Klipsch RW-12d on sale for $299 at Newegg.com again today! - Page 23

You can try what I've done: Keep the old sub, set the new sub's high filter to pick up where the old sub drops off. Now you have two subs, each of which is working to its potential. It was easy with my DSP, but you'll probably figure it out.

Bottom (red) line is the old sub. Top lines are both subs (and another year of experience, which helps, too):

 

 

I wasn't clear....the SW-8 was in a system I had 15 years ago. It's been some time since I had any sort of decent system.

It is now back to $349.

At least you're still able to order up to five of them. Had me worried there.

Took it out of the box, sub was immaculate condition. If I shake the sub side to side no noise, but when i turn it upside down and right side up I hear a rattle, I'm assuming that's just cabling hitting on the inside. When I put my hand in the front port, the tube is attached so I think I'm good. Hooked it up, played with the settings a little and threw in the Avengers Blu-Ray. Sounds great! I'll have to tweak the settings a little more to get it just right, but it sounds great! My condo neighbors will be knocking on my door every so often I'm sure.

Thanks! I called Klipsch. They charge about $260 + shipping for a replacement AMP. Given that I don't even know whether or not this is my problem, it seems like a bad move to order one... I could try using it as a passive sub, but I'd have to learn about how to set that up.

RW-12D 120V AMP OEM ORIGINAL PART on amazon only 169.99 included LCD interface controller.

My understanding, just plug it in like you would a regular speaker but you'll still be limited by the driver's limitations. Another suggestion, pickup an outboard Amp with similar power output characteristics as the original Klipsch Amp you're replacing, connect to the Amp via the subwoofer pre-out and then connect to the subwoofer and power like a normal speaker.

Yes, you've complicated your life but look at the fun and education you've gained.

Thanks are you saying that if I unplug the RW-12d from the electrical outlet and plug it normally into my Denon AVR with my subwoofer cable, then the 100W signal from the AVR should pass through the unplugged sub amplifier and just power the woofer in the sub to give me sound?

If so, I will try that before trying an outboard amp...

That's my understanding. Give Klipsch customer service a call and ask them about this connection recommendation. Explain to them that your amplifier blew and you'd like to power the sub as a passive sub using your AVR speaker outs to power it with. See what they have to say on the matter.

No, you have to have an amplifier between the receiver and the sub. You can use just about any amp if you have the proper connections but they also make subwoofer amplifiers for passive subs. The point is, you have to have amplification because your receiver is going to give it to you from the LFE out.

Al

From the specs:

• INPUTS: L/R Line-level RCA jacks, L/R High-level speaker binding posts

So you should be able to run regular speaker outputs to the sub. Just make sure your x-over is off, or you won't get anything!

Good luck.

Thanks! So if I have a 5.1 receiver, can I set this up as a passive sub with 5 regular speakers then... if so how would one run the speaker wire? I am somewhat confused about it...

I also have a 7.1 receiver... otherwise could I set up 5 regular speakers with a passive sub using the 7 speaker outputs? In that case, how would one run the speaker wire?

I thought that if you provide a speaker level signal to the subwoofer amplifier, it still uses that only as a source signal and still uses its own amplifier to drive the cone.

I *THINK* the line-level inputs bypass the amp.

Hook it up just like another pair of fronts.

If you have an A/B speaker switch, these (going to the sub) can be B.

If you have another receiver with pre-amp in/out, you could probably try that as a diagnostic, but that is beyond my level of expertise.

DON'T try to run this AND other speakers off the same output - that messes up the ohms, which messes up the receiver.

Where is Yoda when you need him. The reason those outs are there is so that you can hook other speakers to it and the sub amp will drive them. Other than that I dont know what to say. You are entering the riggit zone.

Line level inputs are definitely not bypassing the amp; either do the speaker level inputs. Generally when using the speaker level inputs you do run them with the fronts set to large so that you can capture the bass content as now you're outside of the avr's bass management as you would get with the line level input.

Not exactly, no.

The high level input/outputs are used so that you can run your left and right channel outputs from the AVR to the subwoofer, and then from the subwoofer to your speakers. The subwoofer then plays the content below the frequency you set on the dial, and allows the rest of the signal to pass to your mains.

OK. Thanks.

