Peter P.

There's a pair of HBR Heresy I's being sold on local craigslist for $600, lowered from $700, in good condition. There's also a pair of kg 1.5's that just appeared today for A reasonable $85. There ARE sane people out there.

With SVS, you're comparing a sealed subwoofer vs. the Klipsch's ported design. There's a difference in sound. The SVS costs around $200 more than the Klipsch; that surely means you're getting more for your money so I think it's an unfair comparison and SVS does not have a less expensive model to fairly compare to. I've got an SVS SB-1000 (not the pro model with the remote, etc.) and it's a very compact box. To Klipsch's credit, the R-121SW is currently being offered at the cheapo price of $299 on the klipsch.com web site. For that price perhaps you can ignore a few Hertz and get the sub that looks good with your existing setup.

Getting back on topic: I live in a condominium complex; 300 units, I think 300 acres. Excellent east/west roof exposure. Lower middle class to middle class demographic. Problem is, condo owners don't own the outside of the structure, so we can't install solar on our individual units. For the association to install solar on all the units would be a tremendous financial undertaking, including special assessments much like the $8k I paid when roofs were replaced. People moaned at those costs; I imagine solar conversion would be much more expensive. But as a whole, I wonder whether the association would be a net producer of electricity with the result being a worthwhile payback. Something tells me solar isn't providing returns attractive enough for even our association to consider it, let alone if individual owners, and homeowners in general, to benefit. Discuss.

If you read this current article in The New Yorker Magazine regarding the renovations of Geffen Hall, you'll begin to realize it's your room's acoustics that are more important than your components.

While I have nothing to add, I will say thanks to the OP for posting his self-discovered solution.

Are the THX speakers connected directly to the subwoofer or to your AV receiver? So your "2.1 THX speakers and sub" means your system was purchased as a package (the speakers and sub came together)? Can you show us a photo of how you've connected the speakers and the sub?

I listen to mostly FM radio, and lower powered stations (88-92MHz). While I live in a reasonable location with several stations to choose from, the signal strength can vary for many reasons. And since I live in a condo, an outside antenna is out of the question. I've gotten to a point where I can get a reasonably strong signal, through the use of a tunable indoor antenna (the B.I.C. Beam Box), and an FM tuner with a switchable IF filter (Yamaha). About six months ago I was working at a high rise apartment complex when I spied an old, no longer used, Channel Master TV signal amplifier for the distributed TV signal from the days before cable TV. I also noticed it had an FM "trap" or notch filter which led me to believe I could use one to improve my FM reception. I asked the customer if I could have it but they never got back to me. So I searched eBay thinking that's the only place I'd find such a "vintage" item. Well, I could even find NEW ones! So I bought one. For twenty-five bucks I figured if it didn't work it wouldn't be a huge loss. I'll be damned; it works great! I adjusted the gain so I wouldn't saturate the front end on any station by adjusting the Gain knob so signal strength is just shy of full-scale. The only drawback was I had to use a screwdriver because the knob is almost impossible to grasp; some models don't appear to have that quirk. But I still was curious; could I improve the signal even more? Down the rabbit hole I went. I discovered Magnum Dynalab sold the MD-205 Signal Sleuth FM Amplifier. This is the Cadillac of the FM amp above. But it costs $500! I couldn't bring myself to spend that much. After a period of time while searching eBay I found one for sale but the price was about $300. Better but a little bit too rich for my tastes, and I didn't know if it would work, whether new or used. So I forgot about the idea. Until last week. Seems Magnum Dynalab made a similar product years ago under the Magnum label called the FM Power Sleuth. Slightly different name; would it work the same? The form factor was not the rack/stackable shape of the new model, but I imagined the guts had to be similar. Again, I found it on eBay but this older unit was going for a paltry less than $100 shipped. I didn't have to think twice about this one! Other than the non-stack friendly shape, it's fine. The knobs turn silky smooth and better than the cheapo version I earlier owned, the tuning dial only amplifies the frequency of interest. F-connectors on the back, and an AC cord. I get a minimum 30% increase in signal strength even with the gain set where you see in the photo. For all you FM junkies out there, if you have reception issues, this is the ticket. In fact, even the budget ASKA model above works great, just get a similar brand with a gain knob you can grasp with your fingers but honestly, I've mostly "set and forgotten" it, and it still does the job.

RCA speaker cables? That's a new one for me. 😉 Yeah, I agree with wuzzzer; any RCA cable should do. No need to spend big bucks, and you don't need to consider the ohm rating of the sub. Most important is having cables long enough. If you're using the LFE output or subwoofer output of your receiver, etc., then you'll only need one cable and not the stereo pair. That should save you a few bucks.

Were old Cornwall woofer surrounds subject to decay? I've never heard it mentioned before. I thought only foam surrounds had that problem, maybe rubber surrounds.

