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Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90044] Sun, 07 April 2019 19:16 Go to next message
johnnycamp5 is currently offline  johnnycamp5
Messages: 354
Registered: June 2015
Location: NJ
Grand Master
I had been hinting about finishing our basement for a long time, and I finally did (more or less).
"Finished" may be the wrong word, perhaps "rough man cave" is a better description lol.
Of course there are a few things left for me to do.
It is not a particularly large room (14.5' wide x 28' long x 8'8" high) but we are enjoying it just fine.
/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2351&private=0
Tonight my son and I managed to get the 4pi's toed into the front corners. I hope all you Pi speaker fans can guess what's going to go in their place??

/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2348&private=0
The center table under the tv is a sub, and so are the two end tables by the gold colored chairs.
The final sub, which is shaped like the center sub under the tv,
fits nicely under the bottom stair landing, but we haven't gotten it there yet.

/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2350&private=0/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2349&private=0

Ill post up some new pics once the 7Pi's are in place...
Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90136 is a reply to message #90044] Mon, 22 April 2019 11:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Augustus is currently offline  Augustus
Messages: 47
Registered: April 2019
Baron
That looks like a sweet setup. I think basement acoustics can be a nightmare, so good on you for figuring out how to make it better.
Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90138 is a reply to message #90136] Mon, 22 April 2019 12:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
johnnycamp5 is currently offline  johnnycamp5
Messages: 354
Registered: June 2015
Location: NJ
Grand Master
Thanks.

I spray foamed the entire underside of the decking (ceiling between floor joists) with diy open cell foam, then installed the ultra-touch (cotton) insulation over that.
With the entire ceiling acting as a broad band absorer,
It doesn't sound bad at all.
Even (like you said) with the unforgiving concrete walls.

I should really have subs flanking the mains, but I didn't bother since the 7-pi corner horns will be going in those corners any day now.
Also, it's surprising how good these 4pi's sound, shoved into these corners temporarily.

I will probably locate a sub under the bottom stair landing, and another at the opposite corner.
This way, there will be four different bass sources in the room, which should help smooth bass response.

Once I get everything finalized, I will get to taking some measurements and perhaps post them up here.
Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90139 is a reply to message #90044] Mon, 22 April 2019 15:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barryso is currently offline  Barryso
Messages: 203
Registered: May 2009
Master
Hi,

That's going to be a great room. The 7 Pi's with subs for the rear are amazing speakers. Big sound and absolutely effortless.

I've sent you an email regarding your 4's.

Smile

Barry
Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90206 is a reply to message #90044] Tue, 30 April 2019 11:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Newjack is currently offline  Newjack
Messages: 62
Registered: December 2018
Viscount
Wow, nicely done! It looks great. How long did getting all of that set up take? I keep trying to rearrange my basement into something suitable but I'm never satisfied. Laughing
Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90218 is a reply to message #90044] Thu, 02 May 2019 18:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
johnnycamp5 is currently offline  johnnycamp5
Messages: 354
Registered: June 2015
Location: NJ
Grand Master
Thanks.

How long did it take? About 18 months Laughing .

Here's the short (long) version-

I like to enjoy my home projects and/or hobbies in dribs and drabs, moving from one to the next on a whim, or when I get bored.
I rarely start something, and stay on it till complete, I enjoy bouncing around.

This tends to leave several unfinished projects, but it can also bring the satisfaction of many of them finishing (nearly) all at once.

I also tend to do things out of order.
My basement project started with my requesting plans from Wayne for his 7pi corner horns, and buying a pair of Bruce's mono blocks from at Oddwatt Audio.
These parts would be the foundation of my new man-cave system.

I actually completed the amps and put them to use in the upstairs living room. I then got around to assembling the mid horn flat packs and mounting the woofers and spacers.

Then on a whim, I decided to start clearing/organizing the cellar for the new man cave.
It had always been used for storage.
When I removed all the boxes and junk (lol) I discovered some bad news, the foundation walls were badly cracked, even being pushed in (from the earth) slightly in places.
Years ago I had noticed what appeared to be hairline cracks, but they had gotten much worse. The house was built in 1904.
I realized I had to fix this, regardless of whether we wanted to stay in the home, or sell.

Lucky for me I'm a mason by trade, and my good friend Dave is an excavator (Lounsbury excavating INC.)
We removed approx. 60 yards of dirt, and replaced the foundation walls one section at a time, with reinforced concrete.
This was a bit stressful, after all, there is a house overhead lol.

The new cellar is almost 9' to bottom of joist, quite a bit taller than the old one, hence the 60 yards of dirt removal.

I finally worked on the mid horn box (the enclosure around the horn flare) this week (after a year or so), they're almost done.
Then just the bottom bass bin.
Ive also got to swap in some Jantzen Superior Z caps onto the 7pi crossovers that Ive had kicking around for a long while.
the problem is their size... they are HUGE compared to the standard Z caps, but I think I can make it work....

All that just to say I have them!
Perhaps ill put the crossovers in a plexiglass box for bragging rights LOL.

I'll try to update with some pics once the corner horns are in place.
Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90350 is a reply to message #90044] Sun, 19 May 2019 08:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
johnnycamp5 is currently offline  johnnycamp5
Messages: 354
Registered: June 2015
Location: NJ
Grand Master
I finally got to working on the mid horn enclosures.
For a year or so they sat in my garage under a moving blanket like this (while I slowly rebuilt my homes foundation)-
/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2358&private=0
A few weeks ago I finally got to creating some enclosures-
/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2360&private=0
Last week I painted the MDF with oil base primer-
/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2361&private=0
I just have to add some final finishing touches (body work lol)-
/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2362&private=0


Meanwhile, Ive been using the 4pi's tucked into the front corners both for movies and music-/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2363&private=0
Its been set up like this for a couple of months now.

Although I had previously mentioned that I had not set up flanking subs, in this current arrangement (to my ears), they really are not needed.

It sounds to me like things have tightened up and become more cohesive in the lower mid-range, (200-500 Hz?) which is above the range of the flanking subs,
but again, just a subjective observation, no measurements of proof.

I look forward to finally getting the mid horns completed, I imagine they will sound even better.

When they are completed, I will (temporarily) sit them on bass cabinets that are the same shape (like a wedge) that I had built/used in our living room, until I get the time to build the proper, bottom (7pi) bass bin.

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Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90351 is a reply to message #90350] Sun, 19 May 2019 10:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18786
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Looking really good! Awesome work!
Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90401 is a reply to message #90044] Wed, 05 June 2019 19:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
johnnycamp5 is currently offline  johnnycamp5
Messages: 354
Registered: June 2015
Location: NJ
Grand Master
Thanks Wayne.

I've made a bit more progress on the mid horns.
I chose to router a 1/4" deep groove out of the mounting plate, to compensate for the woofers maximum excursion, instead of using the spacer.
/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2368&private=0
I also finally got to installing the Jantzen superior Z caps on the crossovers.
The caps are quite a bit bigger than the standard Z's, but I managed.
You can see I had to turn the Erse coil on it's side...
/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=2369&private=0
Re: Pi speaker arrangement. [message #90402 is a reply to message #90401] Wed, 05 June 2019 21:28 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18786
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Super groovy cool!
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