RP-3 Upgrade?!

[VegasShawn]

Since I have my RP-3s apart from having to send my amplifiers back to Klipsch for replacement.....

I was wondering if I could upgrade the 10" subwoofer in each of them? I am thinking of getting a seperate subwoofer. Would it be possible to go replace my woofers with the ones from the RF-7 speakers?

I am thinking this might make the speakers, as a whole, more 'musical' since the need for really low bass could be handled by my seperate subwoofer now?

Am I crazy for thinking this? Would the 10" woofer from the RF7's be a good match?

Another idea I had would be to take the driver from an RSW-10 subwoofer and upgrade that way.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

This message has been edited by VegasShawn on 03-09-2002 at 01:15 PM

[T2K]

Vegas, think about something else.

Keith

[WMcD]

This would be a difficult project even with all the advice and tools of experts.

The designers go to great lengths to optimize performance of the system which is sold. There is little reason to think that the set up could be "hot rodded" or adapted to a new design.

You're talking about designing a whole new system from scratch. It can be done, but is not a matter of finding "drop in" replacements which will work without a lot of R & D.

Gil

This message has been edited by William F. Gil McDermott on 03-09-2002 at 07:46 PM

[VegasShawn]

I guess my RP-3's aren't old enough to be needing upgrades??

I thought the name of this forum was 'UPGRADING' older speakers? Should it be called 'FIXING AND/OR REPLACING' older speakers'?

The main reason I wanted to look into the possibility of upgrading the subwoofer driver was because it does seem to bottom out pretty easily at the levels that I normally listen to.

At what point is upgrading OK? Wouldn't thinking about changing the subwoofer driver to something more modern be considered upgrading?

[cc1091]

More musical? Hmmm..you must have really screwed-up your Rp-3s. Mine are very musical.

As for the cerametallic cone of the RF-7's 10" driver, I don't think it could take the deep bass at 27-90 hz operation. If it can, it wouldn't sound as good as the present cone woofer.

Only mod I would make to the Rp-3 is to cut out its mid and tweeter and replace them with a Heresy OR two RF-3s set at slightly different angles to get more Heresy like dispersion of sound. But that mod is a ways down the road.

If you're heart is set on replacing the driver, use the driver from the KSW-10 woofer. I think you'll find it drops right in (like it was the same exact woofer with a different part name...which it is). Money better spent would be to purchase a Sunfire subwoofer. Or if you're really looking to shake the neighborhood, get the Earthquake Supernova or the Bag End Infrasub 18.

If you can't hear the bass on one of those, then you're probably dead.

[Guest BobG]

The message here is that although two drivers may be the same diameter, they are not at all interchangable. Numerous performance characteristics must be engineered for a driver to properly perform its role. Using the 10" woofer from an RF-7 in place of the RP-3 subwoofer will diminish performance rather than improve it. Same with the RSW-10 active driver as it was not designed for the enclosure size, power amplifier or limiter and filter of the RP-3 amp. You can bolt in a different driver and certainly change the sound. Frequently people convince themselves that any change is an improvement. To truly improve the performance of the RP-3 subwoofer would require new driver, new amplifier and likely new enclosure. You really would be better off adding a sub to enhance the lowest range of the RP-3. Sounds crazy but there is benefit to be had.