Sarah Carter-Wallace
March 01, 2023
1. Place your speakers and turntables on different surfaces for better sound
Vinyl has been making a comeback for years, and with that a proliferation of hi-fi turntables like those from TEAC. Pro tip: keep it on a separate surface from your speakers. The vibration of the music coming from your passive or powered speakers will distort the smooth playing action from your record player. This is especially true for The Sevens and The Nines powered speakers, which produce powerful bass that’s sure to shake the surface they’re sitting on.
Better yet: invest in a pair of high-quality speaker stands.
2. High-quality speaker wire can make all the difference
If you use cheap, low-quality speaker wire for your home theater or stereo system, you’re going to get less accurate sound reproduction. Our friends at Crutchfield
offer a handy guide to choosing the best gauge (thickness), length, and connectors for your individual setup. Moral of the story: get the highest dynamic range and bandwidth for the sound system you’ve spent so much time, effort, and cash into curating. It’s well worth the extra investment.
3. Get on your hands and knees for ideal subwoofer placement
If your joints allow it, get down on the floor and do the “subwoofer crawl.” It’s a straight-forward way to determine the best location for smooth, even bass without nulls. Just place your sub in your favorite listening spot, crank up your favorite bass-heavy playlist, and crawl around on the floor listening for the spot where the bass is deepest and most even. Mark the floor with some painter’s tape (or empty beverage bottle, because that will make this exercise more entertaining), and try placing your subwoofer in that marked location.
4. Klipsch speakers are meant to be seen AND heard…so keep that copper and black clean
Apart from looking bad, dust and debris covering your Klipsch speakers can affect sound quality over time. You’d be surprised how dust, dander, and pet hair can slowly collect in the nooks and crannies of your precious gear and impact audio performance and system longevity. Check out our article on cleaning Klipsch speakers here.
5. That rug really tied the whole room together, man: the importance of acoustic room treatments
Musicians and sound engineers know all about the importance of acoustic room treatments, but audiophiles and home theater lovers should take note, too. Hard surfaces will increase the reflection of sound waves and impact your listening experience negatively. Simple solutions include hanging fabric curtains over your windows, adorning your walls with canvas or fabric artwork, and throwing a thick rug on the floor – these surfaces will absorb more sound than plain walls.
If you’re ambitious, visit our friends at Auralex.com for sound absorption solutions. They’ve been providing top-notch gear and room planning services to famous creators and at-home fans for over 40 years.
6. Research the “Goldilocks Zone” to keep your speakers in tip-top shape
Too much power through a speaker can literally blow your system up. Not enough power and you get distortion and crappy sound. Depending on which Klipsch product you purchase, and what kind of amplification system you have, 1 Watt of power will impact the sound and output of your speaker. Visit support.Klipsch.com to see what others are doing with their setup.
7. A little DIY cord management will give your listening space a seriously premium feel
We know you’re excited to play around with your new Klipsch speakers, but a little time upfront to manage your cords and cables will make all the difference. Hiding speaker wires elevates the look and feel of your room and can be as simple or complicated as you want. Here’s a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Search “Cable Concealer” on Amazon and find the width and length tracks you need. Many come in peel-and-stick varieties and are easily paintable to match the color of your walls.
- If you’ve got carpeting, consider tucking the wire between the carpet and baseboard
- For those with hardwood, try running your wires under a raceway that matches the color and grain of your existing floors
8. Speakers benefit from a break-in process
It sounds a little scary at first but just like a pair of well-made Italian loafers, high quality speakers will sound better in time after “breaking in” a bit. Afterall, speakers are mechanical devices with moving parts, and after time those parts move more easily and with less effort. Two parts that will improve over time with proper use include the “surround” and the “spider.” The surround is the rubber or foam material that connects the edge of the cone to the speaker basket, and the spider (usually within the cabinet of a speaker) connects the basket and center of the cone.
This isn’t to say that your speakers will sound dramatically different, but you may notice a change after about 100 hours of playback. Learn more about speaker break in here.
9. Music and movies sound better with a cold “Copper and Black”
Obviously if you’re reading this, you have excellent taste in home entertainment tech. Pair that with a Copper and Black, the official Klipsch cocktail courtesy of Indianapolis’ Libertine Liquor Bar. Drink responsibly, friends.
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