Wayne Parham Messages: 18787 Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
Some people have built the towers "sideways" and have liked the results. I would suggest doing that instead of the smaller bookshelf model if they're going to be used as mains and not surrounds, especially if you won't be using subs.
About baffle step compensation, I'd suggest it might be better to incorporate subs than to try and push the mains down deeper. That's one way to deal with reduced bass output and it has the added benefit of helping smooth the modal region too.
As for using a compression driver with a 10" midwoofer, that's what the eight π speaker is. It uses a midhorn to control directivity because the pattern without a horn is too wide. A larger midwoofer driver narrows directivity at lower frequency and is a good match for the tweeter horn but the smaller midwoofer needs extra pattern control, so a midhorn is used.
Of course, neither the two π and two π tower speakers are CD so I suppose an argument could be made that adding a horn doesn't necessitate matching directivity. But to me, that's the main advantage of using the horn in the first place. We're looking for controlled directivity. So if you want CD, use horns but if it isn't a requirement, stick with the dome tweeter in the stock two π design. That's my advice.