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Brief review of 2 Pi's [message #37383] Thu, 18 July 2002 17:13 Go to next message
Garland is currently offline  Garland
Messages: 269
Registered: May 2009
Grand Master
I was intending to wait until I got to audition my friend's recently completed 2 Pi's for an extended listening period before writing any comments but things did not work out as I hoped and I was only able to listen to them for a couple of casual and interrupted hours. So I still want to express my opinion that the 2's are probably the best $150 pair of speakers I've ever heard (and built). From top to bottom the sound is very coherent, with plenty of bass and treble extention, midrange clarity and just plain toe tapping quality! I'm guessing the biggest contribution to their success comes from the fact that there are no x-over components messing with the sound.I purposefully tried to hear any holes or resonances due to the close overlapping of the drivers' individual outputs but I could detect no anomalies. I could truly live with these loudspeakers as my only pair! But of course, after going back to the Theater 4's I realize that these are somewhat limited dynamically in comparison but what fun they are! Bass lines are readily followed, and there is little glomming together of the music when things get complex. They play consistently well at all volume levels and get nicely loud and stay clean with the limited power available from my 2A3 amps.

I would recommend these speakers for all types of music and for all applications: Classical, Jazz, Rock and roll esp., H.T.- everything. I only have one question about these particular Pi's. Wayne often says that all his bass reflex speakers have a similar sound. I found however that the 2 Pi's sound very different from the Theater 4's. The 4's sounding more refined with a huge sound stage and the 2's sounding brighter with more pronounced (and extended?) highs and maybe a hint of a bump in the upper bass which is very nice with rock/roll. Both are nice speakers but distictly different. One cost $700; the other $150 to make!

Anyway, I know that I am going to build a pair of these super-fun, lively speakers for myself and maybe another pair for my daughters dorm room when she heads off to college this fall! I highly recommend them on the basis of my albeit brief listening experience.

System: Sony NS500V DVD/CD/SACD
EAD7000 D/A
Bottlehead Foreplay Pre modded
Bottlehead Paramour 2A3 SE amps modded
Pi Theater 4 loudspeakers- Home built with external up-graded
crossover

P.S. I also got a brief listen to the 2's on my friend's sand amp and the sound was very similar. One cut by the Fugies was awesome! And my friend who is more into high power car audio than I am and was a little bit concerned that maybe a little 10" woofer might not do it for him, is very pleased. After his first night with them he showed up at work with a big grin on his face!

Sorry, I Meant Brief but Long...(nt) [message #37384 is a reply to message #37383] Thu, 18 July 2002 17:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Garland is currently offline  Garland
Messages: 269
Registered: May 2009
Grand Master
nt
Pass the hat for Garland [message #37385 is a reply to message #37383] Thu, 18 July 2002 17:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
BillEpstein is currently offline  BillEpstein
Messages: 886
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
A daughter in college and an audio jones, he's pretty deserving if you ask me!

Did you put the 2's on stands? Were you playing CD or vinyl?

And what about bringing a wire out from the rear speakers in my Ranger and driving them with the 4 or 5 factory watts on the FOMOCO CD player? That should be loud!

Another- Brief review of 2 Pi's [message #37387 is a reply to message #37383] Fri, 19 July 2002 02:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Stocker is currently offline  Matt Stocker
Messages: 1
Registered: May 2009
Esquire

I think I should add a little to Garlands review as well. Wayne asked me to, but have been reluctant. so here goes.

I Finally decided to venture into this SET thing, and decided on the 2pi's, to test the woodworking waters, and they were small enough to be able to sell, if not satisfactory, or they could be moved upstairs for future surround duties And, if I didn't like the SET sound, I could still use my Bryston 120 Monoblocks. I hoped I could live with them as my main speakers till I got larger ones built. (displacing Maggie MMG'S).

I have been living with them a little more than a month now, first with the Brystons and now with a (borrowed) modded Dyna ST 70, until my Paramours arrive.

At first, I thought they were a little shrill in the mid-range, but only on CD's or records that already had shrillness on them. These speakers do not hide any defects upstream.

Over the last 3 weeks they have smoothed out tremendously, and I prob'ly have acclimated to them. The biggest thing I like is their clarity! I am hearing stuff that I never knew was there. Too keep this short, I agree with everything Garland has said, and I won't be going back to the Maggies!! I planned to use these as a stopgap, but i'm not sure how much more I would gain by going larger.

My Equipment:Analog-- Heybrook TT2, fitted with Akito 1/Dyna 10X4, going into a Wrightsound WPP100C phono, Foreplay modded, 30-50db., with dual outputs, presently using Dyna ST 70 (Paramours ordered about 4 weeks ago). Digital-- Cambridge Diskmagic connected via Wireworld Gold Starlight to AN Dac1.1 kit with upgraded power supply.Ic's are Teflon covered pure silver, one pair of DH labs silver sonic.

Oh Yes: I can't take them out of the system to paint, until I get a larger model possibly Thermionic 3PI.:^))

Feel free to email me if any Questions. Later; Matt S.

Not one but two in college and two more just getting out of diapers!!! [message #37397 is a reply to message #37385] Fri, 19 July 2002 17:14 Go to previous message
Garland is currently offline  Garland
Messages: 269
Registered: May 2009
Grand Master
So please send any donations to....

The 2's were only listened to with CD source and were placed on the floor in front of the theater 4's with blocks (alphabet) under the front edge to tip them back a bit.

Yes, loud, but please bring them in when it starts to rain.

AJ

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