Bookshelf Speaker Reviews

Klipsch Synergy B-20 Speaker System HT Labs Measures

HT Labs Measures

Satellite Sensitivity: 90 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Center Sensitivity: 92 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the B-20 satellite (purple trace), C-20 center channel (green trace), and SW-450 subwoofer (blue trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured with grilles at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes.

The B-20’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.64/–2.39 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 82 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 62 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.41 ohms at 224 Hz and a phase angle of –54.71 degrees at 123 Hz.

The C-20’s listening-window response measures +0.77/–3.66 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal responses measures +1.62/–4.26 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 97 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 84 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.45 ohms at 210 Hz and a phase angle of –50.28 degrees at 123 Hz.

The SW-450’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 30 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 28 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 102 Hz with the Lowpass control set to maximum. —MJP

COMPANY INFO
Klipsch
(800) 554-7724
klipsch.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
kelsci's picture
Submitted by kelsci on April 7, 2011 - 12:20pm

"So I resorted to even more basic tricks, first raising the sub crossover from 80 hertz to 100 Hz. This immediately improved the drum weight and bass lines, which suggests that the speakers needed more bass support from the sub"

Hi Mark; In actuality, the satellites needed less bass coming through them. I have usually found that the 100hz crossover is the one to use with satellite sub systems whose satellites have 4inch or so woofers. I have not fooled with many of these newer systems that use smaller woofers in their satellites but it is a good possiblity one would have to use a higher crossover rate to have the sats. blend in with the sub. If one uses sats. that have 5 inch or larger speakers I am not too sure whether it is best to lower the crossover on the sub to add more bass or leave it the same.

The other thingy that I have found that center channel speakers may either have two 4 ohm woofers wired in series to create 8 ohms imp. or two 12 or 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel to create 8 or 6 ohms imp. It is the latter wiring that I think is best for blending with the sats. The other scheme "works" to a degree but the blending is sort of wow-wow to me. That is because the wiring is the same(series) as rigging a passive surround circuit to reproduce out of phase surround sound(of course with larger imp. speakers). I wonder how many manufacturers are doing this. I have two older garrard mtms wired in parallel and one klh that was wired in series so I "heard" the difference.

X