Matthews Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 (edited) Has anyone done this? I want to remove the passive woofer. Make a blank to replace. My hope is to possibly "tighten" the sub up a bit. Truly dislike passive radiators. Taming the Monster! "Tight" Edited March 28, 2016 by Matthews 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 The passive is a port-- they are typically used where port tubes would be too long for the enclosure. The RSW's still command a great resale value, maybe you'd be better off selling it as is and replacing it with something that suites your tastes a little better? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willland Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 I think your idea is a cool one but I am surprised that the RSW15 is not "tight" enough. I own some very "tight" and highly regarded sealed subs(SVS SB13 Plus, Revel B15) and my RSW-10d with it's passive radiator is as "tight" or "tighter" than the others. Also heard RSW15's on many occasions and tight and punchy are the best words to describe them IMO. Either way, go for it if you will. Bill . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted March 27, 2016 Author Share Posted March 27, 2016 Hmmm? I think next weekend I will make a blank, solid plate to replace the passive with and seal it up. See how it sounds. A completely and easily reversible trial. My car subs got me to thinking about this. They are in sealed enclosures as well. I suppose making a vented port would really not accomplish much on the RSW. Good rainy day project... Thanks, Matt ♪ ♫ ♪ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 The RSW line is very tight and accurate already, not sure how much you could gain? Maybe your sub positioning is not right? My thought on going sealed is you will lose low end frequency response and cut your total output by quite a bit. Trying to get "car bass" in your living room is going to take a hell of a lot of sub(s), I only achieved that kind of performance when I added a pair of KW-120's (Ultra 2's) to my RSW-15. Sounds to me like you may want to go with a pair (or 4 ) 18's.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 Porting the cabinet will probably remove too much volume to make any improvement in sound and without having access to T/S parameters outcome would a guess at best. If you need something to run with your La Scala set look into adding a proper horn sub to make your bass seamless. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted March 27, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 27, 2016 Let us know how it sounds and share some pics along the way. Will be interesting to follow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 Hmmm? I think next weekend I will make a blank, solid plate to replace the passive with and seal it up. See how it sounds. A completely and easily reversible trial. My car subs got me to thinking about this. They are in sealed enclosures as well. I suppose making a vented port would really not accomplish much on the RSW. Good rainy day project... Thanks, Matt ♪ ♫ ♪ have some fiberglass handy so you can experiment with stuffing to increase the apparent cabinet volume. You should be able to achieve lower extension though you may lose some level Vented box rolls at 24 db/octave below system resonance and a sealed cabinet rolls at 12 db/octave so you can see you will achieve deeper bass extension sealed. Please post we look forward to your findings. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 (edited) RSW15 is "tight" compared to most front speakers, but not compared to a La Scala, Belle, or Khorn. I know what you mean, because my Klipschorns are "tighter" than my RSW15. Is your RSW15 positioned as recommended in the manual (in a corner fairly close to the walls)? With music I find it sometimes helps to cross over to the RSW15 at 40 Hz, letting the Khorns do their "tight" best down to there. . With some music I don't use the sub at all. In my room (according to Audyssey) my Khorns are at F3 (-3 dB) at 40 Hz, but continue to generate bass to 24 Hz (according to REW measurements). With movies I set the bass management Xover to 80 Hz, and the LPF for LFE to 120 Hz, as recommended by the movie industry. Edited March 27, 2016 by garyrc 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzannucci Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 The passive has some advantages over an open port. I'm not sure you will do better than the passive in a cabinet that size. Play with a passive radiator calculator vs a round or slotted port calculator before messing with it. Since you won't have the T/S parms nor what the amplifier is doing for compensation, find a box calculator to model a box with a resonant point on where you want your cut off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 Don't mess up a nice sub. if you want something easy build a Marty cube or the Dayton UM 18 sealed. This way you can get a good price off the RSW sub. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MookieStl Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 Since you already have the idea stuck in your head to remove the passive with a blank, why not. No damage done, let us know what you think. If you don't like it, put the passive back in. No harm, no foul. Didn't you use this sub with your Chorus I and like the sound? It may just not blend well with the horn loaded bass bin of your LS. I tried 3 different subs I had and liked with my Belles and did not like the result. Built a couple small tapped horns and think they sound great in combination. Might be the mix you don't like. Any time you want to stop in and listen, let me know. Leave one of your tube amps a collateral and you can take them home for a test drive. There may better horn sub options out there for you, but these would give you a good audition. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted March 27, 2016 Author Share Posted March 27, 2016 Sounds to me like you may want to go with a pair (or 4 ) 18's.. ...and there goes the neighborhood Porting the cabinet will probably remove too much volume to make any improvement in sound and without having access to T/S parameters outcome would a guess at best. Yeah, have decided against a port. Likely a waste of time and material. Let us know how it sounds and share some pics along the way. Will be interesting to follow. Absolutely, update next Saturday Since you already have the idea stuck in your head to remove the passive with a blank, why not. No damage done, let us know what you think. Yup, will cut a blank this week. Results to follow. A sealed RSW-15? I have a good feeling about this. My house/listening room is very small. I am hoping to achieve the awesome punch the RSW is capable of while at the same time eliminating the window rattling super low grunts. I know this sounds crazy! Just a little bit of medicine and I will be OK Matt ♪ ♫ ♪ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 I know this sounds crazy! ahhhhhhh not really..... look at the forum we all belong to Keep us posted my man.... MKP :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 and ya know you could make two blanks.... one with no port the other with a port.... then you'll know what ya like and don't like.... just another crazy thought MKP :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MookieStl Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 I know this sounds crazy! ahhhhhhh not really..... look at the forum we all belong to Keep us posted my man.... MKP :-) Maybe I'm crazy, but isn't that sub facing the wrong way already? Nice aftermarket grill BTW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted March 28, 2016 Author Share Posted March 28, 2016 Maybe I'm crazy, but isn't that sub facing the wrong way already? Did not know there was a "right" and "wrong" way to face the sub. It is placed where it sounds best, to me Powered driver facing out. Pulling the sub further away from the wall is not a option. I do think removing the passive will produce favorable results. If not, no harm done, right? Nice aftermarket grill BTW! With some help from a very nice fella 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted March 28, 2016 Moderators Share Posted March 28, 2016 Did not know there was a "right" and "wrong" way to face the sub I have mine with the active woofers (drive on the side of the amp) facing the wall and the passive pointing towards the listening area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Low bass is omnidirectional. Facing a driver toward the wall will help load the driver. Down firing driver/subs have some filtering properties for some of the harmonics which is a good thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 I always assumed the passive faced the front, why else would they put the grill cover over it? Plug in and controls on the rear of the sub makes sense to me as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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