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Klipsch RW-12D - Auto On Feature

15K views 133 replies 35 participants last post by  blunderbusdriver 
#1 ·
For those with the RW-12D Klipsch sub, do you use the Auto-On feature?


I've been manually turning on and off my sub, but figured might as well use the feature they put in there in the first place to do this.


Anyways, it says after 20 min of no activity, the sub will turn off.


I went into the LCD display and in the Power section, selected Auto On and then proceeded to shut everything down (TV, receiver, BD player), except for the sub last night.


I woke up this morning and I can still see the LCD is active showing the volume setting, however, the display was not lit up. As soon as I pressed a button, it lit up.


For those that use this function, does the display remain "active" after 20 min after you shut everything down? While it won't be lit up, does it still continue to show the volume setting?
 
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#27 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Angler55  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature#post_22964105


I doubt if a power conditioner will make any difference but I guess it's worth a try. I would use a surge protector and turn it off when not being used.

 
Fortunately, mine seems to work. I wouldn't mind turning it off except for the loud "THUNK" I get when I turn it on. I don't have that problem in standby.
 
#28 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by LastButNotLeast  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature#post_22964307


Fortunately, mine seems to work. I wouldn't mind turning it off except for the loud "THUNK" I get when I turn it on. I don't have that problem in standby.

Oh, you're saying by connecting your sub to the power conditioner your sub now goes into standby?


Al
 
#29 ·

I've always had mine connected to a UPS and, as far as I know, have not had a problem with standby mode. "Always" being 6 - 8 months.

I get the "THUNK" with the UPS (I've never tried without), so I'd really hate to turn it off and on all the time.

And all my electrical equipment has always been connected to UPS's. A little paranoia goes a long way.
 
#30 ·
Well, I actually solved my issue. It was solved by a power conditioner. Thought I would update everyone. It seems to at least go into standby about 80% of the time with it. But it set me back some dollars which I don't really have so I returned it and got a master/slave power strip controller. The master being the AVR, so whenever I turn on the AVR that turns on the subwoofer. Much cheaper solution and thankfully at least mine doesn't make any thumps when turned on or off by it.
 
#32 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by boomster  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature#post_22987858


Well, I actually solved my issue. It was solved by a power conditioner. Thought I would update everyone. It seems to at least go into standby about 80% of the time with it. But it set me back some dollars which I don't really have so I returned it and got a master/slave power strip controller. The master being the AVR, so whenever I turn on the AVR that turns on the subwoofer. Much cheaper solution and thankfully at least mine doesn't make any thumps when turned on or off by it.
My sub is plugged into a power conditioner and it doesnt go into standby. Like I said before its not bothering anything and my electric bill hasnt gone up because its not going into standby mode.
 
#34 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by RastaManMax  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_22989109


Mine still works perfectly. Goes into Standby and comes out of it properly. What firmware does everybody have? I think mine is 1.41 or 1.14?

1.14 here
 
#36 ·
how can you tell if the auto on standby feature is working? Does it say standby after 20 minutes and then fade away? So after 20 minutes of inactivity, and then pressing a volume button, should it say standby? When I press the volume button, it goes directly to changing the volume which makes me think that the standby feature is not working...
 
#40 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by LastButNotLeast  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23029381


Does the display say anything?


(even if you ask it nicely? 
)

well it shows the volume in faded display, which shows that it constantly on... ughhhh.

i suppose when its on standby it supposed to display "standby" in the faded display....ughhhhh


i don't like asking nicely to subwoofers........
 
#41 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by rahkz  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23029892


well it shows the volume in faded display, which shows that it constantly on... ughhhh.

i suppose when its on standby it supposed to display "standby" in the faded display....ughhhhh


i don't like asking nicely to subwoofers........
Like I've said before its NOT a big deal if it doesnt go into standby or say standby when not in use. I dont understand why everyone is so upset because of this. Mine hasnt ever said standby and it works great. Seriously whats the big deal?
 
#42 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cchunter  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23030048


Seriously whats the big deal?
According to boomster (post 25):

"I went and bought a Kill-A-Watt power meter out of curiosity and unplugged the RCA cables completely. Plugged the sub into the meter and I'm reading an average of 250 watts consumption without it doing a single thing! 250 watts 24/7 is nothing to think lightly about in my book."

That's more energy than 4 60-watt lightbulbs, doing NOTHING. That would bother me a little, cost aside.

 
 
#43 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by LastButNotLeast  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23030117


According to boomster (post 25):

"I went and bought a Kill-A-Watt power meter out of curiosity and unplugged the RCA cables completely. Plugged the sub into the meter and I'm reading an average of 250 watts consumption without it doing a single thing! 250 watts 24/7 is nothing to think lightly about in my book."

That's more energy than 4 60-watt lightbulbs, doing NOTHING. That would bother me a little, cost aside.

Sorry but mine isnt sucking any juice. There is something else wrong IMO if its consuming 250 watts and no sound coming out. Its just hard for me to believe that sorry.
 
#44 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cchunter  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23030136


Sorry but mine isnt sucking any juice. There is something else wrong IMO if its consuming 250 watts and no sound coming out. Its just hard for me to believe that sorry.

