Hi everyone, I've been on here off and on over the past few years and have found this site very helpful.  I've been a Klipsch fan ever since my first Klipsch purchase in the early 90's.

So, I recently picked up a Mint theater setup locally that consists of the following: a pair of cherry RF-7s, a cherry RC-7, a cherry RSW-15, a pair of RS-7s, as well as 2 bello cherry/metal stands and all the monster cables with monster bananas ... All for $1800 ...

I've added one of my subs, a Velodyne DLS5000R (powered 15"), as well as a pair of RF-3s as the 6 & 7 channel ...

Everything powered by my Harman Kardon AVR-7300 ...

Here are my ideas and thoughts and I would like any advice you might have in efforts to help me understand things clearer and maximize my theater at the same time ... 

In the past I've normally had my speakers set to Large, but after reading a few articles, it sounds as if the "large" speaker setting isn't preferred in efforts to balance out the system properly by preventing holes in the sound.  From my understanding, when "small" is selected you can specify your xover settings for each speaker independently and avoid these holes in the sound and if your setup has a very good sub which can do it's job well, then allow the sub to reproduce all the wonderful lows at the crossover point selected in the receiver and above, all while allowing your other speakers to produce bass above the crossover points as well ...  AM I Understanding this correctly ???

But setting the RF-7s to "small" just doesn't seem right for some reason ...

So, I was planning to experiment with the following Size and X-over settings within my HK :

M O D E : S I Z E
L E F T / R I G H T : S M A L L
C E N T E R : S M A L L
S U R R O U N D : S M A L L
S U R R B A C K : S M A L L     M A I N
S U B W O O F E R : S U B
B A S S M G R : G L O B A L

Also, from what I've read, when choosing a Xover Frequency, you should typically look at your speakers freq. response and then go up to the next number that is allowed via your receiver.  For example, the RF-7 has a freq. response of  32Hz-20kHz ±3dB ... so, shouldn't I set the receiver xover to 40Hz ??? The HK 7300 offers xover points of 40Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz and 200Hz to each of the channels which is a nice feature ... So here's what I come up with after reviewing each speaker's freq. responses ...

MO D E : X - O V E R
L E F T / R I G H T : 40 H Z (RF-7)
C E N T E R : 60 H Z (RC-7)
S U R R O U N D : 60 H Z (RS-7)
S U R R B A C K : 40 H Z (RF-3)
L F E :  ???
B A S S M G R : G L O B A L

The LFE setting above is a bit tricky for me ... My HK Manual states the following: " The setting for the crossover point for the LFE channel, which is created to provide specific low-frequency information in many movies with digital soundtracks, may be set to match the crossover for any of the four speaker groups. Since the crossover point commonly used in the creation of the LFE channel is 120Hz, we recommend that you select the speaker group whose
crossover point is closest to 120Hz."   ... The closest to 120Hz?  Isn't that high? The closest that I have in the selections above is 60Hz???  I use to have my Velo set a 80Hz and enjoyed it there ... so should I chose the Center or Surrounds which are at 60Hz or bump up something to 80Hz???

I've also read to set everything to small and 80Hz ... and then let your speakers do what they do best ... but then if you set everything to 80Hz ... don't you create this "hole" in the sound and leave some of your speakers ability out on the table?

MO D E : X - O V E R
L E F T / R I G H T : 80 H Z (RF-7)
C E N T E R : 80 H Z (RC-7)
S U R R O U N D : 80 H Z (RS-7)
S U R R B A C K : 80 H Z (RF-3)
L F E :  L E F T / R I G H T (which would be 80Hz)
B A S S M G R : G L O B A L

________________________________________ 

My Last idea is to use a combination of both Small and Large  (Large only for the RF-7s) and then the Subwoofer setting to SUB L/R+LFE, this will give a full-range signal to the front left/right speakers, and the subwoofer will receive LFE information and the bass frequencies under the selected crossover point

M O D E : S I Z E
L E F T / R I G H T : L A R G E
C E N T E R : S M A L L
S U R R O U N D : S M A L L
S U R R B A C K : S M A L L     M A I N
S U B W O O F E R : SUB L/R+LFE
B A S S M G R : G L O B A L

I would then use the following Xover settings when using the above L/R as Large ...

MO D E : X - O V E R
L E F T / R I G H T : 40 H Z (With this HK receiver, you are still allowed to adjust the xover setting for the L/R channels when set to large, this is only allowed for the L/R speakers)
C E N T E R : 60 H Z (RC-7)
S U R R O U N D : 60 H Z (RS-7)
S U R R B A C K : 40 H Z (RF-3)
L F E :  L E FT / R I G H T (Subs X-overed at 40Hz)
B A S S M G R : G L O B A L

As for Delay Adjust, I simply enter the distance from each speaker to the optimal listening position and then the HK does the rest and for the Channel Output Level Adjust, I will let the EzSet determine the level while listening to a test signal at significant volume ... Then once set, I'll check with a DB hand reader to verify and/or fine tune ...

Thanks for reading and PLEASE post comments ... I need all the help I can get ...

-TIM

i am lost in the numbers....lol

set them to small and play with the crossovers.  i would first start off at 80hz (thx spec).  i personally like my sub set at 70hz.  i have heard from fellow rf-7 owners that they like their mains set around 50hz-60hz.  i think the only crossover you want below 80hz is the mains.  leave the rest of the speakers at 80hz.  i would play with the mains and see what you like.  i wouldn't mess with any other setting until you find which crossover setting you like the most.  keep it simple for now. 

you are going to get a lot of enemys for buying those speakers at that price!   lol   lol.  i too got a great deal on mine, i can't talk about it though....i may get lynched....lol

Thanks for the reply Inventor ... and yea, I thought that price was a super deal

I did some playing around yesterday and really like the way the system sounds with all speakers set to "Small" and then using the following xover points ...

I'll do more adjusting today and play around with 80Hz on all speakers other than the RF-7s (I'll try them at 60Hz) ... 

What would be the benefit of going to 80Hz on the speakers when the Freq. Response goes well below 80Hz in most cases?

-TIM

Tim_in_NC:

What would be the benefit of going to 80Hz on the speakers when the Freq. Response goes well below 80Hz in most cases?

I always wondered this myself.  With RF-7's you would think you would want them to pound out the bass right?  They are more than capable of it.  My understanding is that it allows them to play more efficient by relieving them of some of the lower frequencies and letting the dedicated sub handle that since that's what it's job is for anyways.  It also allows your receiver to relax a bit more as well.  Might be more to it than this but this is what I gathered from it.

Youthman:

Tim_in_NC:

What would be the benefit of going to 80Hz on the speakers when the Freq. Response goes well below 80Hz in most cases?

 

 It also allows your receiver to relax a bit more as well.  Might be more to it than this but this is what I gathered from it.

That is my thought as well. It isnt necessarily how "low" your speakers will dig, but if your electronics are able to send that signal to all channels CLEANLY.

kelA:

Youthman:

Tim_in_NC:

What would be the benefit of going to 80Hz on the speakers when the Freq. Response goes well below 80Hz in most cases?

 

 It also allows your receiver to relax a bit more as well.  Might be more to it than this but this is what I gathered from it.

That is my thought as well. It isnt necessarily how "low" your speakers will dig, but if your electronics are able to send that signal to all channels CLEANLY.

Thanks guys ... clears things up for me ... So, basically if your receiver is up to the task, then go for it ... right ...

yeah.