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New Klipsch RP-280F ..loose insulation, is this an issue?


arkmx

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Hi guys, I would like some opinions. Today I received my new speakers, and I noticed something when looking through the back intake port - the insulation in one of the speakers is semi-loose.. it appears to be from the left side.

 

Please see for photos: http://imgur.com/a/MFEpO

 

I can't yet test the speakers as my receiver is arriving in a couple of weeks, but is this something that can be/become an issue, affecting sound/performance/temperature/whatever? Not sure how serious this is, should I return the one speaker to the store?

 

I have tried putting my hand in to push the insulation into the side, but my hand cant fit through the port.

Edited by arkmx
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Nice speakers!  What a pita to have to deal with returning them but I agree with Tasdom.  I have a pair and like them so much I bought a second pair for my lady friend.  The LS/Altec speakers have been sitting idle since I got the 280s.

 

Patience.....but I bet you will love them when you get the new pair.

 

Welcome to the forum.

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32 minutes ago, Tasdom said:

Looks like the port is being blocked. I'd return it and get what you paid for.

 

The flash makes it look like the foam is immediately there, but it's not quite, the port isn't actually blocked. If I put my hand in, I can barely touch the foam with my fingers inside.

 

23 minutes ago, Tarheel said:

Welcome to the forum.

 

Thank you! Yeah these speakers look fantastic and sounded great from what I heard in the store...can't wait to try them out.

 

Ok, I'll be giving the store a call tomorrow. Returning is just a pain because they are in a different city to where I am...oh well.

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I actually opened a ticket with Klipsch support directly to get their take on it.

 

Their response: "it would appear the insulation may have shifted slightly during a shipment or delivery of the speaker. You're welcome to return this unit to the store to have it exchanged for a new one.  If you'd like, you can also simply reach in and push this insulation back into place without it impacting the sound of the speaker in any way."

 

So I carefully reached in and started gently tapping the insulation into the side, and it all fit back nicely, quite firmly it would appear (I think there is a sticky side on the other side of the insulation towards the speaker wall). It looks now just like the "normal" one. I'll keep an eye on it when I start using the speaker to see if vibrations move anything around ...but I doubt there'll be a problem.

 

Can't wait to hear these things :D how am I going to last two weeks for the AVR to arrive?!

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Ummm...it should be loose across the bottom, and the wire wrapped insulation should also be freeform (just wrapped around the wire).  None of the insulation in any of the speakers I have (32) have the insulation braces or glued.

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1 minute ago, The History Kid said:

Ummm...it should be loose across the bottom, and the wire wrapped insulation should also be freeform (just wrapped around the wire).  None of the insulation in any of the speakers I have (32) have the insulation braces or glued.

 

That's even better then! I presumed there was glue due to the insulation staying nicely in place when I tapped it. If there is none that means there is no need for it and the vibrations of the speaker wont cause the insulation to shift/move. :)

 

BTW congrats on the 32 speakers... I can't imagine what one would do with so many, but than again you can never have too much of a good thing!

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The way the insulation is laid into the base of the speaker is such that it shouldn't move.  If it does, you could add some simple adhesive, but I'd avoid this if at all possible.  I don't know if they changed the bracing rule for insulation in the later generations - but at least as recently as 2004 - no insulation was braced.

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These are ported speakers. The insulation is not super critical.  It can help with some cabinet resonance but, it is not a make or break deal.  Push it back in there, up, down, left or right, no big deal as far as SQ  at the 99 percentile.  Adding spray adhesive is simple and cheap to hold down the insulation.  It is not like Klipsch did anything different, lol.

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in a reflex cabinet design you need to have an open volume of air between the woofer(s) and the vent. This volume of air is required to be open and not damped so the woofer(s) can effectively drive the vent into resonance. Damping material should be kept to the bottom sides and above the woofer/vent area if it is deemed useful to use. The fact that Klipsch have installed damping means they decided that it helped but you do not want it in the volume of air between the woofer(s) and the vent. It won't make a huge difference but in audio all the little bits add up. Hope that helps.

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Just needs to be re-positioned if it bothers you that it is close to the port.  It should not be covering the port but as long as there is open area between the port and the padding, at least equivalent to the size of the port, there will be no problem with the port acting correctly.  The port is basically a resonator tuned to the size of the air in the box.  That said, however the pieces of foam are in there, they should be done equally between the speakers because you do want them to sound the same.  Things like midrange leakage (not so good) can alter the sound of the speaker depending on how close you sit to it.  You at least want them the same.

 

I have never seen a Klipsch speaker with foam that was ever anchored so they can move around.  Usually that the pressure of the foam itself will hold it in place but apparently yours did not.

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Yeah, it must have moved in shipping. It's all good now, I did manage to push it back into it's place and it seems fine now. My first floorstanders, didn't know what to make of that foam. Crisis averted :lol: I am glad I don't have to RMA.

 

Thank you all for your comments.

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