Connecting Infinity RS 4.5's

[MAVRICK]

About me: I am not an audiophile and I'm fairly ignorant when it comes electricity and most technical aspects of the hobby. I am however, a lover of music and I enjoy good audio reproduction when I hear it. I have a pair of Infinity RS 4.5's including their active crossover unit that I acquired from a former neighbor. I'm very excited to get these Jurassic Gems up and singing. I was hoping to get some simple straight forward advice on hooking these baby's up and how to set the various adjustments/switches on the crossovers. I have an old Yamaha Receiver (RX-V992) and I have 2 Yamaha Amplifiers [M-70 (200WPC@8) and a M-45 (125WPC@8)]. I was thinking of Bi-Amping but I would defer to knowledgeable recommendations.

 

[swechsler]

I'm not an expert on the 4.5s (would love to have a pair, though), but your system should be able to support these speakers (make sure the amps can handle 4Ω loads). You'll need to use the receiver as a preamp (luckily it has preamp outputs for the main speakers), the M70 for the woofers and the M45 for the mids/tweeters. Connect the main preamp outputs on the receiver to the input jacks on the back of the crossover. The low pass outputs go to the M70 and the high pass to the M45. Make sure you get the polarity of the speaker cables the same for all connections. And you'll want to disable the subwoofer in the receiver's set-up menu - these speakers won't need one.

You'll need to select biamp on the back of the speakers but I'm not exactly sure how to do that (looking at a picture of the back - see below - wasn't helpful). But here's the manual for the crossover. This page on Infinity Classics may give you some more info.

ETA: before you start using them, ensure that the foam surrounds on all the woofers are intact. Running a woofer with a disintegrating surround can cause expensive-to-repair damage.

 

[MAVRICK]

I'm not an expert on the 4.5s (would love to have a pair, though), but your system should be able to support these speakers (make sure the amps can handle 4Ω loads). You'll need to use the receiver as a preamp (luckily it has preamp outputs for the main speakers), the M70 for the woofers and the M45 for the mids/tweeters. Connect the main preamp outputs on the receiver to the input jacks on the back of the crossover. The low pass outputs go to the M70 and the high pass to the M45. Make sure you get the polarity of the speaker cables the same for all connections. And you'll want to disable the subwoofer in the receiver's set-up menu - these speakers won't need one.

You'll need to select biamp on the back of the speakers but I'm not exactly sure how to do that (looking at a picture of the back - see below - wasn't helpful). But here's the manual for the crossover. This page on Infinity Classics may give you some more info.

ETA: before you start using them, ensure that the foam surrounds on all the woofers are intact. Running a woofer with a disintegrating surround can cause expensive-to-repair damage.

Thanks for your helpful reply. I have been searching for a User Manual for the 4.5 speakers to no avail. I have found a "technical manual" but it's really just a
spec sheet and schematic. So... not all the info I'm looking to find.

 

[bshorey]

If your 4.5's are anything like my 2.5's, then it should be relatively easy.

There is a switch on top for 'single' amp or 'bi-amp'. Set that to 'bi-amp' if it's there.

Where the speaker wires connect to the speakers, there are four terminals. Two for the highs and two for the lows. If you're running a single amp, then those would be jumpered together (red to red, black to black). Remove those jumpers.

Then, connect the preamp to the active crossover. Connect the low output of your active crossover to one of the amps (I'd assume the 200 wpc one). Connect the high output from the active crossover to the other amp.

Run the speaker wires from the 'low' amp to the 'low' inputs on the 4.5's. Run the speaker wires from the 'high' amp to the 'high' inputs on the 4.5's.

Turn everything on, and prepare to be blown away!

Note - if these speakers haven't been serviced, then there's a very good chance that the woofers will need refoaming. Pull the grills off and give them a good inspection. Gently poke the speaker foams. If they are deteriorating, then refoam them before doing anything. The Watkins woofers are fantastic drivers, and are not inexpensive. You don't want to risk damaging them by running them if the foams are bad.

If you have questions, take a picture of the control panel, and another of the wiring inputs, and post them here.

I'm jealous!

bs

 

[MAVRICK]

If your 4.5's are anything like my 2.5's, then it should be relatively easy.

There is a switch on top for 'single' amp or 'bi-amp'. Set that to 'bi-amp' if it's there.

Where the speaker wires connect to the speakers, there are four terminals. Two for the highs and two for the lows. If you're running a single amp, then those would be jumpered together (red to red, black to black). Remove those jumpers.

Then, connect the preamp to the active crossover. Connect the low output of your active crossover to one of the amps (I'd assume the 200 wpc one). Connect the high output from the active crossover to the other amp.

Run the speaker wires from the 'low' amp to the 'low' inputs on the 4.5's. Run the speaker wires from the 'high' amp to the 'high' inputs on the 4.5's.

Turn everything on, and prepare to be blown away!

Note - if these speakers haven't been serviced, then there's a very good chance that the woofers will need refoaming. Pull the grills off and give them a good inspection. Gently poke the speaker foams. If they are deteriorating, then refoam them before doing anything. The Watkins woofers are fantastic drivers, and are not inexpensive. You don't want to risk damaging them by running them if the foams are bad.

If you have questions, take a picture of the control panel, and another of the wiring inputs, and post them here.

I'm jealous!

bs

Thanks for the advice. I'm trying to be very cautious and educate myself as much as possible, so as not to harm any of the equipment. I think the foams are OK. I just re-foamed my Cerwin Vega D9's and was surprised how easy that was. Might just re-foam these (assuming its as easy) before using them, just a a precaution. I just got the CV's back after selling them to a family member about 9 years ago. I was thrilled with how great they sounded to my ears after all these years. When I get these Infinity's going, I may never leave the house again!

