Theatrical Forte

[nlt6mor]

This was the test!

[bobdog]

As someone who happily runs a Lascalla on its side as a center I really don't think I would rethink a Forte motor board to make my center perfect.  You would probably regret cutting up the speaker when you go to a projection screen and want three Fortes standing upright as your L C R array anyway.  Trust me you will be hard pressed to hear any faults with the speaker on its side.  It will mostly play dialog anyway.

[nlt6mor]

As someone who happily runs a Lascalla on its side as a center I really don't think I would rethink a Forte motor board to make my center perfect.  You would probably regret cutting up the speaker when you go to a projection screen and want three Fortes standing upright as your L C R array anyway.  Trust me you will be hard pressed to hear any faults with the speaker on its side.  It will mostly play dialog anyway.

Thanks Bob, I agree and will be leaving the center forte intact as is. Just up grade, remove the foot and stand up in the center when I am done. You don't have to get to far off center of LP to notice the midrange horn is a little narrowly focused when on its side.

Now playing with acoustic treatments. I am playing blind with no real room measurements. But I like the way the bass tightened and you could hear the notes clearly with a bunch of insulation just laying around!

[nlt6mor]

Ok I am slow.  Remember 70% music and 30% movies.   Since last post: added a TV  (Samsung covered),  a small KG 2.2V center,  a Rythmic subwoofer and some new furniture.  Now have to finish the new fortes for surrounds.  Next, need to find four ceiling speakers,   a Marantz 6011,  build some absorbers and paint the walls!

[chuckears]

On 3/14/2016 at 11:40 AM, colterphoto1 said:

KLF-C7 would work beautifully. 

The OP has gone a different direction from his proposed Forte mods for a center, but I would like to offer my impression of the KLF-C7 as a center with the Fortes, as I actually ran one with mine for several months.  The C7 is an amazing sounding center channel, but the timbre is not a match to the Forte; the components are just different enough to make it unworkable.  Material that is mixed between the center and the right and/or left channel does not sound natural or correct.  The best center channel option - a speaker made by Klipsch to be a center - is the Academy, which I have been using for years.

 

[nlt6mor]

Yeah, I started out thinking about making a horizontal center from a forte.   Luckily, I was talked out of that notion.  I did acquire a second set of fortes,  but in Oak in stead Walnut as my original pair. Brought them home,  hooked them up next to my originals and they sounded so good.   I just didn't want to split the pair up.

 

I need surrounds also,  so I am just going to recap use the Oak pair as surrounds.  (yes,  a little overkill I am sure)    I am looking for a third pair of forte in Walnut that one will match my mains.   I didn't want to be in a hurry to over pay to find nice one in Walnut.

 

On CL this KG 2.2V came up.  It is in perfect condition and very little money.   The nice gentleman who owned it  let me take it home to audition it between my fortes.  It is a compromise for sure,  but at medium volume the timbre match is acceptable.   ( disclaimer,   I can't hear over 5K with my old ears.  That  fact leads to another sad story for another day when I installed titanium tweets in my original fortes!)  It sounds OK to me.

 

So now with a Rythmic subwoofer augmenting the low end nicely,  a Samsung 4K giving me a nice picture, and this KG filling in the center,   I am searching for the next buys.

 

1)  An extending wall mount for the 65" TV.   Bottom will have to be 36 inches over the floor to be able place a forte underneath at some later time.  Any help here?

 

2)   2 or 4 ceiling speakers for atmos.  ( maybe I already own enough EV EVIDS 4.2 that I could mount in the floor joists.  Need to find or make some 2X2 ceiling grid speaker grilles)     any help here?

 

3)  A new AVR with nine channels.   May run 4 over head in the winter,  then 2 overhead with a zone 2 for the stereo on my porch in the summer.   Hope to get a 7010 or 6011 Marantz for the purpose.    (probably also over kill)  Any suggestions.

 

4) finally when all the speakers are in place, I need to learn REW,   then I need to build the room treatments and paint the walls.

 

 

The list goes on and on.   I change my mind a lot. 

