Follow-up on RF-7's as large or small?

[dcmo]

In regards to my original post, I should have listed more of what I use to run the 7's with. I have a Pioneer VSX53TX which I use as a pre-amp, and am powering them with a Gemstone Blue Diamond. My rear speakers are Cerwin Vega D9's (carryover's from the 80's). I guess I should include the room size which is essentially 20 X 25. In response:

1) I'm not saying I don't want low frequency going to the RF7's, I just don't want anything lower than the rated low of 32hz if it's going to damage them over time. I'm not sure what happens when it goes lower than that, is the signal only reduced in volume (at +/-3 db) or is there possible damage that can occur such as if a 20 or 25hz signal came thru at a loud level (a non LFE transmission, if it is possible for a non LFE signal to reach that range).

2) Indy, are you saying that you would run RS7's as large or is it a mistype. They are only rated down to 58hz before dropping off, wouldn't there be information lost below that if set to large or would the RSW15 set to plus with the lowpass crossover set higher than 58hz fill in the missing information.

3) Wouldn't it be better to run the RC7 and the RS7's as small (RF7's as large) with the crossover set to 50hz (as low as the Pioneer goes). The RC7 is rated down to 45hz with the RS7 at 58, wouldn't this setting get everything out of them that they could give as opposed to setting them both as large and starting to lose information (although the sub could pick it up at the right crossover I can still tell if I'm not getting a full range signal from a particular direction) at the above stated frequencies.

4) If everything is set to large, the crossover setting on the pre-amp is rendered useless. Wouldn't I have to then enable the lowpass crossover on the sub, and if so what would be a good setting or would that depend on what I was looking for in sound (more bass or less bass).

Right now I have everything set to large except for the RS7's (and regrettably the D9's as they can't run at large with the sides being set to small. no I can't move them as the wires are above a drop ceiling and only cut to just where each speaker has just enough, it would be a lot of work and I already have enough of that), with the the crossover setting on the Pioneer set to 50hz and the lowpass crossover being off on the sub. It seems to me that the option of number 3 above sounds logical (although that's not what I have it set at. I have the RC7 set at large for now, it seems to help with the brightness and the voices aren't so high range), but then again I am far from knowing everything about how all this works and really don't want any damage to the speakers from giving them more than they can handle.

Thanks to all, your help and knowledge is appreciated..

[WolfsBane]

1) I'm not saying I don't want low frequency going

to the RF7's, I just don't want anything lower than the rated low of

32hz if it's going to damage them over time. I'm not sure what happens

when it goes lower than that, is the signal only reduced in volume (at

+/-3 db) or is there possible damage that can occur such as if a 20 or

25hz signal came thru at a loud level (a non LFE transmission, if it is

possible for a non LFE signal to reach that range).

If you set your mains to large, and set your LFE to both, (sub and

main), the amp should send the full range of frequencies DESIGNATED

specifically for the mains to the front left and right speakers, and

then the LFE frequencies should go to the sub. I seriously doubt that

the frequencies will dip to LFE, (below 30hz)

2) Indy, are you saying that you would run RS7's

as large or is it a mistype. They are only rated down to 58hz before

dropping off, wouldn't there be information lost below that if set to

large or would the RSW15 set to plus with the lowpass crossover set

higher than 58hz fill in the missing information.

You wont lose the frequencies 58Hz and below if you set your sub crossover about 3db above 58Hz, (around 75Hz or so).

3) Wouldn't it be better to run the RC7 and the

RS7's as small (RF7's as large) with the crossover set to 50hz (as low

as the Pioneer goes). The RC7 is rated down to 45hz with the RS7 at 58,

wouldn't this setting get everything out of them that they could give

as opposed to setting them both as large and starting to lose

information (although the sub could pick it up at the right crossover I

can still tell if I'm not getting a full range signal from a particular

direction) at the above stated frequencies.

Your surrounds will seldom be sent LFE frequencies. And if you have

a sub, most amps are configured to send LFE from the surrounds to the

LFE driver, (the sub).

4) If everything is set to large, the crossover

setting on the pre-amp is rendered useless. Wouldn't I have to

then enable the lowpass crossover on the sub, and if so what would be a

good setting or would that depend on what I was looking for in sound

(more bass or less bass).

The amp would send the full spectrum of frequencies normally

assigned to the mains to the LR speaker, the same for the center, and

the same for the surrounds. The front L/R drivers are usually

configure by the amp to handle a greater dynamic range of frequencies

than the center or the surrounds. Most surround LFE info is sent to

the speaker designater as the LFE in the system.

[audiocvk]

Ah, the good ole classic Cerwin Vega D Series Speakers. Many feel these were one of Cerwin Vega's best before they sold the company and even feel they are better than the newest Cerwin Vega out today under the new company owners.

I remember the Cerwin Vega D-9 very well back in the 80's when I was trying to decide between the Klipsch Forte and the Cerwin Vega D-9. The Forte's were twice the amount of the D-9. I just did a re-surround on a pair of D-9 and D-7 speakers for someone and I'm impressed with the sound, 101dB, very revealing, and a little different in sound from Klispch but very nice, more towards a warmer and rich sound, the small horn tweeters on these seem to keep up well with Klipsch. The person that own these Cerwin Vega D-9 and D-7 speakers also run them with the Klipsch RSX-5 speakers and the combo sounds very good together. The foam surrounds on these were 21 years old!!!! I'm amazed they lasted that long because that is unusual for foam surrounds! I replaced them with Cerwin Vega Pro cloth surrounds as the owner didn't want to have to replace them again. The owner tells me they sound even better with the cloth surrounds, I thought so to.

[audiocvk]

Looks like the images still aren't working.

.......................... got it to work now......... []

[audiocvk]

Cloth surround

[dcmo]

Where does one get the cloth surround, and just exactly how is it installed. The foam has long been deteriorated (well actually probably a couple years or so), and needs to be replaced. Also do you have any ideas of how to pop out the center piece on the woofer, my nephew pushed it in years ago and haven't been able to get it back out (or do I need to replace the woofer altogether, had to replace a midrange a few years back). Thanks!

[audiocvk]

The cloth surrounds don't come in a DIY kits. You would have to get the yellow pages out and look in the stereo / speaker repair sections and see who in your area can provide that service.

www.speakerrepair.com is a authorized Cerwin Vega repair near Cerwin Vega, they have woofers and other parts you can check out. They also have DIY foam surround kits that you can do yourself, and if I remember correctly, they have pictures on their website on how to do it step by step. You could check it out and see if you think you could take on the project or have a speaker repair place do it for you, a speaker repair place can do the surrounds in rubber, cloth, or foam.

The pushed in dust cap, have you tried using a piece of tape and gently using the tape to try and push it out?? It can be replaced. The whole woofer doesn't need to be replaced, it can be rebuilt if the spider is bad and last time I checked Cerwin Vega does not have the exact woofer used in the Cerwin Vega D-9 for replacement. They have stopped making a replacement for it. They do have some woofers that specs come close to it but a speaker repair place can help you with that and it's cheaper than buying new speakers if you want to keep those classic speakers.

[audiocvk]

If you just want to replace the dust cap and surrounds, you could do it yourself. Some of the DIY (do it yourself) kits even come with dust caps. The kits run from around $20 to $30 for each kit.

[audiocvk]

Also forgot to mention that many of the kits are sold from Ebay too. You can search for "surround kit" or "speaker surround".