Various Problems with Quintets and KSW10

[Lance_W]

I've had my Quintet Microsystem and KSW10 for 3 days now... the first problem I talked about in Powered Subwoofers... the fuse is constantly blowing. Second problem is the tweeter on the center channel seems to be inoperative now, but I'm not sure... it does sound like there is something coming out of it, but I can't tell if it's from the other 2 speakers or the tweeter itself. I don't know what to do, but i want to get this thing working!! Help!

[dougdrake]

You should be able to determine if the sound is coming from the tweeter by simply covering it with your hand. Do the highs go away, or is there no discernable difference? Play some static off your FM tuner through the center channel to help identify if the tweeter is working.

[Guest BobG]

Lance,

Just saw this additional problem. Something very strange is happening in your system. Either we've sent you product with lots of problems, (possible though extremely unusual) or you have damaged that center tweeter by having too much fun. I am more than willing to assume the fault is ours. Time to take both pieces to your dealer for exam. Please let me know the outcome.

[Lance_W]

Bob:

Let me first say from what I have heard of the system, I'm blown away. For the $850 I ended up paying, it's the most amazing sound system I think (for the money) you can buy. I'm running it on (as I've said before) a Sony DB-940 which is in the ES line, and it's a mid range ES receiver... it's runs 110watts x 5 channels at 8 ohms (which is what I have it set to). It's a pretty nice little unit, and I was happy with it when i was running a Bose Acoustimass 10 Series II system... but there just weren't enough highs, which is why I decided to go with the Klipsch system... my best friend has Klipsch speakers from about 2 or 3 years ago (before they started using the copper-colored woofer) and I've never heard anything like them... I think they're either Legend or Reference series, which ever were about $250 a piece for the 8" woofer version. but I digress, the problems I'm having are annoying, but I'm not loosing faith in Klipsch at all... United Audio said they're going to swap me out a new center channel and sub and try to fix the old ones and sell them open box... so hopefulyl everythign will work out... I tried to get them to upgrade me to a KSW12 for free, but they weren't too hot on that one... oh well, maybe next time :-)

[Guest BobG]

Thanks for the update Lance. Please do keep us informed. We aren't happy till you are.

Trite but true.

[Lance_W]

I'm going to go into UA and swap everything out tomorrow night... lemme ask you guys something... do you experience problems like this often? Also, am I possibly overpowering the speakers? (110x5 @ 8 ohms) Also, I've read somethings on this board about "clipping" the speakers... does this mean turning the highs up on the eq? I had my high setting at about +8 and the cross over set at 2.8khz... would this damage the tweeter? I love crisp, bright highs and I can't think of a better tweeter to get them from than a Tractix horn... but does this damage the tweeter? It was weird... I was playing something and then one second it sounded like all the highs just went out... I'll keep you posted on the dealings with UA... Thanks for all the help!

PS... what would you recommend setting the sub at to keep hard bass but not blow any more fuses!! (I have a 10" Infinity Kappa Perfect sub in my Trans Am and I'm used to HARD bass...)

[Ray Garrison]

Lance,

Setting your eq to +8, and assuming that the scale is reasonably accurate and measured in decibels, you are pushing approximate 6.3 times more power into the tweeter than a flat setting would be pushing. (Formula for calculating dB difference between power level P1 and power level P2 is: value in dB = 10 X log ( P1 / P2) ).

If you are playing your system loudly, close to the maximum power output of your receiver in the midrange (say for example you've got the volume set where it would be pushing 50 watts into the Quintets if the EQ were flat), by setting the EQ to 8 in the treble you're asking the receiver to deliver over 300 watts if it sees a full volume high frequency signal. It can't. It will clip. Hard clipping into the tweeter will fry the tweeter in a moment.

If you find the high end is too soft or laid back, rather than pushing the EQ hard, I'd:

1) GENTLY boost the EQ (no more than +3);

2) Make sure the speakers were angled and tilted in a position that pointed the axis of the tweeter directly at me, so that I was not sitting off-axis (for example, if the speakers are pointed straight ahead, and you're sitting fairly close to them and between them, you are waaay off axis; point them toward you);

3) Take the grills off the speakers when listening to them.

If things are STILL too soft in the high end for you, and you want more brillance, you could boost the EQ more and be very, very careful not to push the volume too high, or you could look at adding an addition set of 3rd party tweeters; I've heard good things about these:

Quoting from their website:

"Tannoy has launched two SuperTweeters: the Prestige ST200 to complement its own loudspeakers; and the Universal ST100 for use with speakers from other manufacturers. Both provide adjustments for crossover frequency and level, and operate up to 54kHz. They provide, says chief engineer, Dr. Paul Mills, "increased immediacy, airiness and impact, making music sound more natural and true to life".

For further information please contact:

Tannoy Limited

Rosehall Industrial Estate

Coatbridge

Strathclyde

ML5 4TF

Scotland

Tel: +44 (0) 1236 420199

Fax: +44 (0) 1236 428230 http://www.tannoy.com "

Ray

------------------

Music is art

Audio is engineering

[PhilH]

Lance_W:

The Quintets are rated at 100 watts continuous and 200 watts on peaks. I think the important thing here for you is that it can take those levels with clean power only. To increase the sound by +3dB it requires a doubling of amplifier power. An EQ on a system boosts those frequency bands by using more amplifier power. Therefore, you can drive an amp into "clipping" by overboosting frequencies just as easy as turning up the receiver's volume control up too high. Clipping of an amp will blow a tweeter(s) instantly, causing the highs to disappear suddenly.

On the bass side, you should realize that a car has a much different acoustical environment than a room inside a home. The car interior is much smaller and much more "sealed" than a room. For this reason, it takes a lot less bass emphasis (less wattage, less drivers, etc.) to produce that "HARD" bass you like in a car. That's why some car audio systems have been measured at sound levels of 160 dB or higher! Lance, those levels are next to impossible to achieve in your home.

There are speakers, amplifiers and subwoofers designed to get closer to the volume levels you expect, but for LOTS more money than you paid for your system. The Quintet system you have is an excellent sat/sub system for the money, but you're just not going to get live concert level deep thumping bass and "throw your hair back" highs out of it. No sat/sub system can do that and few in-home systems of any type can hit those high dB levels you can get in a car.

[Lance_W]

Just to fill you guys in...

I got my center channel replaced, and the sub got replaced by United Audio (now the Tweeter Group...) and everything works perfectly! I'm so happy with these speakers... thanks Klipsch for making a great product and having the integrity to stand behind it! I'll never buy from another home speaker manufacturer again. I am one proud customer!

[T2K]

WOW!

[T2K]

OOPS, Just wanted to say: Why do I get the feeling that we'll be reading Lance's comments in a future Klipsch ad.

Keith