I think another differentiation between zip cord/lamp cord, and the old, familiar speaker wire is based on two features. 1. Typical speaker wire available at the big box hardware store, such as the Southwire brand, is one or both conductors are copper clad aluminum vs. all copper. While it saves money/increases profit, aluminum wiring is no longer used for house electrical wiring due to higher heating of the conductors and possible fire. It's probably not an issue with speakers, but you'll no longer see it in electrical wire such as BX or Romex in residential installations as far as I know. It was used in the '70s I believe. 2. Zip cord/lamp cord jacket has different fire rating/burning properties for obvious reasons. That typical, clear jacketed speaker wire does not require such jacketing, which is why lamp cord feels less flexible than speaker wire. 3. From the photos above, I can say I have the same wiring inside my Heresies. Due to its flexibility, I'd say it's more like speaker wire than zip cord.

I've got a pair of kg 2.2s with a kg sw passive subwoofer for my basement system. If it was my only system, I'd still be thrilled. Even if those RB-5s didn't impress, it would probably only be because of the lack of bass. Paired with even a small say, 8" subwoofer I'd bet they'd impress.

You already have a subwoofer, so it doesn't really matter how low your main speakers will play as the sub's got the low end covered. Assuming you're thinking about the used market, get the speaker that fits your room. The Heresy most nearly matches your kg 3.2s in size. Will you notice the difference in having a horn loaded mid-range-there is a slight difference in voicing but if it was bad, Klipsch would have stopped making horn loaded 3-ways!

If the voicecoil shorted, wouldn't the amp output blow, unless it's fused? I'd also verify that amp channel still has output. Put a voltmeter set to AC volts across the speaker leads for that channel (disconnect from the speaker first). You should see the voltage bounce around in response to the music, and as you raise the volume the reading should rise as well.

I think you're shouting at the clouds. I see nothing wrong with the web site. Spec download sheets are easy to find. It's understandable they would want to promote their product first. As long as the other info is there, and easy to find, I'm satisfied. Navigating ANY web site involves a little self-education, much like learning a new language. Sure; it would be ideal if ALL web sites conformed to some layout standard, but that's not a realistic expectation. Once you've learned where to look, it should not be a problem.

whew! protstate is gone... While they were in there, did they replace the capacitors? 😁

The flaw I see in all this "jumper jazz" is the exposed metal could accidentally be shorted, possibly damaging the amp. As a minimum, the exposed section should be shrouded in shrink tubing.

Well then, it's either the crossover or the cabinet.

You didn't switch the passive radiator, though. Swap those or remove it just for test purposes and see if it remains with the suspect speaker. I'm wondering whether it's the passive radiator although I couldn't explain what the passive radiator would be doing to cause the knocking. Pre-ignition due to bad fuel? 😁 I find it hard to believe it's the crossover.

Either you need a better designed speaker, or have you considered an equalizer instead of an L-pad?

Those pillars complicate things. Nevertheless, knowing you own the place and presumably you don't have neighbors on the left/right sharing a common wall, you'll likely not disturb them. Also, I think the reason the sound doesn't travel upstairs is probably due to good, rigid construction. I live in a condo and when I play my stereo on the first floor, there's a good deal of bleed through to the basement, and the second floor, especially at bass frequencies. Same holds true when I play my basement system and head upstairs for something. But my condo is decidedly lower tiered construction. Honestly, where you want to locate the speakers in your diagram puts you too close to them in my opinion. And you've got no corner on the left if you want to put a Klipschorn there. That sure doesn't look like 10 feet from the wall to the sofa. Because of your room arrangement and where you want to locate the speakers and the TV, and the sofa, I'd still suggest going with a smaller Heritage speaker. Of if you wanted to go crazy, wall off that pass through window and put the speakers and TV against that wall, with the sofa back facing the window.

Most amps are specified as X watts from A-B Hz into C ohms at D distortion. Sounds like a lot of algebra, but the point is most amps specify a frequency range and it's usually 20-20k, and it's very easy to build an amp that's flat across the hearing spectrum. If a company specs at only 1kHz input tone, run away with your wallet.

You live in a STUDIO apartment. That means space is at a premium, and you HAVE to consider the amount of space your speakers will consume. It's a practical consideration, and a necessary one. I don't know the square footage of your apartment, or its layout, but I assume your listening space is small, and big speakers either consume a lot of space or aesthetically overwhelm the space. That's why tower speakers (including Klipsch) have come to the fore in the market; a small footprint with full-range sound. With that in mind, and your desire to have a pair of Heritage Series speakers, I advocate you find a pair of Heresy's and add a compact subwoofer such as the SVS 1000 series. The previously suggested Forte's would be an option but here again they might overwhelm the room size-wise. And remember; you're living in an apartment so you'll likely move at some point, perhaps more than once. Moving large speakers, especially LaScalas or Klipschorns, will be a chore, and can result in damaged veneer. These speakers are probably best left for longer term ownership. Oh; and don't forget your neighbors! You'll likely piss them off if you start cranking a pair of Heritage Series Klipsch's! Maybe just skip your ideas and get a pair of headphones...!

It's the recordings.

Keep the progress reports coming! I'm impressed.

I just looked on the LG web site for a "typical" 4k OLED TV and see it DOES have HDMI Audi Return Channel. The wise thing to do would be to read your TV manual for how to send the TV's audio to a stereo, or bring that manual to an audio/video store and ask for recommendations for an audio receiver that would work with your TV. If you already have an A/V receiver, you can post your make and model here, and the model of your TV, and one or more of us might be able to guide you through the compatibility process. Hooking up the speakers to the receiver is the easy part!