PLEASE HELP! Just got a new system, terrible sound! (1 Viewer)

[TravisMc]

Well, I just got the Klipsch Reference 3 system, and From all the "speakers" I get amazing sound, its clear, crisp, and just flat out awesome
BUT
I also ordered a KSW-15 Subwoofer.......
Now guys........Accuracy, detail, "brightness" etc
I care about none of the above right now
The subwoofer is barely putting out any bass, at ALL :frowning: :frowning:
I mean, yes, The woofer is moving, but this is pathetic....
I have owned Klipsch Promedia 5.1 Speaker, and its subwoofer destroys this KSW-15
Its a 15 inch driver, surely it can make more than 5DB's of bass...
What wrong? Crossovers, Etc? Im using a Sony-685 Receiver
Im playing a THX Bass test, I have the subwoofer connected using composite, from the subwoofer out from the receiver, to the LFE in on the subwoofer
Please tell me what im doing wrong, as I dont have a clue :frowning:

 

[TravisMc]

What the hell, of a sudden, I pressed a button on the remote, "PCM 44.1 KHZ" came up, and now, the Sub makes a TON of Bass......

I have no clue what Im doing

Help

 

[ben hunt]

Man I wish I could help you. I am getting my receiver and some speakers tomorrow and I am envisioning a shaky set-up with lots of "what the hell am I doing" type things also.

haha

 

[Chris Tsutsui]

From what I recall, I thought Klipsch recommended hooking the main speakers to the subwoofer, and the subwoofer to the receiver. Maybe try that out?

If you switched it to PCM and got sound, I wonder if the subwoofer decodes PCM signals. (Which I doubt)

So the subwoofer is connected to the "sub-out" on the receiver, then you should set the mode on the receiver to 2.1 or 5.1, etc and play music or a DVD to see if you get bass. There should be a level control on the receiver for the subwoofer and maybe a crossover. Perhaps turn the gain and crossover settings on the subwoofer to max and let the receiver control the subwoofer's output.

I suspect you may have had it set in 2 channel mode or something and wasn't getting any bass. Either that, or the placement of the sub isn't ideal. Try placing it in the corner?

So the cone is moving -- is it moving a lot and there's still not much bass? Maybe the sound is getting canceled out somehow. The bass from the mains can cancel out the bass from the subs if they arn't adjusted to "blend" with eachother using the phase and crossover adjustments.

Also, the THX test tones use that pink noise through the .1 channel. This may not seem loud in relation to the highs from your Klipsch speakers, but it is loud to an SPL meter.

 

[TravisMc]

Good news!

After playing with the receiver, and many MANY settings, I have finally got everything "working"

Although, wires, and hookups of all sorts are ran all accross my room : ) I'll eventually get all that cleaned up, and finally be able to enjoy Home theater sound

One Note, The Klipsch KSW-15.............Although not MIND BLOWING, it makes VERY impressive sound, once you get everything working : )

My ears hurt : ) All you SVS fantics, if its any louder than this, OH MY GOD, hehe, I'll have to get me an SVS eventually..

On another Note, Klipsch Reference 3 units (RF-3, RS-3, RC-3) all sound AWESOME, and flat out amazing......

Im a rather big newbie to the whole concept of HT, But Im learning fast

anyways, suffice it to say, Im glad I got into it ; )

Thanks guys, Later

(oh, btw, Subwoofer wasent working due to my ignorance, and thinking Pro logic II was on, and it wasent, and I was using a stereo source)

 

[ColinM]

Travis -

What "THX" test were you using?

The only one in my collection is on SW:TPM, and it also is very weak on the sub. The instructions say that it is specifically NOT for level setting, only for channel verification.

If you don't have a real test disc and an SPL meter, get one.

You'll not regret it.

Once you do, try going back to the sub-out connection, and run all (yes, all) of your speakers small. Just to see what happens.

But - Youse gots to calibrates.

Good Luck