Help with setting up and adjusting KSW-10

[JohnWB]

I have a KSW-10 sub hooked up to a NAD T755 receiver and I have no idea if it's set up properly. The receiver doesn't have speaker posts for speaker wire but it does have Sub 1 and Sub 2 connections. I have an RCA subwoofer cable to connect the 2 together. Now what? The sub has the following controls: Line In, Low Pass Crossover, Level, Phase 0/180 and Power Off/Auto/On. Is there an ideal setting or starting point for these controls? I have RF-3 Fronts, RS-3 Surrounds and an RC-3 center. Any help would be great.

[CECAA850]

You don't need to combine the Sub 1 and Sub 2 outputs. Just run a single cable from the Sub 1 output on your receiver to the input of your sub amp.

[JohnWB]

Ok. Thanks. Now is there any neutral position for me to set the controls to on the sub as a starting point? What does phase do?

[CECAA850]

Think of phase like setting your audio timing. You want the sound from your mains to reach your ears at the same time as the sound from your sub. If your sub is in the same plane (wall) as your mains, then leave your phase at 0. If it's on an adjacent wall then you'll need to adjust it to where it sounds right. Typically bass that is out of phase with your mains sounds muddy and unclear. Adjusting the pahse will sharpen the sound of the bass.

[JohnWB]

Thanks. I have it set up and I'm not sure the actual Sub itself is working properly. Is there a place that I can plug the sub directly into to get audio out of it? Maybe the headphone jack? I turned the volume almost all the way up and played soe Bob Marley but it just didn't seem to do alot. The sub was moving and putting out bass but not a whole lot. Maybe I am expecting too much. I can actually put my ear to the sub when turned up pretty high and not feel as though I'm going to lose my hearing.

[CECAA850]

If your CD player has a "Sub Out" connection, you can try there.

[Xki]

Your RF-3s go down to 37Hz the KSW-10 is rated as low as 29 Hz. Depending on the source, and connecting to the sub-1 output (might be LF obnly), setting the low pass at the bottom of the range (40Hz) should give that bottom punch your looking for. However, if the source isn't sending the signals that yiour receiver would push through the Sub-1 output, there won't be any significant low end coming from the KSW and you could turn it up to max an not really hear anything worthwhile. My understanding is that the LFE output on a receiver is not used for signals input that are not x.1. In other words, if the source is analog stereo, don't expect any output from the sub-1 rca connection unless you can set the receiver to a pro-logic or better decoding.

To test, run the main wires to the high level speaker terminals. If there isn't anything going throught the LFE (sub-1) output on your receiver, this will allow you to hear the lower end. Check the manual. It explains the hook up very well.

[JohnWB]

Xki,

I have the sub connectd to Sub 1(LFE) on a NAD T755 receiver, I'm assuming there is no other way to hook up the sub to the receiver. Maybe I am expecting the sub to perform for all my audio inputs when in fact it will only kick on when called to action by a certain signal from the audio source. So to take your example of the analog stereo, if I am listening to my tuner on analog stereo, no sub. But if i change the receiver setting to pro-logic or better while listening to the receiver I should get the sub to fire? Same for the CD player and my digital cable box? I put in the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" CD last week and the sub was firing, it was actually too overbearing that i had to turn it down.

[Xki]

Xki,

I have the sub connectd to Sub 1(LFE) on a NAD T755 receiver, I'm assuming there is no other way to hook up the sub to the receiver. Maybe I am expecting the sub to perform for all my audio inputs when in fact it will only kick on when called to action by a certain signal from the audio source. So to take your example of the analog stereo, if I am listening to my tuner on analog stereo, no sub. But if i change the receiver setting to pro-logic or better while listening to the receiver I should get the sub to fire? Same for the CD player and my digital cable box? I put in the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" CD last week and the sub was firing, it was actually too overbearing that i had to turn it down.

