking at some HT pix and saw something for the "corners" that looked interesting.

http://www.sihometheater.com/photos/displayimage.php?pid=80&fullsize=1

Although this isn't a regular room or the actual corners of the room, I think the idea is there.

[Interesting Article: "The Death of High Fidelity"]

This is why so many of the people who enjoy good sound and good music are turning to vinyl. I think that end of things is booming.

When I buy CDs online now, if there is an older version and a newer "remixed version", guess which one I buy now?

The prices are also much cheaper for used un-remixed CDs. []

[Interior architecture and Heritage speakers]

One of the major themes on this forum is "how do I integrate those big Klipsch speakers into my room".

As I was watching a special on F.L. Wright (i.e., S.C. Johnson building, Fallingwater, the Guggenheim, Taliesin East and West, etc.) I started thinking about how it might be possible to better integrate the design of PWK's speaker designs into either a two-channel or a "X.1" HT design. I see that many folks build separate HTs, but I'm not sure
that is the answer I would choose, since this is very wasteful of space that could be used for other purposes. For instance, an approach might be
to build corner bookshelves/floorstanding speakers (such as CWs and
Heresy's), referring to the picture enclosed, but with speakers
integrated into the corners instead on stands in the room.

I'm thinking about speakers, cabling, electronics racks, and CD/DVD/vinyl racks. In particular, I'm thinking about the larger speakers such as Khorns or Jubs but I'm not trying to limit discussion to just to those types. Note: I'm not talking about turning the whole wall into a horn, etc. I'm talking about more realistic approaches.

Any thoughts or pictures?

Chris

[Question on biamping Jubilees WITH a Niles switchbox & 4 amps]

The HT preamp that I just bought is driving two Crown XTi's, each of which is biamping one Jubilee, doing driver delay, active crossover (48 db/octave) and doing Roy D's anechoic EQ settings.

The other channels out of the HT preamp are driving a "6 channel input" off of my old HT receiver, i.e., I'm just using the amplifiers in the old receiver to drive the surrounds and center. Setup is simple. Additionally, my HT preamp has an analog "bypass" capability if I'm providing analog inputs from my TT, etc. This eliminates any surround sound decoding circuitry inside the HT Preamp and goes directly to the L-R channel outputs-- a "clean signal path".

Chris

[Question on biamping Jubilees WITH a Niles switchbox & 4 amps]

The scenario as I currently understand it is.... how to set up several amps so either 2 solid state amps can be used when in HT mode and 2 tube amps can be used when in 2 channel mode. (or perhaps a variation of that). The below comments are how I thought to maybe do it. Looking for good/bad thoughts in the ideas.

Parts needed (?): 2 EV Dx'38's, possibly 4 amps (unless perhaps one of the amps does double duty in both configurations), Niles A/B box

System 1: Inputs go to the HT units. Outputs of the ht unit, go to the input of the Dx and from the output of the Dx to 2 amps and finally, to the Niles A/B box.

System 2: Inputs go to the stereo preamp. Outputs of the preamp go to Dx and then to 2 (other) amps, finally, to the Niles A/B box.

Now, when using the HT system, you can turn the HT unit/amps/Dx on and put the Niles on "A". When wanting to move over to 2 channel, turn HT stuff off, move to preamp/amps/Dx and put Niles on "B"

You will have two indepent systems all plumbed into the Niles box. I know it's a bit over kill but the question is, (forgetting price, space, weight convienence...) isn't that setup doable?

Second scenario, and I don't know if say, a McIntosh HT unit will also do 2 channel. If it does then this might be the cats meow.

Set HT system up with inputs to HT going out to Dx38. Outputs there going to 2 amps and then to speakers. If you (for what EVER reason) wanted to use two DIFFERENT amps for 2 channel (solid state for HT and maybe tubes for 2-channel) then what to do?

My thinking is... take the MIRRORED OUTPUTS of the Dx38 and route that into a SECOND Dx38. The outputs of the second Dx38 would then go to the other set of amps, and then to the Niles box.

This would allow the HT unit (presuming it would also do 2 channel) to be the quarterback. Each Dx38 would be assigned 2 amps so you have the second set of amps accessable to you and the Niles box would select which amps you would be using.

Thoughts?

Richard,

I'm assuming that you are getting the answers you asked for, but I have a really stupid one: what is the reason to replace the HT preamp/amplifiers for two-channel operation? This apparently assumes that HT preamp/amps are somehow "defective" for two-channel operation. Is this valid?

Thanks (in advance),

Chris

[Owner's Report - The First Hundred Days of Jubilee Ownership]

Thanks Bill. The local live music here scene "isn't" (live, that is) even though the city has >1/3 million people living in it (and no public transportation--but we're going to have a new Cowboys stadium to kill for).