 

[MAVRICK]

I'm curious if you are using the Active Crossover unit for your 2.5's and if you have the manual for that? There is a paragraph in it that threw me.
"Since the RS crossover/equalizer inverts phase at its outputs, both in the equalizer and bichannel
modes, it is recommended that each amplifier to speaker cable be phase reversed at
one end only so that red or "hot" at the amp end goes to black at the speaker input terminals.
This is done to preserve overall system absolute phase."
http://www.infinity-classics.de/technik/manuals/RS 2.5 - 4.5 Crossover Manual.PDF

Someone also sent me a few pages from the 4.5 User Manual (which I'm still seeking) and this made me question my understanding. (see attached image)


This leads me to believe that since my amplifiers (M-70 and M-45) aren't identical, perhaps I should eliminate the Active unit entirely. ???

 

[7.62]

I have the original paperwork myself. It’s going to be a read re-read situation for me. I don’t know how anyone can cypher that first time around.

I’m picking up an Yamaha DSP-A1 today to try as a preamp, so I’m going to tear my system apart and I’m also going to pull out the electronic crossover box and see what it does. Gonna take a few days figure it all out. I’ll post a few pics along the way.

Congrats on getting them, they are in my opinion fantastic but to hot on the top end. Near field is where I enjoy them the most at medium volume. I’m going to try a splitter cable today and use the crown power on the woofers and the Yamaha power on the mids/highs.

I think you have the right idea with your Yamaha amps, definitely want the most power going to those Watkins woofers.

 

[bshorey]

That diagram seems to be bi-amping, but using the internal passive crossover instead of the external active crossover. If you have the active crossover, I'd use it. As for unequal power, that's fine with active crossovers as well - the mids and tweeters don't need as much power as the woofers.

bs

 

[swechsler]

@MAVRICK: that diagram is for what's called passive biamping; that is, sending a full signal to both the upper and lower amps. When you use the external active crossover, that's active biamping, and as mentioned above, it's fine with the equipment you have.

 

[MAVRICK]

@MAVRICK: that diagram is for what's called passive biamping; that is, sending a full signal to both the upper and lower amps. When you use the external active crossover, that's active biamping, and as mentioned above, it's fine with the equipment you have.

Enter this:

Mode 5 really confuses me! Furthermore, neither Mode 4 or 5 show the speaker wires in a way that makes sense to me.

 

[MAVRICK]

By the way gentlemen, the more I learn here, the more I find how much I need to learn. Thank you for your patience and willingness to chime in on this.

 

[swechsler]

Since no 4.5 owner have come forward, can you post hi-res pics (post on imgur.com and then use the Image icon to embed them, rather than uploading them directly to AK - you'll get the original resolution that way) of all the switches and connections on your speakers? That might be enough for us to figure it out.

 

[MAVRICK]

Since no 4.5 owner have come forward, can you post hi-res pics (post on imgur.com and then use the Image icon to embed them, rather than uploading them directly to AK - you'll get the original resolution that way) of all the switches and connections on your speakers? That might be enough for us to figure it out.

Those poor quality images were uploaded by someone on Facebook. That's the best I have. Perhaps "7.62 Gearhead" could help us out? I really want to get my hands on that manual or PDF.

 

[swechsler]

I meant pictures of your speakers themselves. The diagram is perfectly readable.

 

[MAVRICK]

I meant pictures of your speakers themselves. The diagram is perfectly readable.

I am currently away from home so I found this on the internet which may provide the detail you were looking for.
https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649136494-infinity-rs-45/
https://www.picclickimg.com/00/s/OT...Vtg-INFINITY-RS-45-1B-Stereo-Speakers-_57.jpg

 

[swechsler]

OK, well if your passive crossovers look like that, then it's pretty obvious how to connect them. Set the switch to bi-amp and have at it.

 

[7.62]

I can’t do anything from my iPad, when I log in I get a Cox addy of some sort and it shuts me out.

I’m not sure if pics would be readable from my iPhone.

 

[7.62]

Looks like things are working again, when I get home I’ll post what I have.


I have a manual with more pictures of the different ways to hook them up. If you would like any specific pictures let me know.

 

[MAVRICK]

Looks like things are working again, when I get home I’ll post what I have.
View attachment 1473154 View attachment 1473155 View attachment 1473156 View attachment 1473157

I have a manual with more pictures of the different ways to hook them up. If you would like any specific pictures let me know.

Thank You for taking time to share these images. I received a link from someone yesterday, to download the PDF. I'm still studying it to make sense of some of the connection configurations. http://www.davidsaudio.com/Infinity_45_Manual0001.pdf On the "mode 5" active bi-amplification diagram, I need to understand the speaker lines from the amps to to the speakers. I'm thinking it was not correctly drawn on the diagram? My plan is an adaptation of mode 5 (because I'm using 2 different wattage amps) to route one amp to my mid/highs (of both speakers) and the other amp to the bass section (of both speakers).

 

[7.62]

I couldn’t remember that link, that is the same one I have so you should be good. I just started using a Yamaha AVR as a preamp, using the preouts connected to my crown 2502. I really like how it sounds the way it is. So I haven’t brought out the electronic crossover yet. Many say that it takes away from the sound, that’s why I haven’t messed with it.

So I’m interested to see what you think.

Here’s my setup.

To this

To these

I might try and see if I can still use the Crown to the woofers, and use the Yamaha power on top. I’m just not sure if the way I have it if the Yamaha still puts out with the jumpers removed.