I sorta agree with you... there is an issue if an item is using that much power and doing nothing, but I also saw with my own eyes how much it was eating away. In that I'm totally with Lastbutnotleast... I'm not rich and while 250 watts isn't a pocket killer if it's on 24/7, it's not something to be happy about either! I'm also one of those people that really does think green and look out for the environment. So while you may not care, I personally do and have what I feel good reasons to be upset about a constant 250 watt drain.
 
#45 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by boomster  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23075811


I sorta agree with you... there is an issue if an item is using that much power and doing nothing, but I also saw with my own eyes how much it was eating away. In that I'm totally with Lastbutnotleast... I'm not rich and while 250 watts isn't a pocket killer if it's on 24/7, it's not something to be happy about either! I'm also one of those people that really does think green and look out for the environment. So while you may not care, I personally do and have what I feel good reasons to be upset about a constant 250 watt drain.

I would bet that 250 watt reading is due either to a measuring error, or a serious problem with the sub. The sub should only have a high wattage draw while actually playing a source signal loud. I have measured both my subs (non RW-12d) with a Kill-A-Watt meter, and while playing material the wattage will go up from the base wattage - although never anywhere near 250 watts.


But the RW-12d does appear to have a poorly designed standby mode (as do some other subs). A user recently measured the standby wattage (see the main RW-12d thread) at around 12 watts. If that measure is correct - it is not good. The sub is basically drawing 12 watts 24/7 in standby mode. The general green standard these days for standby power usage is under 1 watt, so the RW-12d is nowhere near that mark. It is smart to be concerned about standby power usage, both in terms of direct financial impact, and the impact to resource usage and the environment from populations of such devices.


Progress has been made in terms of getting manufacturers to produce greener standby modes - but I would like to see greater regulation in terms of mandatory standards.
 
#46 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cchunter  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23030048


Like I've said before its NOT a big deal if it doesnt go into standby or say standby when not in use. I dont understand why everyone is so upset because of this. Mine hasnt ever said standby and it works great. Seriously whats the big deal?

Money is the big deal. Who wants to spend money every day for electricity they don't use, for years, with absolutely no benefit? Would you leave three 100 watt bulbs burning in your basement every day 365/7 when you never go down there?


The other BIG DEAL is that Klipsch uses this as a feature on their product which induces many customers to buy it. It is reasonable for customers to want to get what they wanted, what was promised by Klipsch, and to get what they paid for.
 
#47 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cchunter  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23030136


Sorry but mine isnt sucking any juice. There is something else wrong IMO if its consuming 250 watts and no sound coming out. Its just hard for me to believe that sorry.


I'm not the world's expert, so please take what I am about to say with a grain of salt, and we'll both wait for someone smarter than me to chime in.



It is my understanding that ALL such devices, like amps and receivers operate at full power all the time. You don't actually turn the volume up, and thus use more power, but the big round knob is actually a POWER ATTENUATOR, so the output of the power is released a little at time. Therefore, if you "turn the volume up" to 80 let's say, you are actually REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF POWER CHOKED OFF. That power is there all the time, whether you use it or not.


From Wikepedia, bolding mine:


"Audio attenuators


A line-level attenuator in the preamp or a power attenuator after the power amplifier uses electrical resistance to reduce the amplitude of the signal that reaches the speaker, reducing the volume of the output. A line-level attenuator has lower power handling, such as a 1/2-watt potentiometer or voltage divider and controls preamp level signals, whereas a power attenuator has higher power handling capability, such as 10 watts or more, and is used between the power amplifier and the speaker."
 
#48 ·
FWIW, in our neck of the woods, a 24/7, constant drain would run and additional r$55.00/m0 based on a cost of $0.31 per kWh.


(250*24)*365=2,190,000 watts used per yr. 2,190.000/1000=2,190kWh 2,190*$0.31/kW (tier two electrical rate)=$678.90/yr. $678.90/12=$56.58/mo. This would be the average per month over a full year of 24/7 usage at 250w/hr. (California electric utility rate)


A couple days ago we, went out and bought a boatload of LED light bulbs to see how much of a difference they would make. At the current price of electricity, $0.31/kWh, it will take thirty-six months to recoup our buy-in costs as we replace both CFL's and tungsten light bulbs.
In my way of thinking, it's cool that all our common use lights are now LED or CFL.


Tungsten lighting and wasting electricity is so 1950's.


A Belkin measuring device was ordered today and hopefully, it will arrive by the end of the week.


-
 
#50 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wvu80  /t/1450950/klipsch-rw-12d-auto-on-feature/30#post_23121053


Money is the big deal. Who wants to spend money every day for electricity they don't use, for years, with absolutely no benefit? Would you leave three 100 watt bulbs burning in your basement every day 365/7 when you never go down there?


The other BIG DEAL is that Klipsch uses this as a feature on their product which induces many customers to buy it. It is reasonable for customers to want to get what they wanted, what was promised by Klipsch, and to get what they paid for.
Then return it to Klipsch and either get it fixed or get your money back so you can buy a different sub. Problem solved
 
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