RS-42 = Bipole or Dipole

[sga2]

Anyone know if the RS-42's are wired in bipole (in phase) or dipoile (out of phase) configuration?

Thanks,

sga2

[Trey Cannon]

You will need to look behind door #3...they are WDST

This may help...

W.D.S.T.

1) Klipsch Wide Dispersion Surround Technology surround speakers take a different approach to surround coverage than dipole and bipole surrounds.

a) Dipole models place drivers out of polarity to create a null on one axis of the speaker. It is popular to sit in the null, thus the loudest sounds come from indirect radiation from the speaker. A dipole, used in this manner creates a diffuse and non-localized rear sound field.

i) Some drawbacks to dipole surrounds include that the rear sound field is not confined to the rear. As much radiation is radiated forward as rearward.

ii) A dipole also depends on other surfaces in the room to reflect the sound to the listener.

iii) A dipole can only create a diffuse rear sound field.

iv) Finally, a dipole is very inefficient at low frequencies, as the out of phase bass cancels.

Bipole models place drivers on several faces, with the idea that the radiation is equal in all directions, like a point source.

i) The problem is that the drivers interact, and actually radiate sound very erratically, with a different frequency response in each direction.

ii) The sound field created is not coherent and as a result is not very realistic.

c) Klipsch WDST surrounds are very much like a professional concert array. The high frequencies, made directional by the horn, are arrayed at the proper angles to provide even coverage, or with the same frequency response in all directions. The single woofer is crossed over where it is omni directional, thus creating a system which truly radiates sound equally in all directions.

i) WDST models provide balanced direct and reverberant sound field to listeners. Since the response is the same in all directions, the reverberant sound filed reaching the listeners from other directions, is balanced spectrally with the direct sound, creating a coherent, realistic rear sound field.

[sga2]

Sorry if I caused any confusion... I was just looking to see how the drivers are wired (in-phase or out-of-phase).

I did a "pop" test with an AA battery and see that both woofers move in-phase. Can I assume the same for the high-frequeny drivers?

Thanks.

[WMcD]

Trey didn't say exactly. Maybe it is considered confidential and he is not allowed to say exactly.

My guess is that the two horn drivers are in phase with each other. Though not necessarily in phase with the woofers. E.g. in the Heresy the crossover the polarity was reversed.

Regarding the RS. We know the two woofers are in phase (same polarity). If one horn was in reverse phase (polarity) to the other horn, then one horn would be reversed relative to the two woofers. I'd think that would cause problems with the goal of omnidirectionality.

I can go wacky and think there is some built-in tilt to the pattern in the crossover region, one side of the cabinet is upside down, and thus reversing polarity would maintain tilt -- but this is unlikely.

Wm McD

[Trey Cannon]

Yes, they are the same polarity...

The angle on the cabinet helps with the "blending" of the horns.

I think it is a 3rd order xover on both HF and LF....could be 2nd on the LF...

[Trey Cannon]

BTW: Welcome to the forum....

[sga2]

Thanks.

And thanks for the info, too!

sga2