chuckears
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Posts posted by chuckears
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Gentlemen,
I am another of the H\K 520 owners; I had noticed very early that the bass output of the DTS section was more subdued than the DD... I noticed it first on "Unbreakable", which has some very nice bass. Doing an A/B comparison on some bass heavy sequences bears out this flaw.
I have been living with this, and the occasional shut-down of the receiver (primarily when playing music-only cd's on my DVD player, and through my McCormack two-channel; using the HK as a temporary preamp) since I bought it, and am beginning to wonder if I should opt for the Denon 3802 after the first of the year, or get separates farther down the road.
I am fairly pleased with the feature set of the HK, but the sound from the amplifier section does not come up to the quality of the McCormack.
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
Toshiba SD-5700 DVD player
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
DH Labs Subwoofer Cable
Blue Jeans Component Video Cable
Mitsubishi WS-55809 RPTV
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Orange Peel,
How do you like your Mitsubishi big-screen? I just bought my Mits 55", and have been enjoying it immensely for the last three weeks (although I am already starting to wish I had gone for a 65"... what looked huge for the first week now seems normal size...sigh).
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
DH Labs Subwoofer Cable
Blue Jeans Component Video Cable
Mitsubishi WS-55809 RPTV
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Scott,
I have had my HK 520 for a few months now. I like the user-controls... the manual is fairly complete and descriptive. The sound is good with my center and surrounds, but I am using the pre-outs for the left and right mains through my two-channel McCormack amp.
There are more than enough inputs, and the remote works well (only complaint is that the number pad rows are arranged 1-4, 4-8, 9-0, instead of the traditional 1-3,etc.
One problem I have had with the set-up is the amp shuts down on me when I try to play two-channel only material (music discs through my dvd-player). I have let it go, since I really only use the HK for home theater.
One thing I wish had been provided is separate on-the-fly volume controls for each speaker... as far as I can figure out, you have to go to the on-screen menu to change the volume for the separate channels.
I think you will be pleased with the unit; it has more than enough power for Klipsch speakers.
(One other complaint I have is with the speaker terminals... I could not get my Kimber spades connected to them, because they have a plastic sheath that allows for only a very narrow spade connector... they are not true five-way binding posts, which is what I plan to switch to as soon as my warranty expires... banana plugs work just fine).
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
Mitsubishi WS-55809 RPTV
This message has been edited by chuckears on 09-04-2002 at 07:59 AM
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Thanks to all for the advice... I hooked up the Mits on Tuesday, and am still getting used to the standard stretch mode, but love the DVD's I have watched...the set is a little unforgiving of the source material - local standard cable varies wildly in appearance from channel to channel, and my DVD of Hunt for Red October looked so grainy to me last night I could barely stand to watch it. (I actually put in a source material I had already seen to make sure my settings had not been changed).
I really wish Mitsubishi had included more consumer-level settings for tweaking, but I can understand their reluctance to let Average Joe mess around with the settings.
The red push is noticable, but I have an attenuator coming in the mail tomorrow to reduce it to acceptable levels. There really should be a law against manufacturers boosting the level of red input, just to sell tv's off the showroom floors...
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Orange Peel,
Have you tried doing an A-B comparison between the two settings?
Speaking for myself, I assumed that, to take advantage of the full output of my Fortes, I would use the L\R = LFE setting, but found the soundstage too unrealistic when panning from left (to center) to right, and that when there was a mix of signals between the center and left or right, the timbre, sound quality, whatever you want to call it, sounded too different from the signals coming from just one of the speakers.
For this reason, I run all my speakers at small when listening to Dolby 5.1 or DTS films, and let my sub handle the sub-80 Hz material. As a result my soundstage, while not being a perfect, is much more realistic.
As suggested, I would listen to some sample material under different settings to see what sounds the best to you.
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
Mitsubishi WS-55809 RPTV
This message has been edited by chuckears on 08-16-2002 at 05:10 PM
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Indy,
Boring? BORING???
"YOU - SHALL NOT - PASS!!!!"
This was one of the most thrilling films I saw last year, and has rocketed to at (or near) the top of my all-time favorite films.
Of course, I do love the source material, but even my wife (who usually does not like SF or Fantasy) liked this and has seen it all seven of the times I have...
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justin,
I got the Mitsubishi 55809: widescreen, with no hd decoder onboard. I was going to go with the Toshiba 57h81, but I found the Mits (0% financing for one year
) - it arrives on Tuesday.Something I really like about this unit is the wide top - my center channel is going to have a great platform right on top of the TV.
The first thing my wife said when I showed it to her was, "Oh, my lands, that thing is BIG". (Minds out of the gutter, please).
