[ScooterMcTavish]

Hey folks,


I've been fighting with a set of tower speakers I have (Wharfedale Sapphire SP-89s) - specifically their lack of bass output. Had a few other posts in this forum, but like many guys, I end up solving some of my own problems.


However, a new thought occurred to me today. Is it my bass is missing, or are my mids too "hot"? And this is where my question comes in that makes me feel dumb to ask.


My last set of towers has the mid and tweeter hooked to the HF posts, and the dual woofers to the LF posts. However, when I was experimenting with the Sapphires yesterday, I noticed that the two woofers and the mid are hooked to the LF, and the tweeter is by itself on the HF posts.


My question (and I ask because one woofer in each tower has been reconed), could someone have also monkeyed with the crossovers, and rewired the mid to the woofer section? If so, could it be getting too hot an output vs. the less efficient woofers, meaning that I can never get the mids and woofers into balance?


There were no obvious or overt signs of tampering with the crossovers, but this almost "feels" like it could be the problem. Is it normal to have the tweeter and mid on the HF section, and the woofers on the LF, or are there no hard and fast rules?

 

[Bill Fitzmaurice]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ScooterMcTavish  /t/1520359/bi-ampable-speakers-i-feel-stupider-than-usual#post_24423583


Is it normal to have the tweeter and mid on the HF section, and the woofers on the LF, or are there no hard and fast rules?

Logically the woofers would be on one set of lugs and the midrange and tweeter on the other, as the woofers draw at least twice the power as the mids and tweeters combined.

 

[ScooterMcTavish]

Well, double and triple checked the speakers, and this is the way they're set up. Not that it makes much of a difference, as I've gone back to having just one run of wire from the amp to the speakers.


However, I did switch around drivers yesterday (paired them up as both reconed in one tower, both original in the other), and put some jumper plates on the speakers, and wow, suddenly I have a bunch more bass than previously.....


Previously, I had about 2" of wire stripped, and ran a bare wire connection between both sets of posts (LF first, HF second). Little bass. Now I have the wire running to the HF posts, which are connected with the LF by the plates. Very nice bass.


Although I could understand a bad connection, I did replace one of the speaker wires previously in the even this was it, and connected with freshly stripped, non oxidized copper. Still was light on the bass.


This makes no sense to me, as technically running bare wire across the posts should not make any difference, correct? Plus I was getting plenty of sizzle out of the mid which is on the LF posts.


Wondering if I am missing something here, or if the cosmic audio gods aligned the stars for me.....

 

[Bill Fitzmaurice]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ScooterMcTavish  /t/1520359/bi-ampable-speakers-i-feel-stupider-than-usual#post_24473926


Wondering if I am missing something here, or if the cosmic audio gods aligned the stars for me.....

Different jumper materials wouldn't affect the bass response. Mis-wiring inside the cabinet would, to an huge degree if you had the woofers wired with reverse polarity.

 

[ScooterMcTavish]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Fitzmaurice  /t/1520359/bi-ampable-speakers-i-feel-stupider-than-usual#post_24474386


Different jumper materials wouldn't affect the bass response. Mis-wiring inside the cabinet would, to an huge degree if you had the woofers wired with reverse polarity.

Thanks Bill,


It made no logical sense to me that a 2" bare wire direct from the AVR to both sets of posts would sound different that running a wire to one set of posts, then using a jumper to another. However, I do ask these questions as the Wharfies have had me questioning my sanity a few times.


When I removed the woofers, I seem to remember all having their polarities correct. So again, I am a bit flummoxed as to why my bass response has magically improved?


I guess I could chalk it up to oxidation or crud in the LF posts, or poor wire contact in some way shape, or form. This is my only guess, as the jumper plate is making very solid contact with the base under the screw post.