| 2Pi's completed - now I want a center channel [message #74391] |
Wed, 07 November 2012 14:13  |
willis66
Messages: 7
Registered: November 2012
Location: Roswell, GA
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Esquire |
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Here is my first build, a pair of 2Pi speakers. I love the sound, but plan on rebuilding them as towers and focusing on a bit more pleasing woodworking. I have good skills in woodworking, but not so much in electronics and crossovers, etc. I have read most everything on this board, but still am not sure how to proceed in adding a center channel.
I need some help with center speaker idea that I read about on this forum by boblaz, over 10 years ago in this thread. http://audioroundtable.com/forum/index.php?t=msg&goto=38376&&srch=1pi+build#msg_38376
He mentions using a modified 1 Pi with good results, would the 1 Pi work with the 2 Pi's in my room. My thinking is a double 1 pi with a single tweeter in the center. Is this a stupid idea.
My other thought is an additional 2 Pi speaker, but since our screen is so large it would come to just about the bottom of the screen. The benefit of an additional 2 Pi, is the cabinet is already made.
My current set-up has the two subwoofers wired with a y connector off of the subwoofer channel. I have tried to wire has flanking but not sure I did it correctly. Do I just run two set's of wire from the left/right channel to each subwoofer and 2 Pi? My receiver is a Pioneer Elite VSX-01-TXH.
The main uses for the room is movies and some TV, and some music listening if we are playing pool in the other half of the room.
To summarize, I love the 2 Pi's and now need a center that can keep up.
1. I plan on building 2 Pi towers, so can I please have plans for towers Wayne?
2. Would a modified 1 Pi center be to disrespectful to Wayne's hard work? Would it sound good? Surely a lot better than what I have now, that most people think is great. If so I will order a kit for a single 1 Pi and will of course need plans.
3. What is best way to wire flanking subs from one home theater receiver?
4. Does the 4 Pi idea of phantom center channels apply at all to the 2 Pi's?
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| Re: 2Pi's completed - now I want a center channel [message #74392 is a reply to message #74391] |
Wed, 07 November 2012 14:33  |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18793
Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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Those are great looking speakers, congratulations!
You can use a one Pi as a center where you have one π, two π or two π towers as left/right mains. There is enough spectral match between the three. However, do not lay it on its side or use any sort of horizontal array (drivers side-by-side).
Flanking subs are driven with a low-passed signal of the main speaker they're flanking. Second-order seems best, with crossover around 100Hz. Third-order or fourth-order can be used with a slightly higher crossover, e.g. ~125Hz third-order to ~150Hz fourth-order. But I find the latter approaches are more "localizable", which is not what we want. A flanking sub run second-order blends seamlessly.
Phanton centers work well when the mains generate constant directivity and are setup with the crossed-axes method. They can't be too far apart either; It works best when the physical separation between left and right mains is less than about 15 feet. Part of the cross-axes method is that the listeners must be just behind the point where the axes cross, so if all these conditions are met, phantom centers work very well, providing a believable image. Centers are always preferred, but if the setup is right, a phantom center gives a very satisfying illusion and doesn't lack much.
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