Now comes the scramble to create a wall for the upgrade: I had to move one picture, which led to painting the whole damn living room, and the only downside is I am losing some storage space for videos and blank tapes by losing my old (but nice) oak entertainment center that housed my 27".
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Thanks to all for the suggestions... I have decided to go with a six shelf unit by Metal and Glass... I liked some of the Bello units, but they did not fall within my (current) budget.
The Mits 55809 should arrive Tuesday, and hopefully the new rack...
Not anxious at all,
chuckears
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I bought a Mits 55" widescreen tv tonight; it is delivered next Tuesday, and I have a whole wall to re-do: My entertainment center, which holds my 27" Magnovox and all my components is going. In its place, (along with the big-*** Mitsubishi, which is larger than my current EC) I need to find a good (at least 6 shelf) audio rack, with adjustable shelves, preferably around 48 - 55 inches high.
A long tour of the web did not turn up anything I am willing to pay for ($300-$350 is my budget); any suggestions from my learned comrades would be greatly appreciated...
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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Man, I agree whole-heartedly that the FOTR DVD is one of the best-sounding: I found myself having to turn it down throughout the first two-thirds of the film...
can't wait till the kid is back in school and I can peel some paint off the walls...
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I am close to purchasing the Mitsubishi WS-55809, and have a concern about viewing regular cable programs and 4:3 video sources:
More than half of my family's viewing will be from the 4:3 source perspective, and I have read that the Mits widescreens do not do the "stretch" very well.
(It is recommended that any stationary picture, such as the black bars you would get on the sides of the screen when watching a 4:3 program on a widescreen, constitute less than 15% of your viewing time)...
can any Mits widescreen owners share their experience? What are all my "formatted to fit your <4:3>screen"films going to look like, and what are the better stretching options?
I will make this purchase this week if my fears can be allayed...
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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As my sig indicates, the McCormack DNA-1 Deluxe handles the two channel powering to my Fortes.
I have read that this line of amps is one of the next best things to tubes... I don't know about that, but I can say that the first time I fired up the 65-lb beast, I nearly cried. The sound compared to my pedestrian Carver amp was a revelation, and sparked an upgrade bug and renewed interest in music that I'm sure my wife still shakes her head over.
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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I love the way my Fortes look. Sometimes, if the family is watching something less than interesting on the tube, my eyes wander to where they have sat for so many years, and I fall in love all over again.
Man, am I glad my wife doesn't look at this forum...
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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Since my listening room does not have two corners where the speakers should go, I would have to say Cornwalls, LaScalas, or Belles. From what I have read compared to my personal tastes, I think the Cornwalls would suit me best; I do not remember ever hearing them, though... I really wish Klipsch would include them in the re-vamped Heritage line.
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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HDBRBuilder,
Please do not let the "chickensh*ts" stifle your postings to this forum. I have found them to be some of the most fascinating and informative comments here.
To hear detailed descriptions of not only the building processes of the heritage Klipsch speakers, but also the anecdotes about the personalities involved in the company (particulary one PWK) has helped to make this forum a twice-daily (at least) stop in my internet journeys.
So keep 'em coming, and please continue to re-instruct those who think they know jack, but don't know sh*t!
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I am unaware of Klipsch actually recommending a specific brand of cable; I can speak from experience and from local audiophiles that Klipsch and Kimber get along very well together.
I use Nordost for my interconnects because they seem to bring out detail without a hint of harshness.
Cable purchasing is possibly the most difficult decision to make, given the vast number of options available: I can say without any doubt that it does make a difference with higher-quality components.
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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I'm dragging the family on a road trip to the beutiful Rocky Mountains for a week; if any Mint condition speakers (preferably in oiled oak) of the following lineage come up on the usual trading forums for about a hundred bucks, could someone please snag them for me? ...I'm good for it
Khorns
Cornwall
Belles
Academy
Forte
Thanks all, and I'll see you in about a week!
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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"chuck" My on-line gaming persona
"ears" What I impetuously tacked on to the end of "chuck" when I discovered the name was already being used
...Hey, I didn't know when I registered that I would soon own 60 percent more Klipsch speakers, and actually begin drooling over those giant Heritage speakers that I could not afford years ago...
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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I just received mine through amazon.com today, and
OH MY GOD.
I had to leave leave the kitchen to stand in the living\listening room to make sure I was hearing notes that low.
The music itself, while not quite being my cup of tea (I prefer chamber music in the classical genre), does tend to grow on you.
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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chickey,
RE: Glengary, Glenross
I KNEW there was something missing from my list!
Now, will you go to lunch? Will you PLEASE
GO
TO
LUNCH?!
