Gbott Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 With any luck I will picking up a second pair of KG 5.5 today and will finally be able to make a center channel out of one and have a "matching" system. I have read many older post regarding center channels and making a center channel to match the front speakers exactly. A lot of these post were from many years ago and I was wondering if anything has changed in regards to going through with this project. The goal is to have three KG 5.5's across the front with the center channel laying on its side. The center channel will sit on a low piece of furniture with the top of center channel being the same height as the front left and right KG 5.5's. I plan to replace the front face of speaker with a new one that has a different layout for speakers/horn/port. The horn will be positioned in the center and height be aligned with the left/right speakers. The woofers will be on either side of horn. At this time I am not 100 percent sure on what to do with the port. I may just put the port on one end but am going to explore changing my port size and putting one on each end to create a nice balanced looking speaker if it is possible to do this without changing the sound or timber of the speaker. A question I do have at this time is: Do I need to do anything to protect my TV which will be directly above (mounted on wall) the center channel in regards to magnetic shielding. Also the piece of furniture the center channel will be laying on houses all of my other electronics-Cable receiver, DVD, Cd Changer, receiver, media player, hard drives, WII. Is there any risk either from vibration or the magnets from having this large speaker laying across the top. Currently the front left and right KG 5.5's sit one inch away from piece of furniture that houses all of my electronics. Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 Another question I have that I hope someone may be able to shed light on is the orientation of the horn. Some klipsch center channels have the 90 x 60 degree horn positioned so the long part of horn runs top to bottom. The floor standing speakers typically have the horn positioned so the long side of horn runs horizontally. It is my intention to construct the modded kg 5.5 so the horn sits the same way as the floor standing with the long side of the horn running horizontally. Would this be the correctway or is there a reason why klipsch sometimes positions the horn the other way with center channel speakers. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan308 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I'm kind of doint the same thing with a Heresy. I too am mounting the mid horn and tweeter horizontally with a 8 inch woofer on each side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 What are you planning to use for the woofers? Are you using the two horns from a heresy? Your going to need to come up with a new crossover, box size and possibly adding a port. What are your plans for these details of your project. I ask because I had toyed with the idea of making a center out of another KG speaker as long as it had the same horn. I wasn't sure how to handle these aspects of that project so decided to just modify the the same speaker and only change the layout. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dog Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 You can buy a RC-52 II, RC-62 II or RC-64II all of which will sound better than whatever custom box you create with this "match timbree". I know because I have a pair of KG 4.5s. I am running RS-62 II for my surrounds. I have both a KV-3 and a RC-62 II on an A/B switch for my center. The RC-62 II is by far the winner between the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 I don't feel your comparison of a rc-62 against a kv-3 really applies for what I am going for. The rc-62 should outperform the kv-3 by a landslide. Numerous post here in the forums and also on many web sites it is stated that the best possible center channel would be one that is identical to the other front speakers. Right now my synergy c-2, which I know is not as good as a rc-62, stands out and doesn't sound the same as the rest of the speakers. My goal is to have a front stage that blends effortlessly both sound wise and visually. Ideally I would just leave the KG 5.5 for the center alone and stand it up as it is was designed for and be done. This is not the case due to the placement of the entertainment center and the limits of where I can put all the electronics in the room. As far as “whatever custom box you create with this “match timbre””, although I am changing the orientation of the speakers and horn I believe I am maintaining the integrity of the KG 5.5. Additionally once this is done I can’t possible agree with the fact that a rc-62 would sound better mixed in with a pair of kg5.5s and kg5.2s than a Kg5.5 center would. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan308 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 My project is 31 x 11 x 16 and will use the KV55 + K700 horn mid and the KV77 Tweeter. The crossover will be E-Type. The woofers I've decided on are sold by Apex jr. are 4ohm Klipsch 8 inch. I will series the woofers to get 8ohm and hopefully adjust the output of the mid/tweet on the autoformer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 "I know because I have a pair of KG 4.5s. I am running RS-62 II for my surrounds. I have both a KV-3 and a RC-62 II on an A/B switch for my center. The RC-62 II is by far the winner between the two." The only problem being neither of them is the correct match for the KG 4.5's, that Reference series center must stick out like a sore thumb or you don't understand what timbre' is. Find a movie soundtrack that has left to right, or right to left pans across the front and then tell me you don't notice a timbre' mismatch. I can assure you it's there. Get the correct center the KG 2.5V for your mains and the front stage will be coherent. You can use the KG 5.5 as is without modding it and have a great center channel you won't gain by leaps and bounds by shifting the position of the drivers. Modding it in center channel fashion would be slick though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 I will be doing the mod of the front face and agree with the thought that it will look slick. I have a custom cabinet making woodshop at my disposal, have built speaker boxes before and have the assistance of a custom cabinet builder with over 40 years of wood working experience. I hope all I need to do is replace the face and still be able to use the other walls. All of this work will be done with the idea that I could easily undo this mod and return the speaker back to its original layout so as not to eliminate possibilities down the road, different living room….Any input on port location and horn orientation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! How much power do you run to your kg5.5s? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olorin Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 You can buy a RC-52 II, RC-62 II or RC-64II all of which will sound better than whatever custom box you create with this "match timbree". [bs] There is a reason people go to great lengths to use three La Scalas across the front, or find a way to use a Chorus II behind an AT protector screen, or pay exhorbitant prices for Academys and KLF-C7s, and that, as a group, the user population has made this kind of choice for years and years. That there is a simple answer that has eluded all of them isn't it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 While I am no expert, so take with a grain of salt. I think you would be best off keeping one port the same size as the current speaker. If I understand you correctly you just want to lay the "center" on its side and more the horns/whoofers around so they are positioned just as they were in the vertical configuration. Cool project take some pix and let us see the work. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 You understand my intentions correctly. Last night I measured up the KG5.5 and plugged it all into autocad. I had thought I would have room to put the port on one of the ends of the speaker face but that is not the case. The only place the port would fit would be to put it directly under the horn, in between the two woofers. Even placing the port there leaves me little room top to bottom for any kind of spacing between the edges of speaker/horn/port. I had hoped to be able to use the same speaker body and only change the face of the speaker. I still think this can be done but I am concerned about the location of the port. Is having the port directly below the horn as well as inbetween the two woofers a poor location for the preformance of the speaker? I am trying to figure out how to turn what I have drawn in Autocad into a jpeg or another file format to be able to load up what I have drawn. I will upload pic once I can sort the file conversion out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I am not speaker building expert, so check with others however, my Chorus speakers had two ports. Not sure if you simply make two "holes" half the size of the one big one or not. I agree best to use the original cabinet if possible...just seems nicer that way. Surely less work. I have no idea if the port below the horns would be a problem. Am I correnct in thinking they just relieve the pressure in the cabinet when the whoofer(s) move, thus increasing the bass response. Same idea with the passive in the CII and Forte I or II. If that is the case I think the port below horns would be OK. But again just guessing here. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan308 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Why would the port location matter? As long as it looks good to you and achieves the purpose. What about venting it out the back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Forgive the low quality image, I had to take a picture of computer screen with cell phone to get this here....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Here is another low quality image of what I intend to have upon completion of this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 I have no problem with the port being in the front in terms of how it looks. I just don't know if the location matters in terms of the port working correctly. Putting the port in the back would require me to cut a hole on the back of the speaker which I do not want to do. I want the option of putting the original face back on at a later date if I were to want the speaker to stand up as originally intended. Knowing this I would like to keep as much 'factory" as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vnzbd Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I had purchased a KLF 10 on ebay that had the motor board come apart. I rebuilt it as you are talking of doing with the horn oriented horizontally and more towards the top of the enclosure. I did not have to worry about the port. I could reuse the grill but had to dremel of one of the pegs. On the KLF series the grills are actually tappered from top to bottom so I prefered the look sans grill. I used it between two other KLF 10s and also experimented with it using 20s. As for preformance, it was awesome. I blew my KLF C7 out of the water with clarity and output. I know many would frown on using the center set to large but no issues handling the bass and keeping the dialog clear. I migrated away from the KLF series to Chorus IIs and an Academy. Even though I have refreshed the Academy's x-over and rebuilt its motor board to the horizontal tweeter orientation, it can't touch the 10 center. I sould the 10 center for $100. Yes, I would buy it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan308 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I'm no expert but I would say as long as the hole/tube in the right length, doesn't matter where you put it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbott Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Was able to pick up the kg5.5 to be used as a center last night. I hooked it up and layed it on it's side for now and it sounded great. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to get in the shop and make up a new board. I will update with pictures then. Thanks for all the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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