Not that I'm about to loan out my Jubs for civic duty but it fires the imagination to think about supporting live entertainment, especially when there is such a supply of real good UNT lab band students (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_O%27Clock_Lab_Band) to practice their trade, e.g., Norah Jones passed through their doors for a while.

Chris

[Crown XTI-2000..........]

In the meantime.............nothing sounds out of whack. Very easy on the ears compared to the XLS's.

Good to know that the LED indicators are not "mission critical" accessories on these amps.

I remember that when I programmed each XTi, the first thing I had to do was to update the firmware operating system using the USB and the application I mentioned above. It only took a few seconds once everything was hooked up with the application installed and running on a laptop/desktop PC. Note that I just bought my XTis less than a month ago and they already had OS updates from Crown available.

Not that I'm saying that the LED problem is software- or firmware-related but it doesn't cost anything but a little time to hook them up to your computer to update, assuming you have USB and a high-speed connection to download the application. Heck, there are neat things that you can program on the XTis even if you are using them in stereo mode.

If you find the core issue on the LED thing, I'd like to know.

Regards and good vibs,

Chris

[Crown XTI-2000..........]

 

They are operating in "DSP OFF".

 

Interesting. My units (two XTi-1000s in bi-amp mode each driving one Jubilee two-way speaker) only indicate left channel LEDs. However, initially I had them in "DSP-off" mode when I set things up. In that mode, I recall seeing both channel LEDs indicating as you would expect them to.

 

I would agree that a quick call to Crown support may be the best solution, even if you risk being told to "read the manual". I don't see anything in my manual that would explain your XTi behavior. The only other source to try before calling them is to load Harman Kardon's "System Architect" software (a free 100 MByte download) and look at their help files. Their application seems to have a bit more information encoded into their online help.

Regards,

Chris

[Owner's Report - The First Hundred Days of Jubilee Ownership]

Actually, the restaurant is in Silverton Colorado. We operate May through October each year then return home to Arizona for the winter.

Bill,

How do you set up your Jubs outside, e.g., do you use a mixer at your restaurant? What kind of amps? How do you weatherproof your electronics, or do you keep them inside?

Chris

[Crown XTI-2000..........]

Recently purchased a couple of XTI-2000's to run the HF on my RF-7's. I'm very happy with the sound so far, a significant improvement over the XLS-series.

My question is about the signal lights. The lights on the left side light up before the right side. The right side doesn't light up untilI I turn the volume up over 3/4 of the way. After that, or any louder than that, they pulsate almost the same. Both sides sound the same, can't tell any difference. Is this normal for these amps?

Thanks, Scott.

Scott,

Are you operating these in a mode other than "Stereo", e.g., are you operating in crossover mode ("XOVER")?

Chris

[Owner's Report - The First Hundred Days of Jubilee Ownership]

What music do you use to show off your Jubs or other Klipsch floorstanding?

Chris

[Palladium Podcast is live]

What, because Garrett called the Jubilee a "rogue...not really a real product...not finished...doesn't count...?" I think Jubilee owners are beyond caring what anyone thinks. I'll tell you what though, if PWK wasn't rolling in grave before he is now.

You need to put those comments in context, ie the Jubilee Never Went Into Production for Klipsch in a Home Version. It has no official components, measurements, specs, design, materials, voicing, etc etc because nothing was ever finalized. That is what was meant by that, and he's right.

Let's not get into the millionth argument about this product, please. Exactly ZERO people would know for absolute certain what PWK would think.

Reminds me of a quote from Pride and Prejudice: "...Madam, you have a very small garden..."

[Owner's Report - The First Hundred Days of Jubilee Ownership]

Mike,

I was actually able to compare the Jubilees with my TSCM system and the LaScalas on the outdoor patio. The Jubilees "come together" at closer range than either of the other systems but more importantly for my application, they maintain musical detail and articulation to a much greater distance. At 175', they have greater clarity than the LaScalas do at about 60'.

Bill,

This sounds like the K-402 horn or the K-69 driver is a dramatic improvement over the two-horn upper drivers in your other systems. Maybe the Controlled Directivity (CD) K-402 crossing at ~500 Hz (since it's horizontal and vertical mouth dimensions can maintain CD down to this frequency) IS the big story here. This is a low enough frequency where the ear begins to not be sensitive to directionality, where the distance between the ears is much less than one wavelength.

Correcting for driver delay is probably a big factor, too. Anyone know how phased-array radars work? I.e., Aegis SPY, PATRIOT, most aircraft-mounted radars, etc.

Chris