 

 

 

 

[nlt6mor]

One more question I would like to hear experienced ideas and suggestions.   My current AVR is an old Denon 2803.   it is quite powerful enough for the Klipsch, runs mostly like a top yet at its age.   But of course it is missing HDMI and a whole host of new improvements since that time.  I have only run it 5.1 for viewing video.  For music I run it direct stereo most of the time.    I do however enjoy it ability to output 5 channel stereo.   More than I would have guessed.  Hence my decision to have fortes also at the surround position only slightly above ear level.

 

So to make the next decisions on a new AVR buy.   What of the following configurations gives the more pleasure for the video experience?

 

5.1.2     or    5.1.4     or    7.1.2     I listen in a 26 long by 15 wide by 7.5 high room.   Speakers across the short end and listening position 35 percent back from the speaker wall.     I want to stay close for hopefully a chance to benefit from the 4K TV I bought.

 

Thanks for any insights.

[nlt6mor]

I am making some progress.   Slow like the old guy that I am.   New paint,  new Marantz and Rythmic subwoofer.   I have removed some ceiling tiles in preparation for embedding Evid 4.2s in the joists for the Atmos effect.  Any suggestions or constructive criticism so far?

[willland]

Looks good, really good.

 

One thing, maybe consider toing your fortes out a few inches(degrees) to shoot slightly behind ears at center seating position.  Your soundstage "appears" to be a bit narrow.

 

Bill

[nlt6mor]

2 hours ago, willland said:

Looks good, really good.

 

One thing, maybe consider toing your fortes out a few inches(degrees) to shoot slightly behind ears at center seating position.  Your soundstage "appears" to be a bit narrow.

 

Bill

Thanks Bill. slow but progress.  My MLP is close to the screen like 7 feet,  hoping to capture some of what 4K has to offer. (also that distance is 38% from the front wall)  So the extreme toe in was to accommodate movie watchers on either side of me.  I agree for myself and music listening, toeing to cross behind the MLP would sound better.   I wondered about building 14' stands for the fortes that would swivel easily to accommodate both toe in positions.  Just have not come up with a good idea to do that.  Any suggestions?

[willland]

14 minutes ago, nlt6mor said:

I wondered about building 14' stands for the fortes that would swivel easily to accommodate both toe in positions.  Just have not come up with a good idea to do that.  Any suggestions?

As a matter of fact yes.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/square-lazy-susan-modern-contemporary

 

Bill

 

 

 

 

[dtel]

3 hours ago, nlt6mor said:

I wondered about building 14' stands for the fortes that would swivel easily to accommodate both toe in positions.  Just have not come up with a good idea to do that.  Any suggestions?

No suggestions you would be willing to do.  I built some 33 1/2" stands for the Forte ll's, the stands sound amazing. Not the perfect height for Ht but it will have to do. Got to make everything fit. 

 

Your room will be cool, all this planning will pay off in the end, your room is looking good.

On 12/27/2016 at 5:41 PM, nlt6mor said:

 I do however enjoy it ability to output 5 channel stereo.   More than I would have guessed.  Hence my decision to have fortes also at the surround position only slightly above ear level.

Also using fortes for surrounds, perfect match, I love it.

 

Just make sure the speaker that get's the most info of all of them in movies is not your weakest link.........the center channel.

[Ljk]

Looks good! Similar to my set up, chorus I,,s with an academy center.  Kp 250,s for rear. Picked up a pair of chorus II this pass weekend for rears and the kp,s will become sides once I get a chance to set it all up. Do like the forte up high I am running mine on standard risers?

 

Do a search for chair swivels you might be able to find something  you can use to swivel the fortes.

Edited March 9, 2017 by Ljk

[nlt6mor]

Thanks for the replies!  Bill those lazy Susans look like the ticket if a little bit spendy.  wide to prvide some stability.  Wonder if you can just buy the mechanism.  I would like to build some stops into it like the table of cut off saw.  Couple notched somehow to select a couple positions then lock in place not move!

 

dtel you hit my soft spot.  I found this forum and originally posted for ideas to use a forte for center.  When i found a pair (in Oak) they sound so good I didnt' have the heart to tear them apart or separate them.   So for sure the KG2.2v is the weak link,  but at medium volume it works very good.    I still hope to find another pair of forte ( or at least one) in walnut to match my original pair to use as a center.   But as one things leads to anther,  I would also have to find a new electronics stand to accommodate that center vertical in the middle.

