MODIFYING KLIPSCH RF-7 CROSSOVER'S:DOES IT JUST CHANGE THE CROSSOVER FREQ'S???

[rugerdog]

Hi,

I 've been contemplating modifying the crossover's in my Klipsch RF-7 speakers,as it's got to the point where I just can't take it anylonger,the brightness or high frequency harshness.I've read and been given advice about modifying the caps,etc,on the crossovers.

My thought and question is:Doing that modification,is that going to do the same thing I do, by adjust the EQ settings in my surr sound recvr.I can adjust,something like the 16khz,8khz.... to-12db,to bring down the high freq. Or,does modifying the caps,etc,on the crossovers,actually change the high freq to a smooth, warm sound?,or actually change the whole sound from the tweeter to a warm,smooth sound????

Thanks

[Oblio]

Reducing the hi freq output will reduce the power being routed to the tweeters but that content will be 'lost'. A different crossover can actually change which driver receives that power, if it is near the existing crossover point. This is done by either changing the slope or the crossover frequency. A crossover should not change the characteristics of the source in any way, though in practice this is impossible.

[Deang]

Upgrading the parts and modifying the resistor value in the LCR does not change the crossover frequency or slope.

It will reduce the irritating quality in the mid/high frequencies and deliver a perceived smoother presentation, but it will not change the RF-7's lively up-front signature.

Need more info on your set-up -- you could have a room issue contributing to the problem and low price point HT receivers don't help either.

[Guest David H]

Dean is correct, I heard a pair of RF-7's in a room with hard floors, low ceiling, and a Yamaha receiver - Absolutely horrible.

This is not a stab at Yamaha, so stop your misinterpertations now. The crossover upgrade is basically higher quality parts.

Room and components play a huge part in the overall sound.

[rugerdog]

Hi Dean,

Currently I have connected: Pioneer Elite SC-09TX surr sound recvr(200watts per ch),retail $7000/Pioneer Elite Reference BDP-09FD blu ray player,retail $2200/Onkyo DV-SP1000 DVD-Audio/SACD player,retail $2000/(4) Klipsch RF-7 speakers(2 for fronts 2 for surrounds)/Transparent Audio Musicwave 8' Super Biwire speaker cable pair(fronts),retail $1800/Better Cables 30' Silver Serpent double bi wire speaker cables pairs(surrounds),reatil $750/Monster Cable M series 4' M1000 HDMI cables,$200, from Pioneer Elite Ref BDP-09 FD blu ray to Pioneer SC-09TX surr sound recvr and from recvr to Sony 46" XBR8 LCD TV/Audio Quest 1394-G 6' I-EEE(I-EEE 1394/I- LINK/S400) cable,$200, from Onkyo DV-SP1000 DVD Audio/SACD player to Pioneer Elite SC-09TX surr sound recvr./Transparent Audio 6' Musicwave Super power cords,$475 each(for:Pioneer blu ray player,Onkyo DVD/SACD player,Pioneer Elite SC-09TX surr recvr),/Panamax P5300M power conditioner$499, with blu ray and SACD/DVD Audio players,TV connected to it.Monstercable AVS2000 voltage regulator$1700, with Pioneer Elite SC-09TX surr recvr and Panamax power cntr connected to it.

But as I've said in other posting,this is my current setup,since I've owned these RF-7 speakers I've had approx 20 diff recvr and pre amp/amp setups and approx 12 DVD and approx 12 VD players.And many diff brand speaker cables and interconnects,from ,not including spkrs $$2000-25,000,trying to find the right combo,to go with these Klipsch RF-7 speakers to give a pleasing,smooth and warm sound.But to no avail.It's always been easier to just simply try or sell and purchase a different recvr,CD,DVD player.But it would/will be much more difficult to change out speakers, and more expensive.I've been looking at the B&W 803S retail approx $6000 pair.

Cape Cod house,second floor 12' x 14' room,ceilings are angled at each end,behind front and surr speakers.Only room I can have set up in,and the only way it can be ,as the other room ends have the entry door and closet and other end has large windows.Complete high,Shag rug,over hard wood floor.Plastered walls,with thin 4' high walls behind front and surr speakers,as there's a crawl space behind those walls.I put, approx 30" x 30" egg crate foam squares above front speakers,on angled wall directly above the front speakers,in line with the front edge of front spkrs.And 30 x 30 foam squares on side walls,in line where,from seated position,sighted by mirror.And a larger approx 30" x 60" egg crate foam in the center of rear wall,at same hieght as tweeters.I hung curtains over windows,and hung curtain,in same spot on other side wall.Surr spkrs are basically in the rear corners,no other choice.

I'm basically concerning myself with the front speaker setup and quality.

Front RF-7 are 7' spread,each speaker is toed in 15 degrees,8' seating distance.

