Question about Klipsch subwoofers

[isolar8001]

When those BIC F12's were 140 dollars 13 years ago, they were not a bad value....just buy 2.
I had a couple at that price...one still works fine, I gave it away 7 years ago.
One had the amp go out after 6 years and I stuck a Parts Express Bash Amp in it....its been in my closet for 6 years !

 

[lovinthehd]

I don’t own this sub yet. I own the receiver and some bookshelves, and this thread is about subwoofer recommendations. I just was unsure of how to hook it up after I buy it and wanted clarification

Still applies generally. Some subs have differing features but most will have the mono/LFE input as well as the L/R inputs.

 

[Golfx]

Follow ups: I watched a review of the sw-15 and they said when the sub is pushed below 30hz is has a pretty bad “chuffing noise”? I assume the same for the sw-12? What do I need to know about this?
Also, I haven’t heard much in regard to how either of these subs is with music, which is my main need. I only hear about home theater and movies. So if you only account for music reproduction, is the monoprice still way better? The monoprice seems to go down to 30 hz and the Klipsch says 29 hz. Is this just marketing speak to ignore?

The chuffing noise is just the sub reaching its low end capabilities. The Kilpsch would likely hit that same capability limit at even less output. This chuffing is more a product of buying a sub, any sub, in your price range.

The SPL (loudness) of the Monoprice is rated higher (better) than the Klipsch by actual reviewed measurements at tested low frequencies. Manufacturers “claims” of lower end ranges (29hz) should not be taken as actually verified with CEA-2010 measurements.

Regarding the two RCA inputs on the back of the sub you can use either but usually the left one is marked “LFE”. If so use that one. The subwoofer manual will also tell you which one to use.

 

[Squishman]

The chuffing noise is just the sub reaching its low end capabilities. The Kilpsch would likely hit that same capability limit at even less output. This chuffing is more a product of buying a sub, any sub, in your price range.

The SPL (loudness) of the Monoprice is rated higher (better) than the Klipsch by actual reviewed measurements at tested low frequencies. Manufacturers “claims” of lower end ranges (29hz) should not be taken as actually verified with CEA-2010 measurements.

Regarding the two RCA inputs on the back of the sub you can use either but usually the left one is marked “LFE”. If so use that one. The subwoofer manual will also tell you which one to use.

Why read the manual for which one? That is not difficult. As stated here already, it's the one marked LFE.

 

[Golfx]

Why read the manual for which one? That is not difficult. As stated here already, it's the one marked LFE.

I am trying to reassure him as he is new.

 

[DJ in TX]

I am trying to reassure him as he is new.

Thanks I appreciate it, yes I am very new. I often read posts here and have little idea of what is being said when the technical info is flying.

 

[Squishman]

Thanks I appreciate it, yes I am very new. I often read posts here and have little idea of what is being said when the technical info is flying.

Join the club! I understand about 5% of what I read on this forum sometimes. Ha.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Thanks I appreciate it, yes I am very new. I often read posts here and have little idea of what is being said when the technical info is flying.

lol. Hope I’m not guilt! If there’s something you don’t get, just ask. Someone will surely be able to boil it down to make sense.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Why read the manual for which one? That is not difficult. As stated here already, it's the one marked LFE.

And for the sake of the OP(who may know this already) the LFE subwoofer input is normally used to bypass the subwoofer’s internal crossover and use the one in the AVR. Using the other input uses the subwoofers internal XO.

 

[Squishman]

XO = crossover.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

XO = crossover.

Yes!

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes!

Except most subwoofer "crossovers" are just a low pass filter (half a crossover)

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Except most subwoofer "crossovers" are just a low pass filter (half a crossover)

True. But I didn’t want to go there yet.

 

[DJ in TX]

Ok so I got my new sub (Klipsch R-120SW) and I hooked it up to my receiver (pioneer VSX-819H) via the LFE port, and no matter what I put the gain on or the low pass filter on. I’m not getting any sound over the subwoofer. Confirming that it is plugged into power and the little green power light on the front of the sub is on. I’m sure that this is just user error. Maybe the receiver settings need to be changed? I’ve played around and put speaker A on, then speaker B on, and then speaker A+B on but still no change.

Any ideas?

 

[Squishman]

Ok so I got my new sub (Klipsch R-120SW) and I hooked it up to my receiver (pioneer VSX-819H) via the LFE port, and no matter what I put the gain on or the low pass filter on. I’m not getting any sound over the subwoofer. Confirming that it is plugged into power and the little green power light on the front of the sub is on. I’m sure that this is just user error. Maybe the receiver settings need to be changed? I’ve played around and put speaker A on, then speaker B on, and then speaker A+B on but still no change.

Any ideas?

I would go through the Pioneer set-up guide. Probably on-screen. Yamaha has a tablet app, not sure if Pioneer does that. But anyway, it will ask you your speaker configuration. You may need to add the sub to the config.

 

[DJ in TX]

I would go through the Pioneer set-up guide. Probably on-screen. Yamaha has a tablet app, not sure if Pioneer does that. But anyway, it will ask you your speaker configuration. You may need to add the sub to the config.

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually just had this thought as well. I know when I set it up the first time it came with a little microphone that you plugged in and then ran through a little audio feedback, sensing algorithm to kind of set some stuff up, so maybe when I ran at the first time it knew there was no subwoofer in therefore disabled that port? Anyway, I’ve got a dig through some stuff and see if I can find that microphone and if not, then I guess see if I can do the set up without a microphone.

 

[DJ in TX]

Ok I found the microphone and ran the pioneer receiver speaker setup. it was all automatic and did not ask me to select what speakers I had, but one by one I heard the receiver play static and bass over all speakers individually, the two bookshelves, and the new subwoofer. So sound did come over the sub during the setup, But after setup completed I’m still not hearing audio over the sub.

 

[Golfx]

Somewhere in your original setup wizard the pioneer will ask you what speakers you have. See if you can re setup your AVR and tell it you have a subwoofer.
the microphone helps determine the loudness and delays from each “setup” speaker. It will not then tell the pioneer you have a sub. You will have to do that. Read that part in the manual.

 

[lovinthehd]

Ok I found the microphone and ran the pioneer receiver speaker setup. it was all automatic and did not ask me to select what speakers I had, but one by one I heard the receiver play static and bass over all speakers individually, the two bookshelves, and the new subwoofer. So sound did come over the sub during the setup, But after setup completed I’m still not hearing audio over the sub.

Are speakers set to small with a crossover? Using a sound mode that uses the sub? I assume you still get lfe, just not bass management from your description....

 

[Golfx]

Somewhere in your original setup wizard the pioneer will ask you what speakers you have. See if you can re setup your AVR and tell it you have a subwoofer.
the microphone helps determine the loudness and delays from each “setup” speaker. It will not then tell the pioneer you have a sub. You will have to do that. Read that part in the manual.

https://assets.pioneerhomeusa.com/product-manuals/VSX-819H_OperatingInstructions0508.pdf?v=1684719945

above is your manual. See page 42 and 65