But there is another way to hook it up. Run your main speaker cables to the sub and then to your speakers. There are 2 sets of high level speaker connections. Then any signal source with any low frequency components will be routed through the sub which is just waiting to respond. Of course the LFE input is the prefered method but, you are correct. If there isn't an LFE component from the source, the subs will be mute. Overbearing is better than under-bearing since you can always turn it down but you can't always turn it up! []

[JohnWB]

Once I run my main speaker wires to the subs terminals then what? Do I make the connection to the main speakers by piggy backing over the top of the wires coming from the receiver?

[CECAA850]

There should be a set of terminals for the speaker wires labled "in" and another labled "out", which is where you run the wires from your sub to your speakers.

[JohnWB]

I don't recall terminals on the sub for output, just input. Here's the specs on it.

Specifications

FREQUENCY RESPONSE	29Hz-120Hz(+-)3dB
POWER HANDLING	FTC Rated Power: 55 watts continuous, 22-125Hz @ ≤ 1% THD Dynamic Power*: 225 watts @ ≤ 1% THD *Dynamic power indicates the actual power this amplifier will deliver to the woofer under normal operating conditions. While the FTC power rating indicates power available on a continuous, long-term basis, subwoofers do not rely on that type of power. Instead, the amplifier is called upon to deliver large, short-term peaks of power to be able to support the wide dynamics required by today's digital music and movie formats. In addition to the required FTC power rating, we've provided the dynamic power rating as a better indication of the product's true performance.
SENSITIVITY	110dB SPL 1/8 space, 1 meter
LOW PASS CROSSOVER	Continuously variable from 40-120Hz, 24dB/octave slope above 120Hz
WOOFER	K-1070-K 10" (25.4cm) down-firing fiber-composite cone
AMPLIFIER	Class A/B discrete MOSFET outputs
PHASE	Switchable 0 or 180 degrees
ENCLOSURE MATERIAL	MDF
ENCLOSURE TYPE	Bass reflex via rear-mounted port
INPUTS	2) Line level/LFE RCA phono jacks and 2) High level speaker terminals
AUTO POWER ON	2 Second ON delay, 15 minute OFF delay
DIMENSIONS	15.5" (39.37cm) x 13.5" (34.3cm) x 13.5" (34.3cm)
WEIGHT	29 lbs. (13.18kg)
FINISHES	Matte-finish Black vinyl
VOLTAGE	110/120 VAC/60Hz
EXPORT VOLTAGE	230 VAC 50/60Hz
BUILT FROM	1998

[JohnWB]

I'm trying to find a pciture to see if that's the case. Otherwie I will just check when i get home.

[CECAA850]

Your owners manual makes no mention of high level (speaker wire) outputs, only inputs. That's strange. I wonder how they expect/want you to hook up your speakers if you have a conventional amp with no sub out?

[Xki]

http://www.klipsch.com/images/download/185.aspx

The above link is to your owners manual. See figure A on page 13.

The risk is that the combined parallel speakers would lower the ohmage to 4 rather than 8. You receiver might get fried. Here is a blurb from the O/M:

“SPEAKER IN” / ALL MODELS
For parallel connection of the subwoofer and main speaker wires (main speakers full range), connect
the subwoofer input wires to the main channel, right and left, speaker outputs of your amplifier or
to a secondary set of main speaker terminals (speaker if your amplifier is so equipped. Refer to
Figure A. Alternately, you can connect the wires from your main speakers, along with the subwoofer’s
input wires, to the “SPEAKER IN” terminals on the subwoofer. This may be more convenient
if the subwoofer is closer to your speakers than it is to your electronics. Please consult your
dealer for details regarding connection of multiple speaker cables to a common set of speaker outputs.
For optimal performance, use equal lengths (left and right inputs) of the same high quality
speaker cable that you are using to connect your main speakers. Consult your Klipsch dealer for
recommendations. Refer to “About Speaker Wire Connections” for more detail.

[JohnWB]

This worked like a charm. I bought an RCA Y adaptor (Female to 2 Males) and plugged in my sub connection from the receiver to the female side. I then plugged the 2 male connections into both line level/LFE RCA phono jacks on the back of the sub. HUGE difference, like night and day. I actually hear the bass loud and clear.