Infinity Kappa 9's sound terrible...HELP

Hi All,

so so I have fallen almost all the way down the Infinity Kappa rabbit hole...  I am now the proud owner of Infinity Kappa 7's, 8's and 9's.  I started at 7, jumped to 9 and have kinda landed on 8.  7's do a bit better imaging as they are more simple 3-way, 8's are pretty close on the imaging but feel more effortless, airy, inviting. The Kappa 9's suck!  Honest.  I am using a Carver Sunfire Signature which I believe is 625watts x 2 into 8ohms and should be more than enough but I've also have used in bi-amp configuration a Behringer Europower Ep4000 which I believe is 2000watts x 2 into 2ohms (class H) and a Crown XLS1500 (class D) 775watts x 2 into 2ohms. Using this in a bi-amp configuration I can almost get the 9's to sound reasonable, but not good.  In general the 9's are all midrange (polydome mostly) and nothing else? Can anyone tell me what the steps are for troubleshooting the 9's?

The previous owner had the polydomes recovered with that silly transparent silicone material and I have since dropped in the 4ohm Western Speaker replacements and have swapped in some of my Millersound polydomes. Both of which are way better than the silicone Polydomes. The previous owner also refoamed the woofers himself.

So why am I getting no bass and all midrange? Am I correct that I am using enough amp to drive these?

...I just don't understand why the 9's sound so much worse than the 8's and 7's. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! 

Mr. Legall and his organization appear to no longer want to speak with me (via email) since I alerted them they sent back polydomes with a crack in one of the mount plates. 

?

I will open up the 9’s at some point to check the wiring on the 9’s. Something is wrong. A Carver Signature Sunfire at 635watts should push them but doesn’t. The 9’s are too big for my room as well 12x17.

For now I am enjoying my 8’s and a Crown XLS1500 amp...amazing an amp I picked up for $75 generally sounds better than Adcom 555ii and the Carver. More three dimensional...Carvers highs were more pleasant, Adcom mid bass was tighter.

:-)

Added a second Crown amp today...each speaker is now getting 1500watts (4ohms) of Class D power.  Three-dimensionality increased, bass presence increased, a bit
more ‘relaxed’ sounding in the middle.

Still think there is something wrong with my room as I have trouble resolving male voices and snares sometimes... Mid cohesion seems to be a problem.  Any ideas anyone?

Going to try the bridged Crowns on just the highs, engaging their high-pass filters and throw my Behringer EP4000 on the lows. Should really help the mid and high resolution. 

Thanks for turning me in Audiogon...

email I received today from William Legal

From: William Legall <#####@aol.com>
To: Brett McConnell <####@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2018 12:41 PM
Subject: "Claim" went out

$180 “claim” was mailed to you today.

Someone brought to out attention the audiokarma comments from you. As you don’t like our work, we won’t have to worry about further shipping “claims” in the future.

———————-

this was my reply

Hello The Many People Who Answer At And Reply From This Email Address (this email feels like its from Mr. Legall if I am not mistaken):

I made no comments about not liking your work. I did much research including buying other drivers and testing them before I sent you my Polydomes. I think your work is excellent. However your business practices seem very confused. Here are some suggestions that may help:
1) Keep business and personal emails separate--as in separate addresses.
2) Give everyone at your business their own email address.
3) Sign your emails or employ auto signing so customers have some idea who they are speaking with via email.
4) If you are closed on Sundays and Mondays, don’t read business emails on those days (instead of telling customers not to write you on Sundays and Mondays...I have never heard of that or experienced it from other companies, businesses.)
5) Pick up the phone and call customers if there is an issue.
6) Have a standard form customers fill out when submitting an item for repair or refurbishment.
7) Before starting any work on an item, check items that come in for any potential issues and check with the customer if there is any question that an item may have a defect or problem that the customer may not know about. This valuable business practice would have averted this unfortunate situation.
8) If a problem occurs you are the professionals, act professionally and get in touch with the customer. People sending you their valuable speakers understand some things are out of yours and their control and both sides can be reasonable when settling an issue I assure you.

Sending condescending emails about "claims" and emails all in caps exclaiming things like "NO CRACKS!!!!" is hardly what grownups do and is certainly not professional. I would not intentionally crack a rare Infinity Polydome driver that I sent to YOU--A SPECIALST--for repair, just so I could get $180 discount. I love my speakers! And what a pain it has been to deal with UPS.

We could have just come to some sort of agreement instead of emails from you saying "NO CRACKS!!!! I AM DONE." Not professional, not adult.

Please know those Polydomes were the very first piece of audio gear I have ever sent out for repair--EVER.

I will surely post this message on Audiokarma as well. People should know who and what that they are getting involved with when they send their precious speakers to you and your company and how you handle shipping damage when it occurs.

Thanks for your excellent Polydome refurbishments. I currently have two sets that function well, just one driver with unfortunate, mostly-cosmetic damage. I will enjoy them for many years to come.

Best to you and yours.

Thanks,
Brett
http://www.brettmc.com/

Thanks Roy!

I have my Kappa 8’s sounding great now using a BAT VK-500 on the lows and a David Berning ZH270 on the mids and highs.  There is still some tearing/papery/spitty/white noise distortion type sound making sibilants a bit too broad or lingering but other than that I am at 95% satisfied.

The Kappa 9’s I have pretty much given up on. I need to crack them open and check all the wiring and crossovers. In general I think they are just too big for my 12x17 room.

So which amps would you recommend? And any ideas on taming the odd sibilants I am getting with the Kappa 8’s?

I am using a ModWright Oppo 105 D with Tung-Sol new production tubes and a Sonic Frontiers Line 2 pre amp.

Thanks!