AudioRoundTable.com: Pi Speakers » Pete's Home Theater Build

Home » Sponsored » Pi Speakers » Pete's Home Theater Build

Show: Today's Messages :: Navigator :: Polls
E-mail to friend

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99352 is a reply to message #68358]

Wed, 15 April 2026 22:53

Prince
Messages: 109
Registered: September 2025

Viscount

Man, you've been doing great with the build. I like the consistency and appreciate your efforts so far.

Keep it up!

Report message to a moderator

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99371 is a reply to message #68358]

Mon, 27 April 2026 07:43

grindstone
Messages: 63
Registered: May 2010

Viscount

I think just the wiring is worth more than my car...

Bravo!

PS If I had that shop, I'd not stop building, either. Congrats.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99372 is a reply to message #99371]

Mon, 27 April 2026 08:30

petew
Messages: 77
Registered: June 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM USA

Viscount

The Finish Line!

I completed the speakers. Wow! They sound fantastic.

Here are a couple of closeups of the crossovers and mounting brackets that I 3D printed. I split the bracket into two parts to fit the print bed on my Bambu printer. The brackets have keystone panels for the banana jack inserts. I downloaded a print for the keystone panel and modified for this use.
/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=3580&private=0

/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=3580&private=0

/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=3581&private=0

Attachment: IMG_1666(1).JPEG
(Size: 5.81MB, Downloaded 298 times)
Attachment: IMG_1667.JPEG
(Size: 3.73MB, Downloaded 286 times)

Report message to a moderator

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99373 is a reply to message #99372]

Mon, 27 April 2026 08:34

petew
Messages: 77
Registered: June 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM USA

Viscount

Another shot of the completed XOs and the midhorn with crossovers and tweeter horn mount installed.

/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=3582&private=0

/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=3583&private=0

Attachment: IMG_1668.JPEG
(Size: 2.99MB, Downloaded 303 times)
Attachment: IMG_1670.JPEG
(Size: 6.04MB, Downloaded 289 times)

Report message to a moderator

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99374 is a reply to message #99373]

Mon, 27 April 2026 08:53

petew
Messages: 77
Registered: June 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM USA

Viscount

Here's a shot of the room with the speakers installed.

/forum/index.php?t=getfile&id=3584&private=0

I had an error on one of the crossover boards that killed the output from the tweeter (see if you can spot it!). Once I got that sorted out I got to really hear these speakers for the first time.

I rate them 11 out of 10. They exceed my expectations by a mile! I started out using the Dolby Surround Upmixer which engaged the 4pi center. I switched to stereo and killed off all the processing in the receiver for the rest of my listening to date.

I've been spinning albums with Roon/Qobuz since I got them running. They sound excellent with everything that I have thrown at them - Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical. Everything sounds fantastic. They are very revealing and I'm hearing details in recordings that have not been there before, except with headphones.

The bass extension digs deep and they play LOUD with Denon receiver power.

I have a ton of interconnects and speaker cables from amplifiers to the structured wiring to complete. I'm currently working on finishing up framing on the screen wall which involves CAD work on the screen and masking structure. I'll staple spandex to the framing for a temporary acoustically transparent screen so I can confirm my plans for image size and location.

I should have all channels and projection functional this week. I can't wait to get an image up on the wall! It's been way too long since my damn dishwasher flooded me out. The wait is worth it though.

Thanks Wayne for your outstanding designs and support during this build.

Attachment: IMG_1672.JPEG
(Size: 2.46MB, Downloaded 327 times)

Report message to a moderator

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99376 is a reply to message #99374]

Mon, 27 April 2026 10:31

Wayne Parham
Messages: 19102
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

That is one fantastic setup you have there! Looks great!

I really don't see your crossover mistake. I can't see all the component connections, but it appears L1, C2 and C3 and the R1/R2 bank are all installed right. I see you've installed C1 instead of Rs, so that gives a little more sparkle up top. But nothing I can see would kill the tweeter. What was it?

That board is tough to populate for the seven Pi's. Stuff is everywhere.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99378 is a reply to message #99376]

Mon, 27 April 2026 10:42

petew
Messages: 77
Registered: June 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM USA

Viscount

Look at the upper XO in the pic above. C3 is shorted to ground instead of passing through L1. I found the mistake with a bit of sleuthing and the fix was easy. Luckily I used the silicone in moderation when I assembled the crossovers.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99379 is a reply to message #99378]

Mon, 27 April 2026 15:29

Wayne Parham
Messages: 19102
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Ah-HA! Good eye!

And - yes - I see it now. There are two crossovers in your uploaded image labeled IMG_1668.JPEG. The one in the foreground is correct, but the one in the background is wrong, just like you said. It's kind of blurry in the photo, cause the camera is focused on the crossover in the foreground. But you can see the bad connection.

If you click on the image link below the photo in the post, and then click on the pic when it's displayed, it will zoom in and you can really see it.

Report message to a moderator

Re: Pete's Home Theater Build [message #99862 is a reply to message #68358]

Tue, 13 October 2026 12:23

petew
Messages: 77
Registered: June 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM USA

Viscount

Six month update here...

One of the used JBL drivers had a ton of distortion at low volume. Probably a dragging voice coil. I found three open box units at Parts Express. I went ahead and ordered all three so my front soundstage matches. Problem solved.

I calibrated the system with the Audyssey MultEQ X windows program. This is a $200 license upgrade and worth every cent. It made a massive difference vs. standard AVR internal calibration with Audyssey.

I'm going to relocate one of the 15" sub stacks to the right side of the room, rear of the right surround. I also have two 12" HSU buyout drivers on hand and plan to build two more subs sized as stands under the left and left rear surrounds. The 15" stacks are wired in series and powered by one channel per stack of an Emotiva XPA-2 gen 2. Each 12" sub will be driven by one channel of a Rotel RB-991. These are both powerful class AB amplifiers.

I'm moving the LCR to a Rotel RB-993 three channel amp to lighten the load on the receiver amps.

My audio upgrade path is to replace the X3600H with a Marantz Cinema 30 and use the full Dirac suite. It will utilize the four subwoofers, the massive front stage and capable surrounds for its Active Room Treatment (ART). That actively cancels room modes by using every speaker in the system to cancel room modes. Impressive technology indeed.

On the video side, I plan to install a madVR Envy Core video processor. It has a lot of functions but the main two for my use is automatic aspect ratio switching and tone mapping to let my JVC projector properly display HDR content. That will breathe new life into my aging but still excellent projector, and eliminate the biggest annoyance which is aspect ratio switching.

The next immediate task is to build a proper screen with Seymour AV XD acoustically transparent material. I'll post updates as they happen!

Report message to a moderator

Pages (7): [ « ‹ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7]

Previous Topic:	4pi measurement
Next Topic:	Pi Speakers FAQ

Goto Forum:

-=] Back to Top [=-

[ Syndicate this forum (XML) ] [

] [

]

Current Time: Sat Oct 17 18:55:06 CDT 2026