Sorry. Great film, one of my favorite performances my the late Jack Lemmon.
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Movies for the Mind?
The Graduate
American Beauty
Blue Velvet
JFK
Amadeus
Quiz Show
Searching for Bobby Fischer
October Sky
Crossroads
Ok, just kidding about that last one...
...and I'll second The Usual Suspects...
This message has been edited by chuckears on 06-04-2002 at 09:38 PM
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chickey,
In regards to the Carver C2, I did actually replace it with the McCormack TLC-1 before I replaced the Carver amp, running the TLC through the M200 for a few months. The sonic differences were nearly indiscernable until I replaced the Carver amp with the DNA-1. At that point, angels descended from on high and sang with many Hallelujahs.
That Carver cube, BTW, was the M400, if my memory is correct. I never heard it, but everything I have read about the other Carver amps seems to bear out my own listening experience: Good sound, but not great.
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Chipp...
I powered my Fortes for 11 or 12 years with a Carver M200t power amp and Carver C2 preamp... the sound was good: fairly realistic and quiet, but lacking in kick-in-the-gut punch. The McCormack upgrades I made a couple of years ago, along with better cables, has re-kindled my enthusiasm for audio and music in general.
I would have to say that the Carver amps sound good, but pedestrian... I was never brought near to tears as I was with the McCormack DNA1.
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
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OK, swanny: I'll give up my Fortes, if you can find me a pair of oiled oak Cornwalls for a straight swap
.Honestly, I do have to concur with Mikekid: the originals (even the first series, no II behind the name) are some of the finest loudspeakers in their class that I have ever heard; the only other non-Klipsch speakers that have compared to them (to my ears) came from a little known Australian company named Duntech: I heard a pair of wall-hanging speakers by them years ago (supplemented by a coffee-table-size subwoofer by the same company), and it set a sonic standard that I have been working to match ever since.
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
(Future upgrades to include):
A big-*** HDTV
) - it arrives on Tuesday.
.
LFE and L/R
in Technical/Restorations
Posted
mOOn,
Let me give this a shot:
LFE is a dedicated low-frequency channel which is the ".1" in a 5.1, 6.1, etc. HT signal. The person who mixes the 5.1 track places all the deepest bass into the .1 track, designated as "LFE", or "Low Frequency Effects" on your receiver (I don't know what, if any, standard there is for the exact crossover for the .1 track).
Part of the bass management scheme of your receiver is that it allows you to choose whether to send to your subwoofer the LFE track by itself, or to also send the bass from your left and right channels ("LFE + L\R"). This would act to supplement the bass output of your mains. You are further allowed to specify the crossover point: the frequency (either 40 or 60 Hz) under which you want the receiver to send the left and right bass content to your sub.
(Note that choosing LFE + L\R does not remove the deepest bass from your mains; it lets you supplement the bass they are already handling, if you think they need help. Also, this option is not available if your choose to set your mains to "small". When small is chosen, the receiver DOES remove the lower frequencies from your mains, and throws them all in the LFE channel, along with the bass content specifically mixed into LFE).
As for my own preference: When I started to expand my 2.1 audio system into a 5.1, I assumed I would want to run it in LFE + L\R, to take advantage of my Fortes nice, flat bass response. In practice, this did not prove the best setting... my mains did not blend in well with my center channel. Only by setting all speakers to small did I begin to benefit from a realistic soundstage: panning from left to right, and vice versa, sounds much better in the "all small" mode. I am sure that if I were able to place a third Forte as my center, and if I were to run it through the same amplifier (I am currently using my HK for center, McCormack for L & R), I would be able to choose the LFE + L\R to much better effect. This, unfortunately, does not seem to be a viable option at this point, given the fact that I would have to A. hang the center Forte from the ceiling, or B. Heavily modify one, ala Klipsch member Horned's famous KLF30 center channel mod.
For more info, a careful reading and re-reading of the HK 520 manual might be helpful...
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Klipsch Fortes, Oiled Oak
Klipsch KLF-C7 Center Channel
Klipsch RS-3 surrounds
McCormack DNA-1 Power Amp
McCormack TLC Pre-Amp
Harmon Kardon AVR520 Receiver
Sony 5-disc changer
Toshiba SD-5700 DVD player
NHT SA3 Subwoofer Amp
Hsu TN1220 Subwoofer
Old Akai cassette Deck
Nordost Solar Wind interconnects
Nordost Moonglo Digital Coax
Kimber 4TC Speaker Cable
DH Labs Subwoofer Cable
Blue Jeans Component Video Cable
Mitsubishi WS-55809 RPTV