I need KG center channel help.

[AndrewK]

I'm replacing my Infinity 2000.3 HT setup with KG's. I'm going to be using DVD's 80% of the time. I'm also replacing the old subs with a Kicker 10" L5 today. The question is should I use a kg 5.2/front kg 4.5/ center or kg 3.5/front/center? Would a 3.5 (8"woofer) reproduce dialog better than a 4.5(10"woofer).

Below is the link to my catalyst for a center channel conversion.

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/2/520744/ShowThread.aspx

If anyone has replaced the front panel of their speaker, I'd love to hear your tips and suggestions.

[AndrewK]

I bought (2) 4.5's and (4) 3.5's yesterday from a local ebay seller for $350.

[98_1LE]

Awesome deal! Wow.

Anyway, I find that my 5.5's reproduce voice just fine, so the 5.2's or 4.5's should also.

[colterphoto1]

That's a killer deal on some great Klispch. Let us know how the system pans out. So you are going to rebuild some of the components into a center box, right? Cool!

You might want to consult DrWho on the driver and port placement. It does make a difference even though the driver, cabinet, and port specs stay the same. He might be able to give you some insight.

Michael

[DrWho]

I would try both ways with the speaker just sitting in front of the TV

and see which you prefer more. Ideally you want as close of a timbre

match as possible to your front mains - so try to go with the speaker

with the most similar components and crossover points to your mains.

[colterphoto1]

Doc, go to the thread he mentions where a KG motorboard is reconstructed for center channel (horizontal) use.

I think the spacing of the woofer and port might need to be addressed.

[DrWho]

Oops, didn't see that thread - thanks for pointing it out.

If possible I would stick with the normal vertical arrangement (tweeter

centered above woofer) as it provides the best horizontal dispersion

(which is ideal

for a center channel).

If you must go with a horizontal aligment I would keep the tweeter

oriented the same way it normally is, but move it to the same

horizontal plane as the

woofer (not slightly higher) - and then put the port over to the right

of the woofer. There is potentical for crazy diffraction effects having

it so close to the tweeter.

Beyond that, just keep the internal volume the same and keep the port

more than a ports diameter distance from any internal surface (so if

it's a 2" port it shouldn't come within 2" of anything inside the

cabinet - especially one of the side walls). If possible, try to keep

the port the same distance from the woofer as in the stock

configuration...so ideally just keep the dimensions the same, but turn the cabinet on its side (and rotate the tweeter).

If you don't want to build a completely new cabinet then I would

suggest drilling a circular hole around the tweeter so that you have a

round piece of wood and then install a mounting flange just inside the

motorboard which will allow you to rotate the tweeter section to

whatever angle you desire. If it's easier, this can also be done with a

square as well. This means you won't have to keep the original cabinet

laying around and if you ever choose to go back to a vertical

configuration you don't have to rebuild the cabinet.a

[colterphoto1]

"If possible, try to keep

the port the same distance from the woofer as in the stock

configuration...so ideally just keep the dimensions the same, but turn the cabinet on its side"

Ah, good answer grasshopper. So the distance from woofer to sidewall or port to sidewall is not so critical then?

Why then does the CWIII sporting the new woofer location help avoid standing waves, huh, answer me that mr smarty pants.

Michael

[DrWho]

lol, you want me to BS an answer or let you know my speculations? []

The way I visualize it, when a driver is playing a certain frequency

there will be hot spots and null spots inside the speaker cabinet -

even if the wavelengths in question are much larger than the internals

of the cabinet. I picture it in my head like an infrared measurement.

These hotspots will be distributed differently for every frequency, but

with a lot of overlap for harmonics.

One of the goals for a ported loudspeaker is to have the internal port

mouth near a hotspot for all the frequencies in its passband - and I

think in the case of the cornwall there was just something funky

happening at a particular frequency (which I believe was responsible

for that large peak in the lowermidbass?).

But ya...I'm totally pulling everything in this post outta my butt. I

don't have a fricken clue about the standing wave problem - I just know

it existed and then it was fixed. []

I suppose it would make a good engineer question...where's Trey when you need him?

[AndrewK]

Everyone, thanks for the advice. I've tried both kg 5.2/front kg 4.5/center and decided on using kg 3.5/front/center and kg 4.5 rear, untill I pickup another 5.2 or 4.5.

[colterphoto1]

lol, you want me to BS an answer or let you know my speculations? []

The way I visualize it, when a driver is playing a certain frequency

there will be hot spots and null spots inside the speaker cabinet -

even if the wavelengths in question are much larger than the internals

of the cabinet. I picture it in my head like an infrared measurement.

These hotspots will be distributed differently for every frequency, but

with a lot of overlap for harmonics.

One of the goals for a ported loudspeaker is to have the internal port

mouth near a hotspot for all the frequencies in its passband - and I

think in the case of the cornwall there was just something funky

happening at a particular frequency (which I believe was responsible

for that large peak in the lowermidbass?).

But ya...I'm totally pulling everything in this post outta my butt. I

don't have a fricken clue about the standing wave problem - I just know

it existed and then it was fixed. []

I suppose it would make a good engineer question...where's Trey when you need him?

Judges will [ding ding ding] accept that answer for 5 bonus points! (but ask Roy about the woofer move in CW3 next time you guys talk)