 

Ljk,  I did search for chair swivels and there are many to choose from at reasonable cost.  If I can find one big enough to provide enough stability that maybe the way I go.  Then add the stops like a cutoff saw!  lol

 

I am getting impatient to move forward,  I have had the Marantz 7010 for over a month now and have not run the Audicy program yet.  Wanted to get the ceiling speakers in and bass traps and first reflection absorbers in place before I turn the machine loose.

[minermark]

Look up lazy susan bearings on the Bay

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300mm-Turn-Table-Heavy-Duty-Lazy-Susan-Bearing-330-lbs-/400523887236?hash=item5d41158284:m:m5ce7D9JjwipoK-4j91n6MQ

[Ljk]

You could attach a board to the swivel and get some of those ball  type screw on coaster wheels to put on each corner. Might be able to just use the coaster wheels on each corner of a board. 

 

Do a search for casters, you will find many different wheels from home depot, Amazon, ect. Was looking for the round ball type but did not find any. I think those would work best if you could find some

 

Did you find raising speakers to 14 iinches to give a better wider sound field ? My mids and lows are slightly below ear level , I thought about raising them just been too lazy. Thanks!

 

. 

 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by Ljk

[nlt6mor]

Minermark,  these look great.    Ljk - I wouldn't need both wheels and a swivel correct?  Thanks

 

Look up lazy susan bearings on the Bay

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300mm-Turn-Table-Heavy-Duty-Lazy-Susan-Bearing-330-lbs-/400523887236?hash=item5d41158284:m:m5ce7D9JjwipoK-4j91n6MQ

[vondy]

On December 26, 2016 at 7:33 AM, chuckears said:

The OP has gone a different direction from his proposed Forte mods for a center, but I would like to offer my impression of the KLF-C7 as a center with the Fortes, as I actually ran one with mine for several months.  The C7 is an amazing sounding center channel, but the timbre is not a match to the Forte; the components are just different enough to make it unworkable.  Material that is mixed between the center and the right and/or left channel does not sound natural or correct.  The best center channel option - a speaker made by Klipsch to be a center - is the Academy, which I have been using for years.

 

 

Isn't the KLF-C7 the match for a Forte II? I've been on the lookout for one. Using an Academy now but since I upgraded from Forte I to Forte II I don't think it matches as well. I can definitely tell a difference across the front.

[dtel]

13 hours ago, nlt6mor said:

dtel you hit my soft spot.  I found this forum and originally posted for ideas to use a forte for center.  When i found a pair (in Oak) they sound so good I didnt' have the heart to tear them apart or separate them.   So for sure the KG2.2v is the weak link,  but at medium volume it works very good.    I still hope to find another pair of forte ( or at least one) in walnut to match my original pair to use as a center.   But as one things leads to anther,  I would also have to find a new electronics stand to accommodate that center vertical in the middle.

I know it's slow to find anything within driving distance,  it took me a couple of years to collect 2 pairs of Forte ll's and a single pair of originals, and I was lucky. This has been years ago and I have not had any more pop up locally since, I got lucky.

[Ljk]

9 hours ago, nlt6mor said:

Minermark,  these look great.    Ljk - I wouldn't need both wheels and a swivel correct?  Thanks

 

Look up lazy susan bearings on the Bay

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300mm-Turn-Table-Heavy-Duty-Lazy-Susan-Bearing-330-lbs-/400523887236?hash=item5d41158284:m:m5ce7D9JjwipoK-4j91n6MQ

 

12 inch seems to be max diameter for the swivels, might be a little unsteady. Swivel centered  with a caster at each corner (4 casters) for stability. (May not need the casters) Or forget the swivel and just use 4 casters one at each corner. If the 14 inch base is secured to the speaker you might be able to just put some metal/plastic on the base and slide speaker around to desired angle since you have a carpeted floor. If you check thirty shops maybe you could find a metal/plastic  tray to set under base as a slider. 

,