RP-450C Thin Sounding?

[TimNielsen]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum, looking for some advice. I recently bought some RP-280F left right and a RP-450C center channel. The left and right sound ok (well a bit harsh but at least full range). But I'm really struggling with the sound of the center channel. It's replacing a pinnacle 350 and I really thought it would sound better. But it sounds bad, very thin, just no richness in any male voice. I've tried crossover set to 40 or 60, no matter. I'm hoping I just have something set wrong. But I'm guessing I'm not hearing anything under 200 or so Hz, just not there. Wondering if something might be wrong.

 

i have a new receiver coming tomorrow (denon 6200) and will run all the audyssey stuff and give it a chance. But I'm curious if the center channel should sound massively thinner than the 280s do? Could there be something wrong with the speaker? It just sounds unpleasantly thin on all dialog I've played so far on it. Seems like 58hz would be plenty but I'm just not hearing it go nearly that far down. 

 

Tim

[Grizzog]

I'd definitely try the new receiver. If there are still issues, perhaps there is an issue with the speaker such as out of phase woofers or crossover issue. That's a fantastic center channel and shouldn't sound thin.


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[Scrappydue]

Yeah I owned a few of them. None of them sounded thin. Without you even trying the new Avr id guess is a speaker issue. dont remember but does it have dual binding posts? If it does I would think both jumpers in. Thinking out loud. I'm sure you would have noticed if it were just a tweeter. That's much thinner than thin lol. Crossover issue past that I'd say. 

[TimNielsen]

Thanks all. Yeah, if it was just a tweeter, I'd think it would sound like an old AM radio. It's not THAT bad. But it's not nearly going down to 50Hz. I played the opening of There Will be Blood, which has a big explosion in the center channel (that I even cut the sound design for  so I know the sound. And when that thing hits, there is nothing there in the low end. Tried to set my crossover point from 40 to 60Hz, no matter. So yeah, feels like something is wrong with this speaker

 

I basically disabled all Audyssey stuff on my receiver just to turn off anything I thought might be affecting the signal. I'll try the new receiver anyway, just out of curiosity. But yeah I do suspect it's a faulty speaker.

[Grizzog]

Do you have a sub hooked up? The explosion sound you're looking for will come from the sub.


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[TimNielsen]

Thanks, yeah, but with the crossover set at 40Hz, not much would be in the sub. We played it more as a 'realistic' explosion, and not a Hollywood one, so the low end would be much more in the 50-80Hz range than the 20-50 even. So that's what I mean when I say it's missing, the thing sounded more like an air poof than an explosion.

 

 

[willland]

You do know the -3dB point is 58Hz for the RP-450C so the true response would be more like 62 to 80.  Is the 450 placed in a cabinet or slot where maybe the rear port is impeded and not allowing proper lower extension?

 

Bill

[derrickdj1]

2 hours ago, willland said:

You do know the -3dB point is 58Hz for the RP-450C so the true response would be more like 62 to 80.  Is the 450 placed in a cabinet or slot where maybe the rear port is impeded and and not allowing proper lower extension?

 

Bill

If that is the case, it is even less sitting more than a meter or two away.  Just get the center to end all, the RC 64 or 64 II.

[Scrappydue]

1 hour ago, derrickdj1 said:

If that is the case, it is even less sitting more than a meter or two away.  Just get the center to end all, the RC 64 or 64 II.

SO MANY centers out there better than that one lol. 

[derrickdj1]

I can't think of anything more I could want out of a center.  I heard a descent amount of centers and for now, you can't pry my RC 64 from my fingers, lol.  Next month I will get to hear a Goldenear HT.  That should be a nice center speaker.

[willland]

7 hours ago, Scrappydue said:

SO MANY centers out there better than that one lol. 

 

6 hours ago, derrickdj1 said:

I can't think of anything more I could want out of a center.

As far as horizontally opposed center speakers go, I think the RC-64 is wonderful.  Great impact, big sounding, and does dialog very well.  Now with that said, it did take some tweaking with the crossover setting, tone controls, volume setting, and amp matching for me to get it just right and mate up tonally with my RF-63's.

 

Now we all know that identical L-C-R is the perfect way to go for HT.

 

Bill

 

 

[Scrappydue]

Yeah but telling someone it's the center to end all is just not true. I wouldn't say that about any center I've owned. Wanna get the best horizontal center Klipsch makes? Get the palladium. Wanna get the best center Klipsch makes period? Get the kpt-grandeur or whatever it's called. 

[derrickdj1]

The RC 64 would be the best match for his RP system if the RP center is lacking.  The Palladium and Kpt would not match what the RP system.  Identical RLC is great for behind a screen but, for people without a dedicated theater, the RC 64 and 64 II are great centers.  I know I will not be looking for another center with my Reference speakers.

[Scrappydue]

So then just say that. I just don't like statements like "this is the end all center". Cause it's just not. 

[TimNielsen]

Guess we're in an all out 'center channel war' now  Let me say that for sake of argument, when I say it's 'lacking' I'm not just saying, I think it could b deeper, I'm saying my particular model is wrong, something somewhere can't be right, because I'm not getting low end anywhere NEAR it's spec. This 450C replaces a Pinnacle 350 center channel, and that one definitely sounded much more robust, deeper, and rounded than the Klipsch, despite being 1/4th the size with 4" woofers. So something else has to be going on.

 

Also, recommending the RC-II, it has the exact same specs as the 450C, so it obviously won't solve the problem if it is indeed just how the speaker sounds, they both go down to 58/59 on specs, which is basically the same. So yeah it might sound 'better' but it's not going to sound 'deeper'.

 

Again, I'm not hearing anything below about 200-250Hz would be my guess, so something else entirely is going on here...

 

I appreciate all the responses. I hook up the new Denon 6200W tonight and hoping for a miracle that something in my old setup was just causing this...

[Grizzog]

Woofers could be wired out of phase, crossover issue causing comb filtering. Again, this center should not sound thin at all. I have the 64 II now, but the 450 was very close in performance. Both sound like real voices with tone and I've never thought they needed any more low end. The rumble and bass come from the sub.


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[TimNielsen]

Thanks. May have to send this back and try another one I guess... 

 

[onemoretime]

What happened with your center - was it defective, did you replace it?

[AaronB123]

I'm not sure how long you've had the center but I too owned that RP-450C and actually when I first got it made a thread very similar to this that it sounded extremely thin. Give it some break in time and the sound will improve drastically. That's what happened with mine. In fact I have owned that one, the RC-64II and honestly going from the RP-450C (after full break in) to the RC-64II there wasn't even as much of a difference as I thought there would be. The main reason I switched to the RC was the beautiful furniture grade wood finish. 

 

Also, using room calibration like Audyssey can make a HUGE difference, like night and day so I would try that too before sending the center back. 

[TimNielsen]

Thanks, I did keep it, and it has improved for sure. A bit of custom EQ through the Denon and a bit of changing the default crossover points as well have helped, and overall I'm pretty happy with it.