belial

Hey, BigBusa, let me know!

Hate to tell you this, but I haven't been all that happy with my RC-3 either. I got a great deal online for Klipsch stuff so I just went for it ... My RB-5 bookshelves are nice, but that center doesn't really impress me. Kind of boxy and closed-in sounding, not expansive. I also have a Yamaha amp, RV 4060, or something like that, and I don't like it much either ... Did you test your center before you bought it?

Thanks for the response! Which Denon is that, exactly?

I realize the answer is likely to be "a lot," but I was hoping someone could back that up with specifics ... I have a Yamaha HTR-5240. It sounds better in stereo than in DD 5.1, and I get some hiss when in DD 5.1 mode, but I have heard that many HT recievers do that. Is it possible to buy an HT reciever under $500 that DOESN'T give hiss in 5.1? Do you think I could buy a reciever at that price which would improve the HT sound I get now? Any recommendations?

I returned the $200 Sony DVD player I had because I wanted to check out the Playstation 2, both for games and for DVDs ... it's okay, about the same as the player I returned, but it got me thinking ... How much of a difference in picture and sound quality is there between DVD players? I don't mean the difference between a player for $1000 and one for $300, I mean for say, all players in the $500 and under price range ... Is there a good place on the net for DVD player reviews? In buying a DVD player, what do you think I should look for?

So Quentin--What speakers are you using for your mains? It doesn't create a problem for you by sending the same low frequencies to both your mains and the woofer? I'll have to try it and see how it sounds!

Here, straight from my manual, are the choices I'm offered as far as woofer settings go. "SW Select this position if your system includes a subwoofer. In this position, signals on the LFE channel and other low bass signals that are distributed from other channels are directed to the SUBWOOFER OUTPUT terminal when playing a source encoded with Dolby Digital or DTS." MAIN "Select this position if your system does not include a subwoofer. In this position, besides full range signals on the main channels, signals on the LFE channel and other low bass signals (below 90hz) that are distributed from other channels are directed to the right and left main speakers. BOTH Select this setting if your system includes a subwoofer. In this position, signals on the LFE channel are directed to the SUBWOOFER OUTPUT terminal. Low bass signals on the main channels are directed to both the main speakers and the SUBWOOFER OUTPUT terminal. NOTE: When playing a two-channel source (CD, videocassete, etc) select the BOTH position to direct low bass signals (below 90 Hz) to the SUBWOOFER OUTPUT terminals." So there you have it. The way I read this, it looks like I could quit running my mains through the woofer if I then select "BOTH" for subwoofer output ... but it looks like then it might be sending those "below 90 Hz" signals to both the woofer AND my mains? That doesn't sound like a good idea to me ... Unless I'm reading that wrong ... Which of those settings do you think sounds like the best option? Or would you keep it set to MAIN, as I have now, with the mains wired through the woofer?

So hold on a minute.Dougdrake is correct in that I currently have my Yamaha subwoofer setting at "MAIN" which in my case means none. My reciever is routing the LFE channel and other signals below 90 hz, according to the manual, to my main speakers. But because I have them wired through the subwoofer, it is actually getting those signals, correct? So with my current setup, there is no point of hooking the LFE out on my reciever to the woofer, right? Should I just wire my mains directly, and set the LFE channel on my Yamaha to send LFE and other low signals to the woofer? Please advise! My head hurts just trying to figure this out ... I used to think once I got my Klipsch set up, I was going to be able to relax ...

Thanks John!

I know this has been covered before on this board, but I just did a search under "subwoofer connection" among others, and couldn't find it ... so if you can all stand talking about this just ONE more time ... I've got the KSW 12 with the RB-5 bookshelves. I use my system for both music and DD 5.1 home theater. Currently, I have the RB-5's wired through the KSW 12, so it can pick up the lower bass ... but what about the LFE channel? My lower end Yamaha reciever has an RCA out for the LFE ... I've heard some say I should use a Y splitter to connect it to the KSW, but should I use the LFE connection when I already have the RB-5's wired through the woofer? I've tried that in the past and it seemed to have a negative effect strictly where music was concerned ... I have a feeling there is no one correct answer to this, like with a lot of audio questions, so how about some suggestions? Any variations you think might be worth a try? Thanks in advance to anyone who wishes to respond ...

Whoops! Sorry boa, guess I tried to switch identities there. Thanks for the answer!

