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3 way speaker systems

Tastes and budgets differ, and I don't think we are telling you to do one thing or another. What we are doing is suggesting that you listen with an open mind - you may be perfectly satisfied with something you might have originally disdained to consider. I recognize that this suggestion is hard to implement because not many people can run down to the local stereo shoppe and listen to a bunch of speakers - the stores don't exist.
I don't know if you are intending to buy new, but if you are willing to go used, you can recreate the comparative listening in your own house - there are lots of speakers out there, many of which are cheap or free - get the word out that you are interested, and you may find people eager to have you take their speakers.
 
Nat said:
Tastes and budgets differ, and I don't think we are telling you to do one thing or another. What we are doing is suggesting that you listen with an open mind - you may be perfectly satisfied with something you might have originally disdained to consider. I recognize that this suggestion is hard to implement because not many people can run down to the local stereo shoppe and listen to a bunch of speakers - the stores don't exist.
I don't know if you are intending to buy new, but if you are willing to go used, you can recreate the comparative listening in your own house - there are lots of speakers out there, many of which are cheap or free - get the word out that you are interested, and you may find people eager to have you take their speakers.
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The hard part is the fact that not too many brick and mortar retailers are around to allow someone to listen to their products. reading and watching reviews online only go so far.
 
vheintz said:
so, what most of you are saying or suggesting is to look for 2 ways and a sub.
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My opinion…..2way with a horn loaded compression driver for the high frequencies. A woofer that will play from 100hz to the crossover frequency. Subs for 100hz and down.

Simply put, ewave with subs is a pretty good way to go!
 
BilboBaggins said:
That is a very good question, @vheintz, and I'm thinking along the same lines as you. I remember how it was sold to us at the time. Bass is directionless, so why not remove the heavy lifting load from the amplifier by using powered sub-woofers! This meant that they could easily drive 5 or 7 2-way mids and highs units. The sub takes the majority of the load.

I experimented with sub woofers for a while, and didn't like the results in my music systems. I could hear the sub and it sounded off. So I use large speakers and I'm happy. :music:
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Bass below a point, Bass is"direction less" with regard to left Vs right channel. Move that sub woofer over to the other siide of the room from the main speakers and the phase difference doesn't feel so directionless. Tweaking the infinitely variable phase on my system could never make me happy. A sub is great for some (not all) LFE in the home theater with the sub in line with the front channels, but I'm with you on the music room.
Big cones baby!

IMG_0180.JPG
 
A 2 way with powered sub works well with lower powered amps as the bass requirements of passive 3 ways can reduce sound quality.
 
My speaker set up is as follows- Klipsch R-51PM and R-100SW. My listening room is 11' x 14'. The sub is adjusted up to 70hz with full gain. I have the r51pm's 10 feet apart about a foot from the wall. They are up at ear level on pedestals. The sub is on the right side down below the right speaker and is about two feet from the wall. The listening position is 10 feet from each speaker forming a triangle. As far as having the sub "tuned" correctly, I believe it is. Any recommendations? - I'm talking about speaker set up, not equipment. Like I said originally, I don't have high end equipment and I know that.
 
12" were pretty standard back then, with a few 15" speakers in the mix. Wharfedales were available and this is what I have even from the late 70's.

Might have been the bigger footprint that some didn't like that took a larger enclosure?

Subwoofers came more into the scene as the heavy sounding rock styles developed, with some wanting that concert-like sound, wherein if loud enough, you could feel the vibes.

As already mentioned the calibre of sub woofer determines the quality that results. And a properly set cross over is also a factor in decent application.


Q
 
vheintz said:
My speaker set up is as follows- Klipsch R-51PM and R-100SW. My listening room is 11' x 14'. The sub is adjusted up to 70hz with full gain. I have the r51pm's 10 feet apart about a foot from the wall. They are up at ear level on pedestals. The sub is on the right side down below the right speaker and is about two feet from the wall. The listening position is 10 feet from each speaker forming a triangle. As far as having the sub "tuned" correctly, I believe it is. Any recommendations? - I'm talking about speaker set up, not equipment. Like I said originally, I don't have high end equipment and I know that.
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Experiment!!
If you can move things around, give it a try....location with respect to walls/corners, toe-in, etc.
Did you try different settings for the sub?
 
