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Bass: Jolida 502A + Klipsch Forte

I'm running a stock Jolida 502A with a set of '89 Kilpsch Fortes. I'm using lossless audio files on my Macbook Pro to feed a Musical Fidelity V-DAC via S/PDIF as my source.

Snare drums, shakers, horns, and electric guitars all sound fantastic. Acoustic guitars, string instruments, and vocals sound decent. The isolation and soundstage are pretty impressive given what I paid for the system. But...

Bass tracks in most songs sound super quiet, and the little I can hear lacks the depth and tactile quality of the other instruments. I know these speakers are capable of some serious bass: Is there anything I can do to get more bass out of this setup? Mods? New tubes? New crossovers? Better interconnects/cables?
saulgold
crankshaft
27 posts
 
Hello, I find it great that you are using the Fortes !
This is just my thoughts on getting the most out of these speakers. They need to be sealed completely. This info can be found on the Klipsch Forums. This seems to be a step that most people do not do. Sad, because I feel this is the most important step, since this is a sealed speaker.
Second step, replace all crossovers and upgrade diaphragms. Amps, tube if they have enough power for the room. If not tube, a high quality SS amp with low grain/distortion can be used. Stay away from inexpensive receivers. This speaker can produce a quality sound if a little time & effort are put into matching room, amp, preamp and speakers. I use the Fortes from 1 foot to 2 foot from the wall. These are not in my opinion the correct speaker for a small room or low level listening. However turn it up, in the right room with the best matching equipment and watch out !
saulgold OP
4 posts
 
Thanks for all the great advice! I'm going to try several of these suggestions and report back with my findings.

Mike, how did you get 30 pounds of sand into the bases? It's an intriguing idea.
mootsdude
51 posts
 
When I purchased the speakers five years ago I noticed they seemed a bit heavier than the spec'd 56 lbs. I decided to weigh them and they tipped the scale at 85 lbs. I noticed they had plywood flush and screwed into the base. I began to remove the plywood out of curiosity and found it was sealed with caulk. After doing a search at the Klipsch website, I found pictures and details on the mod. It appears that I own the speakers that were pictured on the website. Funny thing - the seller apparently had no idea. I picked them up locally and while he and I loaded them in the car, we both commented on how heavy they were.

Since I have no comparison with the speakers prior to this mod, I can only assume that it has helped with bass response.
hemihead05
16 posts
 
Im selling a pair forte 2 , about the bass? Im running a Audionics cc3 power amp and the bass is absolutely stunning!!
Very smooth , warm and and they just sound huge!!
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