[djk]

Remove the biwire jumper on the red posts.

Install a 0.25mH inductor in series with the red High input post. Parallel the inductor with an L-pad with only terminals 2 and 3 connected. Set the L-pad to mid-point rotation. Adjust to suit.

[IB Slammin]

At Dee's in '04 I think, I listened to stock RF-7's for a few hours and then with Dean's X-over mods.

If I owned that speaker, I would run to him for that network change. IMHO, well worth the cost.

tc

[rugerdog]

djk,

Could you please be more clear or explain more,on this??? I'm not sure what your explaining about??? This does'nt sound like an explanation for replacing the caps,etc, on or for the crossover,inside the Klipsch RF-7 speaker???

Thanks

[CECAA850]

http://community.klipsch.com/forums/p/57320/1287601.aspx#1287601

[Invidiosulus]

djk,

Could you please be more clear or explain more,on this??? I'm not sure what your explaining about??? This does'nt sound like an explanation for replacing the caps,etc, on or for the crossover,inside the Klipsch RF-7 speaker???

Thanks

It sounds like he's telling you how to make a tone knob of sorts to control the highs.

-Josh

[InVeNtOr]

did you ever take a pic of you crossover? i read that you said it didn't look like everyone elses. i would highly reccemend getting a dean g crossover upgrade. he can do it for you, or if you like you can do it yourself. it's very simple, if you know how to solder. you simply change out the HF board caps. you can go to www.partsexpress.com and buy everything there. that is where dean gets the stuff to do it. the extra item he adds is a 10olm resistor to the 2olm resistor. there is several pics of the updated crossover on here. do a search to find them.

i did the upgrade myself and compared it to a brand new rf-7 and mine blew my friends out of the water. the sound was sooooo much better. what i ended up with is a RF-83 mellow warm highs with the bass of the 7's. so worth it!

[rugerdog]

did you ever take a pic of you crossover? i read that you said it didn't look like everyone elses. i would highly reccemend getting a dean g crossover upgrade. he can do it for you, or if you like you can do it yourself. it's very simple, if you know how to solder. you simply change out the HF board caps. you can go to www.partsexpress.com and buy everything there. that is where dean gets the stuff to do it. the extra item he adds is a 10olm resistor to the 2olm resistor. there is several pics of the updated crossover on here. do a search to find them.

i did the upgrade myself and compared it to a brand new rf-7 and mine blew my friends out of the water. the sound was sooooo much better. what i ended up with is a RF-83 mellow warm highs with the bass of the 7's. so worth it!

Thank You for the follow up.

No,I have'nt had a chance to take a photo of a crossover,from one of my RF-7.Because,unfortunately, I don't have one digital camera in the house.I had just recently sold my DSLR setup,to go towards some of the new HT items(Pioneer Elite SC-09 surr recvr).

Also,I have'nt re-taken apart my RF-7 speakers yet.I had them (4) apart approx 1 year ago,when I had to tighten the speaker connectors,I had to remove the black plastic connector/crossover plate,to get at backside,nut.I then also noticed how loose the terminals were at the speakers themselves,so I silver soldered all connections.

I look soo forward to the day I get the parts ordered and get it done.I have done some more experiments with speaker spacing,toe in angles and the EQ adj in the Pioneer Elite SC-09 surr recvr.Has made a good diff.

Yea,I know what you mean,tremendous bass can be had from these RF-7's.

Thanks

[Jeff Rogers]

I was wondering the same thing, could I change the high crossover setting to something like 2K to even out the sound. This was for my xl-12's though, not the same speakers as yours. Anyway, I lowered the bass on my receiver to -6 and the treble to -4 and got the speakers to sound much more neutral and lost the coloration in deeper male voices that I had before. Compared to before, the speakers almost "disappear". Maybe a simple solution like that might help. Hope so. I know it's kinda late from that date you first posted.

Jeff

[Southern]

i did the upgrade myself and compared it to a brand new rf-7 and mine blew my friends out of the water. the sound was sooooo much better. what i ended up with is a RF-83 mellow warm highs with the bass of the 7's. so worth it!

I second the upgraded crossover and the comparison to having RF-83's warm highs with the bass of the 7's.

I bought my RF-7's with the DeanG crossovers so I couldn't compare to stock 7's, I did listen to the RF-83's and noticed that they sounded very similar.

I recently upgraded the crossover on my RC-7 and was impressed on how it blends in with my DeanG RF-7's. Here is a link to my RC-7 crossover upgrade which I have some pics of my DeanG RF-7 crossovers: http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/135665.aspx

I have an older Pioneer Elite receiver and have noticed running the MCACC calibration made a huge difference in the sound quality. When I run the calibration I make sure that there are no other noises in the room and place the mic at ear level sitting in the "sweet spot".