| Re: 3 Pi - Could it work for me? [message #62528 is a reply to message #62526] |
Wed, 05 May 2010 22:59   |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18787
Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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I run a 10 watt Audio Note amp for my main home stereo and home theater. It's plenty for either model - three π or four π - but do remember the four π is 3dB louder. This isn't night and day, but it is noticeable. With 10 watts, I'd say either will play louder than most middle aged adults want or need. With 5 watts, you might just be at full volume sometimes, but you'll definitely not be able to talk over the stereo at that level.
Your room layout is similar to mine with one exception. I think I have a little more room to the sides and places to put subs. You'll want to experiment with subs placement to find positions that simultaneously work with the decor and smooth room modes well. Shouldn't be too hard though, especially with two or more subs. The mains go pretty deep too, so with a couple subs you have four bass sound sources.
The impedance of either model is very SET-friendly. There's a set of charts for the four π at the link below. I've been meaning to do the same thing for all my models rather than having a hodge-podge of measurements, mostly made during development. But for now, just take my word that the three π impedance curve is also tube-friendly. You can see its response in the "Vertical Nulls" video in the crossover optimization thread:The spacing between midwoofer and tweeter is precise, naturally, to position the forward lobe and vertical nulls. The electro-mechanical and directional characteristics of the drivers and horn, their positions and the electrical phase of the crossover all combine to set the pattern. You can move them only slightly without upsetting the pattern.
Fortunately, the wavelength of the overlap region isn't unmanageably small, approximately 10", making 2.5" be 1/4λ. Because of that, there is a little bit of wiggle room, and that allows freedom to surface mount or route the baffles for flush fit horns and midwoofers without a complete redesign. But I wouldn't be comfortable with much more than that.
If you want to put the horns outboard, then move the woofer up in the box to keep the physical spacing between drivers the same. Don't shift the fore/aft relationship, keep it as close as possible to stock, and don't make the woofer and tweeter more distant vertically either. You can put the H290 in a small attractive box to start with and then upgrade to a wood horn later.
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