Anthony Urzi

Cambridge Soundworks TI500 lack of strong bass?

I just recently purchased a complete Cambridge Soundworks surround system, centered on a Marantz SR9300 receiver and the TI500 towers.

I'm very pleased with the MC500 center channel and all 4 SR300's surrounds.
Even the TI500 towers are superb in the highs and mids. Only gripe I have is the bass output...I’m hardly a bass demanding enthusiast, but I do expect some room shake. From 2 10" subs 300 watts each I should be getting more output then this....It doesn't seem to handle very much power either, if I crank it, it tends to distort and pop very easily, especially with certain frequencies. Is there something wrong with these towers specifically, or is this a flaw of the line in general. Are the demands I expect of them too great?? I mean it's not bad really, they do provide some bass fill, it's just not the "deep and thunderous bass" advertised. Their reviews both from the site and from here seemed positive. I have it set for single amplification, (not bi amped) and then the RCA sub out to sub in.

The majority of the cost of the setup went to the amp, and while the speakers are not cheap, their not exactly prices as hi end either. Just looking to see if this sounds about right or something is wrong with them, or me.
In the mean time, I gave them some help. I had a Sony SA-WM40 which I’ve loved since the day I got it. It's a 12" 120 watt beauty of a woofer. I've yet to peak it, and I’ve run it very loud. It provides more bass by itself then the 2 10" 300 watts put together, it gives me the shake I’m looking for, and only cost me $150 (I think)

So how does 1 120 watt sub outperform 2 300’s? Right now I have them linked, amp to the Sony line out on that to the towers. The performance of that lil sub is what really has me questioning either the quality or the rated specifications of the TI500 towers. I don't think it's a problem with the built in amps, I just don't think the installed cones can handle that much power. Is the included sub just a gimmick, can any integrated subwoofer ever compete with a stand alone dedicated sub?

Anthony Urzi

That was helpfull

I know from the past atleast a few users ehre have some....

I definatly think one of them has a problem, on the exact samne settings, the left will give an unplesent sound, sound sliek the voice coil might have an isue whiel the right is ok....

Tony Genovese

Anthony:

CSW has an iron clad guarantee. It sounds like either there is a setup problem (how do you have the subs connected) or one of them is defective. I have listened to the 500s extensively and they should kick out some serious bass. Revisit your wiring, your setup parameters in the receiver, and make sure the subs are properly calibrated with test tones (using a Rat Shack meter). If you still feel one of the speakers is unhappy, take it back and get another.

Given the unpleasant sound though, I'd say you should probably swap out the left one.

Good luck.

Anthony Urzi

I actually just fired off an email to CSW detailing some of that.

excerpts:

I think one of the speakers may be damaged. After using them casually since I've had them, I've noticed a deterioration in one of the main speakers a TI-500 Tower, the left subwoofer seems to be damaged. At the same speaker settings same wire config and same volume, the left speaker is making an unpleasant sound, where the right one is not. I think the voice coil is going on it, sounds like a rattle, loud semi high pitch "burp" it's not an overload "pop" though it did do that previously which is where I think it might have been damage, had it's range and output level shortened. It's more prominent on lower frequencies and higher volume. I can't even listen to the system at reference volume anymore without practically shutting that woofer off.


To clear up the wiring config they are in, I have them single wired (bridged) from left/right out to the speakers, then I have an RCA type sub out from amp to sub in on left, and a link L/R RCA going to link L/R on the right.
the amp settings for front are large and subwoofer yes, and my bass cut off is set to about -10db I believe which is where they perform ok without distortion problems. sub in control knob is currently set to 0db and bass contour on both were centered, and where it stays for most listening right now, if I approach reference it has to go to around -5db to keep the distortion out of that side only while right performs normally, while still somewhat unsatisfactorily).
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Now what i was thinking as a possable trade up/off is this:

a pair of Classic Tower and a p1000 subwoofer? Seems like a much better set of speakers, more power, more drivers, and purchased separately, about $100 less not on sale.

The only issues is then the Towers won't be driver matched to my mc500. Would I be better off with 2 more mc500's? The towers seem like they would make better main speakers to match the rest of the systems power, but I'm not sure how important driver matching is

Anthony Urzi

Or maybe I'll just get one of these SVS things hehe

Tony Genovese

If the 500 is damaged, I think you'll be happy when you get it replaced. I think the Newtons are better than the Classic Towers. Going that route would be a step backwards IMHO.

Mike Sloan

I have the T500's and the MC500 center. The T500's have almost as much bass as a single VTF-3! If you are having problems with bass output from your T-500's...something is wrong! Most of the gripes regarding the T500's is that they have too much bass and are hard to tame. I can shake the whole room with just the T500's and we are talking a huge room (18X22...with 18' ceiling...and open on 2 ends! Very leaky. I am driving the speakers with 3 Outlaw Audio 200W monoblocks and I have never heard any distortion...even at insane levels. I would double check everything...and try just running speaker wire to them without the line level sub cable...try to isolate where the distortion is coming from....the T500's are awesome speakers that can play at extreme levels while staying very accurate.

Just a thought...where do you have the speakers pluged in? I know of someone that plugged the speakers into the back of the receiver and this will cause the sub amps to clip because of a lack of current.

I\'ve seen things you people wouldn\'t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain.

Anthony Urzi

I figured somthing had to be wrong i mean geez.

But even the oen that "works" seems to not be happy at upper levals on the bass....


Espeiclaly when using it's own amp you'd figure it'd blow the fuse before damaging the voice coil.

These are not ported right? i think i unpacked them right.

I got them online too not looking forward to shiping them back and forth, especially if they make me pay for it, but they are under warrenty.

maybe i overcooked them when i was first experimenting with them.

how do you guys have the ccntrols on the speakers set, the sub in and the bass contour?

mayeb i'll try to change the amp settings bypass the subout and just go front large sub off and see how they perform, if it is any differnt

Anthony Urzi

they ar epluged into an outlet strip, not a monster power center or anything just a stndard ac outlet strip.

the sub cable is a crap RCA i should upgrade that, the speaker wire is 14 gauge though