Well, Bell, I almost hate to ask this ... but which would you recommend for the RB-5: high pass or low pass? (I know, I know, I should just go by my own sonic judgement ... )

WhalerCane, I have read on Yamaha's website that the two are the same. One is meant for retail distribution, the other sold directly through Yamaha, I believe. I did not think there was a price difference between the two. By the way I have the HTR 5240 and get pronounced hiss when playing in 5.1 mode ... just a little warning.

Whichever of you is right, I thank you both for your responses! I'm going to try different settings and see what sounds best. I did want to ask you, boa, when you wrote that a general rule of thumb was to set the crossover at "15hz above the lower freq. limits of the rb"--what would that number be? Pitricolo--I'm going to try it at the number that you advised as well. Thanks again guys.

Thanks, boa!

Nobody has any advice to offer on this subject?

I must confess, I am something of a klutz when it comes to crossover settings for my subwoofer ... In other words, I have no idea what I'm doing. I just got the RB-5s and I love them to death, but not sure how to balance the bass, since I have them wired through the woofer ... Any advice greatly appreciated!

Hey, thanks guys!!!!! After closer listening, I realized I couldn't actually detect a difference in the sound the cone made, but I sure appreciate your confirming that for me! These are amazing speakers. Like others, I am now re-experiencing old CDs ...

After agonizing over whether to get the RB-5 or the RF-3, I finally bit the bullet and went with the RB-5 ... They look nice and sound great, but I was shocked to discover a tiny dent in the gold cone on one of them. I had earlier thought I detected a difference in the sound between the two and now that I have discovered this small dent--shorter than the legnth of a fingernail, but visible--I'm kind of freaked out. Could a tiny dent in the cone negatively affect the sound? Am I over reacting? I had to wait a while for UPS to finally deliver my speakers, because they forgot to pick them up the first day they were supposed to, and when I finally got them there was a gash in the side of the box (but I don't think that is related to the small dent) so I'm not really looking forward to shipping them back, but I will if I have to ... What do the rest of you think? This message has been edited by belial on 06-22-2001 at 12:54 AM

Hey Ray, what about the possibility of using screws to attach the veneer to the RF-3? I know it is hard to use glue with vinyl, and then you always have to watch out for the fact the wood might warp or bend ... what do you think? Thanks, as always, for everyone who took the time to respond!

Wow--so I could do that? Hey, thanks, PeteC, that opens up a whole new realm of possibilities! Maybe I could get those nice, deep cherry colored Klipsch towers after all! Thanks a lot for your response! Now I just have to figure out what kind of adhesive would work with that vinyl ....

Thanks to all you guys again for responding. Yes, William, I was planning on building my own, just so they would match in color with the TV stand I already built. I just can't figure out what would look nicer, the RB-5 on stands I build myself, or the RF-3 towers just standing there. The RF-3 towers are 38 inches tall, and I guess I would want the 17 inch RB-5s to be around that height ... I've gotten so neurotic about this I actually think I'm going to build carboard mockups of the tower and the bookshelf and place them next to my TV to try to get a better feel for how they'd look! Crazy, I know, but asthetics are almost as important to me as sound is ...

I know, I know, I'm stupid for even asking this, but ... Is it possible to add a real wood veneer, over the fake wood veneer of the RF-3? That would mess up the sound, right, if I were to glue real wood over the sides and top of the cabinent? Sorry, I just had to ask! Still agonizing over the decision of whether to go for the RF-3, or the nicer looking RB5 bookshelf ...

I feel like, for my part, I should have given a more direct answer in my post. My feeling? Yes, it is safe--depending on who you buy from. Some online dealers are going to be better than others. Check an online vendor rating site to see which have the most satisfied customers (I posted one here--try searching for it.) As for the local dealer coming down on price, mine won't, and actually sells the RB-5 for $25 OVER what Klipsch recommends. They've also lied to me on several occasions (one month return policy when actually it is only three days--stuff like that). Just because someone is standing right in front of you, doesn't mean they are going to be more honest than someone online. Yes, you will have to depend on the websites version of the warranty, and who knows how dependable that is, but from my extremely limited experience, if a speaker is still working fine a week after you got it, it will probably do so the forseeable future. For me, it is worth that risk to save literally hundreds of dollars. I could not afford to complete my Klipsch setup if I did not purchase online, it is as simple as that. If I was rich, and my local dealer wasn't somewhat sleazy, I might do otherwise, but I'm not, and he is. This message has been edited by belial on 06-11-2001 at 08:13 PM

So is he or isn't he?