I hope this will help you. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask.

Run speaker cable from the main speaker outputs (left and right) on your receiver or amplifier to the left and right inputs on your subwoofer.

Run cable from the speaker outputs on the subwoofer to the left and right speakers.

Be sure that the subwoofer is turned "on" on your receiver, so that the low frequencies will be sent to the subwoofer. This applies if you are using the subwoofer out jack

If wiring using speaker terminals, you'll probably need to shut the subwoofer off on the receiver and set the speakers to "Large" to route all frequencies through the subwoofer. Some subwoofers and receivers allow you to set the crossovers, frequency cut-off points for the subwoofer and speakers.

Guys, these are INPUTS, not outputs!

No, I just meant hooking up the sub without waiting for the speakers....I wouldn't be able to wait

Thanks very much. I don't believe that the RW-12d subwoofer has "speaker outputs " only "speaker inputs".

This is what I was curious about. Can I use my Denon AVR-1912 7.1 receiver and set two of the 7 speaker outputs as a second set of front speakers and then follow the rest of your procedure?

Holy schmoley. I just looked at a picture of the Klipsch. Since it only has inputs, using it with the high level feed is a bit problematic. It won't act as a filter to keep deep bass from hitting your mains if you have to run it in parallel with them. Annoying, but quite understandable in a world where most use the subwoofer pre-output.

I think that something worth reiterating here might be worthwhile. ProfD has a DEFECTIVE sub and isnt even sure whats wrong with it. That is why he is desparately trying to find a use for it.

Exactly

Al

That is sort of true, but not exactly. I don't think that I am "desparately trying to find a use for" my defective RW-12d. But I was curious from a technical point of view if it is possible to set the RW-12d up as a "passive sub" since my amp seems to be not working properly. It was originally BeeMan's idea, since newegg suggested that they might leave me with the defective sub that they had delivered to my door. I am still curious about whether or not it is possible. Thanks!

Another suggestion, if not already done, give Parts-Express a call to see if any of their amplifiers would fit in the RW-12d box? You may have to pull some tools out and modify the box but I'm quite sure you're up to the task. The earlier e-Bay deal suggested sounds like a good idea also. For all intents and purposes, a subwoofer consists of three items; box, amplifier and driver. Since the box is static, it's safe to remove that from the trouble shooting list. And IIRC you posted that the amplifier fails to light up. Anymore news from Newegg on whether the unit should be returned or trashed?

Once you know that Newegg has authorized the trashing of the unit, despite what another suggested, take the time to open the power plug enclosure up to see what's what with the fuse? If Newegg says trash the unit, other than time, it won't cost anything to open the box up and the worse you can do is confirm that the amplifier is toast, ruin everything and have to do what Newegg suggested in the first place which was to trash the unit.

Personally, I can't encourage you to do anything but take the time to breath life into this derelict subwoofer and if you don't want to take the time, donate it to a charitable outlet store so it can be sold out to someone who finds taking the time to repair the unit, to their liking and in doing so, a worthy cause of your choosing makes a few bucks on the deal. I just hate trashing good items with lots of potential. Just saying, the box alone is worth at least a hundred bucks and the driver is probably worth another hundred bucks. Craig's list maybe?

As encouragement, I just recently ordered up and installed a couple sets of driver/radiator pairs from Parts-Express to replace working but aged drivers in a pair of eighteen year old Klipsch, SW12 II subwoofers. And did so despite the discouragement of others. So far, things are going good and in doing so, I've increased my knowledge base to the extent the experience has provided. Extending one's knowledge base is the ideal and is the genesis of my encouragement.

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Edited by BeeMan458 - 2/15/13 at 4:49am

Thanks, BeeMan. I am still waiting to hear back from newegg. I imagine my case is just sitting on someones desk being ignored until it is absolutely necessary for them to look at it. I will tell you what they say. I will also think about the other suggestions once I hear from newegg. I am personally curious and intrigued to mess around with my busted RW-12d if I get the chance.

Give them a respectful call today and rattle their cage saying you need a decision as you'd like to move forward. You have a serious need for a subwoofer and the wife wants the subwoofer out of the room because it clashes with "HER" decor and their indecision wasn't doing your case at home, any good. Might as well use the WAF to some good.