huge Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I'm upgrading my HT system, but what I call an upgrade is probably pretty far off the low end for most denizens of this forum. I'm hoping you'll slum it with me and offer some advice... I just got a new AVR (Pioneer VSX-1121-K) and some decent speaker wire (from BlueJeansCable, to replace my ... brace yourself ... old phone wiring I've been using for speaker wire for 15+ years). While measuring cable runs I realized that I really need to get a new powered subwoofer, to replace my crusty old passive Cambridge Soundworks HT IV (that I had literally forgotten existed). My LCR mains are all Klipsch Synergy SLX, and I'm pretty happy with them - no plans to upgrade those. My basement HT room is small - I'm thinking under 1500 cubic feet. I only watch movies (80%) & TV (20%) in that room - no music. At first I looked at the Klipsch Synergy Sub-10, thinking it might match up with my mains well, but then saw some weak reviews, so now I'm considering getting the RW-12d (both are on sale at Newegg - $200 vs $300). The 12d seems like a better unit, but I wonder if it's just way too big/powerful for my room and system. Does it even make sense to worry about that, or can a powered sub operate with all its quality even when it's not using anywhere near all of its power? Thanks for any advice or wisdom you can share with an unwashed, cheap, low-fi, first-post noob... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Welcome to the forum! I would get the rw12d. For movies, you will really apreciate the abilities. It will not overwelm the room or the rest of your system. Just set the gain of the sub according to the system size. The 12" will pressurize that small room very well. Also, subs are less effective on concrete floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elitedemo Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 get the 12d from newegg, the 10d is underwhelming, you can lower the output of the sub if need be so dont worry about to much power Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abjonesiii Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 +1 for rw12d. It won't overpower the room. If you had any spare change I would say get two of them but you should be happy with one. For the money its a good deal on a respectable 12. to replace my ... brace yourself ... old phone wiring I've been using for speaker wire for 15+ years). wow.......... I think phone wire is like 28 gauge? .. I shall pretend I didn't read that [8-)] Normally I would say wire doesn't make a difference but in this case it should make an appreciable difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TasDom Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I just got a new AVR (Pioneer VSX-1121-K) and some decent speaker wire (from BlueJeansCable, to replace my ... brace yourself ... old phone wiring I've been using for speaker wire for 15+ years). Did you get caller ID on that set up? [] I 2nd and 3rd the RW12D. I purchased 2 and am very pleased.... BTW.....Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huge Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 +1 for rw12d. It won't overpower the room. If you had any spare change I would say get two of them but you should be happy with one. For the money its a good deal on a respectable 12. to replace my ... brace yourself ... old phone wiring I've been using for speaker wire for 15+ years). wow.......... I think phone wire is like 28 gauge? .. I shall pretend I didn't read that Normally I would say wire doesn't make a difference but in this case it should make an appreciable difference Thanks for the replies, everyone! I ordered the 12d - sounds pretty much unanimous that it won't be "too much". I probably can't quite manage getting two of them, but it seems like this "sale" price comes up off-and-on, so perhaps I'll have an opportunity to change my mind down the road. For now I'm just hoping it doesn't arrive *too* badly damaged (lots of complaints in the Newegg reviews). On the phone wiring issue, my understanding is that phone wiring is 24-gauge, but there are 8 wires, so I twisted 4 together for + and 4 for -. I read somewhere what the resulting effective gauge was (assuming I was getting good contact with all the strands) and it was something like 16. It sounded fine to me, but it looked gross and was hard to work with, and I decided it was time to be a grownup. Thanks again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Some people here use CAT5 wire for speakers. Here is a guy that actually explains the subject. http://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html. The latest networking cable is CAT6A for gigabit. I think it is just shielded CAT5e. I bet it would work very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huge Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 OK, let's move away from the whole phone/cat5 wiring fun that I started and toward some more low-brow cheap-a$$ audio setup questions... I got the RW-12D, and apparently I got one of the 3% that wasn't damaged, so that's good. I haven't played around much with settings or placement - I just ran the AVR's (Pioneer VSX-1121-K) auto-calibration routine, and right out of the box the new sub sounds great (to my admittedly not-too-fussy ear), so that's good too. So right now, I haven't even bothered to remove my old unpowered Sub from the system: Cambridge Soundworks HT IV, connected between the AVR and the Klipsch Synergy SLX front L/R speakers. (Identical SLX used as Center, connected directly to the AVR, obv) Is it obvious that I should remove the unpowered sub from the room? I guess I could rephrase that ... it's not obvious to *me* - the system clearly sounds better now than when the old sub was handling LFE duties, and I don't notice any kind of interference or other signs of the two subs "not playing nice together", but it's entirely plausible to me that the old sub is now just a waste at best, and muddying the waters at worst, and that I should get rid of it even if I can't readily detect that it's causing any problems... Any thoughts? (Thanks for all the encouragement, by the way - I'm very glad I got the 12D instead of the wimpier alternatives. I'm having friends over to watch "Blade Runner" on Blu-Ray tomorrow night and greatly looking forward to all the rumbling) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I would remove the old sub and re-run auto calibration, and I would do this before the big event. Why use a 22, when you have a sub machine gun. I doubt you can even tell its running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huge Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 I would remove the old sub and re-run auto calibration, and I would do this before the big event. Why use a 22, when you have a sub machine gun. I doubt you can even tell its running. Thanks for the reply. That would have been a better way to ask my question - is the old sub just doing nothing in the current setup? I think I'll give it a calibration and a listen right now, and then remove the old CSW sub, calibrate and listen again. And then probably use the CSW and my 3 extra little satellites to set up a small HT for my sister. If anyone else has different ideas, let me know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 3.1 systems can sound very nice. Pick up a pair of cheapo promedia satelites from a dead promedia system on fleabay or CL, and she'll have a decent 5.1! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 On the phone wiring issue, my understanding is that phone wiring is 24-gauge, but there are 8 wires, so I twisted 4 together for + and 4 for -. I read somewhere what the resulting effective gauge was (assuming I was getting good contact with all the strands) and it was something like 16. It sounded fine to me, but it looked gross and was hard to work with, and I decided it was time to be a grownup. Thanks again... 4 Strands of 24 AWG is two doublings, or a 2 x 3 = 6 decrease, netting 18 AWG. (Yes, it works just like power and SPL.) As for replacement, monoprice is a great very cheap source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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