klipsch SW-12 (1 Viewer)

[Mark Risso]

Just wanted to say hello first!

I have been reading posts for about a month now...I have a Klipsch SW-12 sub....I am starting to hate the sound of it...just does not sound true. I want to build my own now and need some advice. My room size is 14x26...I want this for 80 percent home theater....around 500 dollars or more budget. I do not consider just because a sub is loud that it is good...I want to listen at low levels and sometimes at reference lvl's when wife is not home (if you know what I mean)..hehe A good sub to me will rumble the house at low lvls also.

1. I see most people build the 12", why not 15"?
2. I see allot of people building the sonotube...which sounds better, tube or box?
3. What would sound the best, a PR, sealed,vented or tube...I would prefer the tube, but I do not want to sacrifice sound quality.

 

[Mark Fitzsimmons]

I built a 15", Adire Tempest. The 12" may be more common, I don't know, never took a survey...

Someone may build a 12" because it takes less volume to accieve the proper Q. But, ultimataly, your SPL will be limited by the lower displacement of a smaller sub driver.

Tube vs. Box. No difference in sound, they say a tube is easier to build because bracing is not necessary. I built a box.

PR, vented, sealed. PR and vented will sound the same, PR is more expencive, you dont have to worry about port noise, and you can tune lower without concern for the ports being too long to fit in the enclosure.

I've never done a side by side comparison, but I am told sealed subs sound tighter, and are therefore better for music. Albeit, I built a sealed sub for my system which is HT mostly.

I did this because once room gain is taken into effect, my sub responce is still flat to 21hz.
I dont have to worry about port noise.
The enclosure is smaller.
Its cheaper to make.
I dont have to worry about bottoming out the sub.

 

[GeorgeTW]

hard to conceive that a Klipsch sub would sound bad. Before you condem it, I would be looking at the source. Can you confirm that the output is not a fair reproduction of the the input? Have you any way to monitor the sub's source with headphones or a even an O-Scope? Did the sub's voice coil get hit by any sharp transients?

I own a 15" JBL that was on a cheap amp, and it's sound quickly went foul. After $120 re-cone (and a proper sub amp via Crown), it has never sounded better. IS there a rebuild kit for your Klipsch?

 

[Mark Risso]

Thanks for your reply....I do not mean it sounds bad....I have heard alot better.

 

[Sreeni]

That is a case of upgradetitis biting

 

[GeorgeTW]

Mr. Risso, I have one question to your reply. Have you heard better with a differant sub on your exact same setup?

Let's face an ugly truth here. With all the wires coming out of a HT receiver, doesn't it begin to sound like the classic component system, with many wires going in differant directions, all dependant on a solid connection?

By the information you've provided, I may have misinterpreted the symptom. Klipsch makes great speakers, I'd hate to see you kill the messenger if there was a possiblitiy the news came from an unsuitable crossover setting, a home-made interconnects(oxide build-up), mis-matched wires, etc.

I am fortuneately to live in a big city. If I weren't sure about my sub, I would just 'credit' one from Circuit City, get my answer, then return it next day as defective.

Good Luck, and take care.

 

[Mark Risso]

Hey George...please read my post again! I am wanting to build my own sub...ok I have had this SW-12 for 8 years now.....time to upgrade.....I do not think I said it sounded bad....just think with a home built I could do better...ok My post has nothing to do with trying to fix my sw-12....ok I like projects....I think I would enjoy one like this...like many others here. I would never even sell the Klipsch....I have money to burn.

 

[Aaron Smithski]

George TW,
I can see that you are a bit partial to the Klipsch brand, but I do agree with Mark here...the Klipsch SW series leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to sub bass.
I am quite qualifed to state this as I lived with an oak SW-15 for nearly 8 years! Simply put...it just did not play down below 30 Hz! As most information is at 30 Hz or above, I generally felt it performed fairly well for the program material I chose but it always left me wanting more; especially considering that I had to practically beg the dealer down to $1050 from a $1500 list!
That was in 1994 dollars. It makes me a bit sick to think what I am paying now for my sub systems. The home theater room system has (4) of the Dayton 15" IB subs that will be getting 100 watts per driver from 2 channels of a Parasound HCA-1205A. Total cost=$650 + crossover!!! My family room system will have (2) AV15's in custom built-in cabinetry receiving 750 watts apiece from a QSC PLX2402. Total cost=$950!!!
Both of these setups will ABSOLUTELY DESTROY the SW-15!!!
Have fun with your project Mark!!!
Aaron

 

[GeorgeTW]

Mark and Aaron,

Thanks for the clarification. I AM partial to Klipsch, but only because I've never heard a bad one! If they had been selling subs when I was first in the market (1985), I'd not purchased JBL.
I fell in love with Heresys way back then, but they aren't exactly compact. When Klipsch came out with HT speakers, I found the Synergy 3.1 sounded much like my Heresy, but at 1/3 the size. Even its bass is solid to the point where I often bypass my sub in favor of full range.

I agree that your sub system is superior to a single Klipsch cabinet. I don't have the room for that many subs, but I am curious about the implementation of '.2' which is on the way. The only front/rear system I've heard that sounded good was a THX demo room, but obviously this is not quite the same thing.

I wonder how my IMAX Shuttle Laser Disc would sound on your 4 cabinets?

Take care.