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Help picking right speaker [message #39951] Sat, 18 January 2003 23:22 Go to next message
crazy thunder is currently offline  crazy thunder
Messages: 3
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Hi All,

My listening room is 36'x24' rectangle with a barrel arch ceiling that starts at 10' at the walls and peaks at 16'. The walls are lathe and plaster, and the floors are hardwood. I have a HK Citation II I will be using to power my speakers. I have sansui sp-8000's in the room right now, they make plenty of sound but I am dissatisfied with them.

I have been considering a pair of Klipschorns, as I have a pair of heresys that I'm fond of. I have 2 problems:
1. Khorns are expensive, and very difficult to ship. I doubt if I will ever find a pair anywhere close to southeastern Idaho.
2. The corners are mighty far apart, which might make for poor imaging. For this reason I am considering something like the Cornwalls or LaScala's, which don't have to be placed in the corner. Those speakers are also difficult to ship.

I'm intrigued by the offerings in the Pi line. Will a cornerhorn work well in my room? If not, which pi speaker is recommended?

Thanks!

Re: Help picking right speaker [message #39952 is a reply to message #39951] Sun, 19 January 2003 05:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
steve f is currently offline  steve f
Messages: 236
Registered: May 2009
Master
Hi "CT",
You have a nice large room; I'm a bit jealous. (grin) You are correct that K-horns won't work well in a room that large. Cornerhorns load small to mid sized rooms best. But you do have room for 10 Pi folded horns which will sound great just about anywhere you can place them. Wayne offers kits if you are woodworker inclined. If not, buy the kit and have a local wood shop build the boxes for you. The best craftsman in town will be cheaper than shipping finished speakers. BTW the Theater or Pro 4 Pi bass reflex will also work well, but if I had that kind of space, I would choose 10 Pi horns in a heartbeat.
Take care,
Steve
Re: easy [message #39967 is a reply to message #39951] Mon, 20 January 2003 16:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
bmar is currently offline  bmar
Messages: 346
Registered: May 2009
Grand Master
If I had a room the size of yours. There is no doubt in my mind I would get 10 Pi's.

Bill

10 Pi freq response [message #39968 is a reply to message #39951] Mon, 20 January 2003 18:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
crazy thunder is currently offline  crazy thunder
Messages: 3
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Thanks for the advice so far. It sounds as if the 10 Pi is a good candidate for my room.

I want the dynamics and the lively sound that a horn loaded speaker can provide. Given the size of the 10 Pi, I was suprised to see that the frequency response only goes down to 40 hz. Is this just the manufacturer being modest? One of my top criteria for a speaker is that I want it to go at least to 30 hz. I really don't want to add a sub if I can help it.

Thanks again!

Re: 10 Pi freq response [message #39969 is a reply to message #39968] Mon, 20 January 2003 18:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
steve f is currently offline  steve f
Messages: 236
Registered: May 2009
Master
You could build 10Pi style boxes for Theater4/7 parts. Then lf response would be 25-30hz, and sound a bit warmer. The cabinets however, would be huge! But I'm willing to bet that you will find the bass of 10Pi horns to be prodigous. There is very little musical information below 40hz. Unless you're into music featuring pipe organs or dueling bassoons, the 10 Pi is the way to go.
Take care,
Steve
10Pi with Theater parts? [message #39970 is a reply to message #39969] Mon, 20 January 2003 19:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
crazy thunder is currently offline  crazy thunder
Messages: 3
Registered: May 2009
Esquire
Pipe organs happen to be one of my favorites... I love rattling the house with some Bach. That room just begs for pipe organs.

Are there plans available for the 10Pi with the Theater parts?

thanks,
Jed

Re: 10Pi with Theater parts? [message #39971 is a reply to message #39970] Mon, 20 January 2003 21:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
bmar is currently offline  bmar
Messages: 346
Registered: May 2009
Grand Master
There are plans for a 10pi using a JBL 18" 2245. they are big and will rock your Bach like nothing matters. could also use some of the Eminence 18" like the Omega or Kilomax.
Re: 10Pi with Theater parts? [message #39976 is a reply to message #39971] Tue, 21 January 2003 09:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
steve f is currently offline  steve f
Messages: 236
Registered: May 2009
Master
Sure could use Theater 7 parts. Just build off design formula in Wayne's paper. My question, Will using another driver provide as low a bass frequency? Maybe Wayne could comment.
Take care,
Steve
10Pi with Theater parts - No Go [message #39980 is a reply to message #39976] Tue, 21 January 2003 12:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18678
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
When using different woofers, one should expect to use a different motor chamber. Often times, a different horn should be used too. Also, some drivers don't do so well in horn enclosures. If a woofer or midwoofer has very low Q, for example, I would expect it to work poorly at the lowest frequencies in a bass-reflex or sealed cabinet but do well in a horn. And if it has very high Q, I would expect it to work poorly in a horn, but do well as a direct radiator on a baffle or very large box.

I really like the JBL 2226 in the ten π horn. It extends its low frequency limit because of its behavior at the flare frequency. And it allows the driver to be used much higher than other folded horn designs, acting similarly to a straight horn in many respects. I would expect other similar drivers to work well in this cabinet, but there are also some that probably wouldn't work so well. As long as Vas and Qts are reasonably close, you'll probably be fine.

But the Delta 15 used in the Theater Series four and seven π should not be used in the ten π in my opinion. They sound great in a π cornerhorn and they work well in a bass-reflex box. But I don't like them in a folded horn - With a Qts of 0.5, they're just too boomy in a ten π. This isn't an issue in the π cornerhorn, because it acts like an infinite horn, so that's a nice solution instead.

Re: 10Pi with Theater parts - No Go [message #39982 is a reply to message #39980] Tue, 21 January 2003 14:45 Go to previous message
steve f is currently offline  steve f
Messages: 236
Registered: May 2009
Master
Damn, I would have to find an exception. I still believe that the 10 PI is the best way to go. Thanks Wayne.
Steve
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