RVT1K said:
Experiment!!
If you can move things around, give it a try....location with respect to walls/corners, toe-in, etc.
Did you try different settings for the sub?
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Yes. I've experimented with sub position to the left, to the opposite wall with polarity switched and so forth. Probably time to upgrade. I think my expectations were too high for what I have now.
 
Max gain on your sub is usually too much. If you can hear it distinctly, it's too loud. Mine are noticeable only when turned off.

If you have it connected at speaker level, the A/B switch can be handy in getting it blended.

FWIW, my two main systems both have three-way speakers...and a pair of subs each. There are relatively few three-way speakers that go as low as a good sub, at least not without a big drop-off and loss of definition.
 
Porkloin said:
Bass below a point, Bass is"direction less" with regard to left Vs right channel. Move that sub woofer over to the other siide of the room from the main speakers and the phase difference doesn't feel so directionless. Tweaking the infinitely variable phase on my system could never make me happy. A sub is great for some (not all) LFE in the home theater with the sub in line with the front channels, but I'm with you on the music room.
Big cones baby!
Click to expand...

That is what seems to work for me with 2 channel. With my HTR, I have a 12 inch Klipsch powered sub. It may be that the HTR EQ program fixed things for me, where as I didn't have access to something like that when integrating a sub with my 2 channel stereo. But what stood out for me the most when trying to integrate a sub with my stereo, is that they have different voicing, and that was what I didn't like. I came to the conclusion that perhaps the fact that a powered sub uses its own amplifier makes this exercise futile for me. I did hear that there is someone who came up with a way of capturing the voicing of the system and integrating it with the sub. I read about it 8 years ago and don't recall the details. It might have been Vandersteen.
 
vheintz said:
My speaker set up is as follows- Klipsch R-51PM and R-100SW. My listening room is 11' x 14'. The sub is adjusted up to 70hz with full gain. I have the r51pm's 10 feet apart about a foot from the wall. They are up at ear level on pedestals. The sub is on the right side down below the right speaker and is about two feet from the wall. The listening position is 10 feet from each speaker forming a triangle. As far as having the sub "tuned" correctly, I believe it is. Any recommendations? - I'm talking about speaker set up, not equipment. Like I said originally, I don't have high end equipment and I know that.
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first, I have never turned a powered sub full gain, I'm betting it's boomy and why you don't like it.

Here are some suggestions, if the sub is sealed your position can work but point it along the front wall if nothing blocking instead of at the listening position, or move it to a more centralized position along the front wall.

If ported, move the sub away from the wall more and centered, put some fake plants behind it as bass traps, this should help especially if rear ported.

Then adjust the low pass to 60hzish, gain where you only notice the subs presence when turned off and the bass drops out.


season to taste with the phase switch and positioning tweaks.


Twin subs alleviate a lot of the positioning issues associated with one sub, but that doesn't mean one can't work just as well as two.
 
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I assume you're not using an amp.
What is your control and media source?
(Edit... I have no idea why this font is bold)

Klipsch R-51PM Specs
  • SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
  • Powered Monitor (pair)
  • FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 68Hz – 21kHz
  • DYNAMIC BASS EXTENSION: 49Hz @ 35% Volume
  • MAX OUTPUT: 107.3 dB
  • TOTAL SYSTEM POWER: 120W Total System Power (140W Peak),60W per channel cont. @ <%1 THD
  • HIGH FREQUENCY DRIVER: 1” (2.5cm) Aluminum diaphragm compression driver mated to 90° x 90° square Tractrix horn
  • LOW FREQUENCY DRIVER: 5.25” (13.3cm) copper spun magnetically shielded IMG woofer
  • CROSSOVER FREQUENCY: 1663 Hz (Passive)
  • ENCLOSURE MATERIAL: MDF
  • ENCLOSURE TYPE: Bass-reflex via rear-firing port
  • INPUTS:Bluetooth, wireless technology, Phono/Line analog (with switch and ground screw terminal), 3.5mm analog mini jack, USB digital, Optical digital
  • OUTPUTS: Single RCA line level output for connection to subwoofer
  • HEIGHT, WIDTH, DEPTH: 13.3” (33.8 cm), 7” (17.78 cm), 9.12” (23.16 cm)
  • WEIGHT: 10.6 lbs (4.8 kg)
  • FINISH: Black
  • VOLTAGE: 100V-240V 50/60Hz internal power supply with region specific power cords
 
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