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Klipsch SW-115 Review


n8g

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I was thinking about a new TV. The problem is that I can'tget any $$ for the old rear projection CRT. It still works fine. And it has a pretty good picture. I would increase the screen from 51" to 60" and be able to put all the A/V equipment in a console below the TV and make room for a second sub.

Or I may get an amp for either the mains or all five channels.

Or I could do nothing and enjoy the system as is.

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I was thinking about a new TV. The problem is that I can'tget any $$ for the old rear projection CRT. It still works fine. And it has a pretty good picture. I would increase the screen from 51" to 60" and be able to put all the A/V equipment in a console below the TV and make room for a second sub.

Not to be overly critical because many people do this, but I never understood it. When I dim the lights and watch a movie, I want to see the movie. Not lights and indicators from the AV rack. So I always put the AV rack off to the side of the room, and currently behind me.

If I were you, I'd get a 60 to 65 inch screen and hang it on the wall using a $25 monoprice mount, leave the center on that stand below the screen, and forget about a front-room AV rack. The next upgrade after that is a drop screen and projector for movie night: 120 inch of goodness has 4 times the area of a 60-inch screen. [:P]

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was thinking about a new TV. The problem is that I can'tget any $$ for the old rear projection CRT. It still works fine. And it has a pretty good picture. I would increase the screen from 51" to 60" and be able to put all the A/V equipment in a console below the TV and make room for a second sub.

Not to be overly critical because many people do this, but I never understood it. When I dim the lights and watch a movie, I want to see the movie. Not lights and indicators from the AV rack. So I always put the AV rack off to the side of the room, and currently behind me.

If I were you, I'd get a 60 to 65 inch screen and hang it on the wall using a $25 monoprice mount, leave the center on that stand below the screen, and forget about a front-room AV rack. The next upgrade after that is a drop screen and projector for movie night: 120 inch of goodness has 4 times the area of a 60-inch screen. Stick out tongue

I agree about the screen size and rack placement. When watching a movie I like to re-create the theater experience.

I'm finishing my setup with a 73" Mitsubishi and RF-82 II system, The rack is on a side wall so the gear's lights are unobtrusive when viewing a movie.

I'm still shopping for a 12" or 15" sub for those great movie sound tracks.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm still happy as a clam...

after getting my initial set up to where it's blended and sounding very integrated, I might be trying different set ups soon... but for now everything is very nice.

for my situation, I am somewhat limited in placement, which I think limits my ability to experiment.

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I have not yet listened to much music through the sub. If I get some free time I want to watch movies. I have been re-watching lots of movie clips that have a good LFE track. I still smile at the low frequency capability.

On a side note, I listened to an SW-311 the other day in a person's 15' x 20' x 7' basement. It played down to 20Hz but didn't have much output until 28Hz. It sounded great from 36Hz to 55Hz. Overall it did not have enough output for the room. It filled the room with bass but not what I would consider enough. I have noticed that the SW series likes lots of input signal.

And the upgrade bug has already bitten!

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  • 1 year later...

I have not yet listened to much music through the sub. If I get some free time I want to watch movies. I have been re-watching lots of movie clips that have a good LFE track. I still smile at the low frequency capability.

On a side note, I listened to an SW-311 the other day in a person's 15' x 20' x 7' basement. It played down to 20Hz but didn't have much output until 28Hz. It sounded great from 36Hz to 55Hz. Overall it did not have enough output for the room. It filled the room with bass but not what I would consider enough. I have noticed that the SW series likes lots of input signal.

And the upgrade bug has already bitten!

I know this thread is old, but figured i'd revive it considering I just ordered the sw-115. I can't wait to get it, it's replacing a temp klipsch sub 8 (yuk) and will be paired with a garage 4.1 setup including rb-61II's and deftech studio 350's.

I tried to get a little exited by mentioning this on another site but a few guys were totally unimpressed with this sub.

My question is: Since you havent had the opportunity to listen to music, last year, I'm wondering if you have had the opportunity since. I'd really like to know before i unbox it if it's worth it for music as that is the only reason i got it. If people say it sucks for music I'd sell it before even opening it.

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I've had mine for some time... it's alright with music(fair to good), but it simply can be outclassed by a few other subwoofers that are outstanding.

if you can live with good, you are probably okay with it.

as far as HT goes, this thing digs DEEP and shakes the house very competently. it does LFE very well.

mine is used in a 50/50 setting... I listen to a lot of music and analog music and I am okay with it. Lately I have been wanting to try other subs because my focus for that area of my system seems to be shifting slightly to Musical instead of HT.

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The ability of a sub to play well with music is more a function of setup and calibration than the sub itself. You can take a megadollar sub, put it slightly out of phase with the mains and it'll sound like crap. There are very few subs in this price range that don't sound good with music when care is taken while integrating it into your system. Putting the sub where it's asthetically pleasing and only level matching it are the main reason some subs sound like poo.

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Putting the sub where it's asthetically pleasing and only level matching it are the main reason some subs sound like poo.

that's probably something akin to what has happening in my place... off axis has FAR MORE db's than the listening position.I am just wanting to see what other far higher reviewed subs might sound like in my set up. I am not unhappy by ANY STRETCH of the imagination.

If I were you iron, I would give her a try... it's well worth it.

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Setup and Location are the keep to good SQ with subs. Most subs sound very similar under 60 Hz. The better subs can dig deeper, be xo higher and can generate more spl. Unfortunately our rooms may dictate a subopitmal location. Part Express had an 18 in sub kit for around $360.

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