Home » Sponsored » Pi Speakers » 4 pi speakers + 3 pi subwoofers, pics & measurements (How to interpret the measurements?)
Re: 4 pi speakers + 3 pi subwoofers, pics & measurements [message #81366 is a reply to message #81364] Sat, 30 May 2015 11:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
vandevoordekoen is currently offline  vandevoordekoen
Messages: 18
Registered: January 2013
Chancellor
Hello Wayne,

Both compression drivers are B&C DE250 drivers with H290C horns bought on the 4PI-webshop. Both drivers show the same unusual roll-off.

According to your previous post, I understand that the DE250/H290C combination doesn't need extra CD compensation (with an extra C1) because the crossover-design on its own already compensates enough for this CD/horn combination?

This is a picture of the crossover:

index.php?t=getfile&id=1729&private=0


1. No C1 is installed

2. An extra resistor (over the tweeter) is installed (to reduce the possible peak at 1.6khz with the H290C horn).

3. R3 (the Zobel) isn't a large silver block (as seen often in the 4pi crossover pictures), but two 15ohm/50W resistors connected parallel.


Nothing of this should cause problems, should it? Or do I overlook something?

Maybe it is an incredible coincidence that both mics show the same roll-off?

Thanks in advance.
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Re: 4 pi speakers + 3 pi subwoofers, pics & measurements [message #81367 is a reply to message #81366] Sun, 31 May 2015 09:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18675
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

The waveguide is ours, I knew that. We're the only ones that make it. But I wasn't sure about the driver or crossover. Now that I know the driver is the DE250, in my mind, that leaves only crossover and measurement system. And I doubt the crossover is doing it. It looks like you have it right. You can always double-check it, but I'm sure you've already done that.

My guess is the measurement system is at fault. Not the microphones, but the system, itself. Seeing two microphones show the same trend tells me it's probably not the microphones. The only thing that's really left is the system. The input circuitry could cause this, or any number of other things internal to the system.

How does it sound? If there is as much rolloff as would seem to be shown in the measurements, it would sound very muddy and dull, almost like no tweeter was connected. Does it sound that way?

Re: 4 pi speakers + 3 pi subwoofers, pics & measurements [message #81371 is a reply to message #81367] Wed, 03 June 2015 18:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
tom-m is currently offline  tom-m
Messages: 56
Registered: December 2009
Location: Texas
Baron
Hi Wayne,
In his crossover, the coils are not positioned on the board in the recommended way. Would this be the cause of his issue?

Tom
Re: 4 pi speakers + 3 pi subwoofers, pics & measurements [message #81374 is a reply to message #81371] Thu, 04 June 2015 10:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18675
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

You're right, there's more mutual inductance when they're positioned that way, close together and in the same plane. They are coupled together, and act sort of like a transformer. This causes the HF crossover to shift some, and even causes some of the energy from the woofer circuit to bleed into the tweeter circuit, and vice versa. But this woud be most evident in the crossover range, and even worset case, it's a fairly small effect. I wouldn't say it's trivial, but the coupling isn't so strong that it could create a 10dB boost or drop.

What we're seeing is HF rolloff, and by a pretty significant amount. I think it's probably the measurement system, and that the charts aren't giving an accurate picture. If they are, if there is something wrong with the crossover or drivers, then the HF is so low that these speakers would sound very dull, almost like no tweeter is connected at all.

Re: 4 pi speakers + 3 pi subwoofers, pics & measurements [message #81376 is a reply to message #81374] Thu, 04 June 2015 10:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
vandevoordekoen is currently offline  vandevoordekoen
Messages: 18
Registered: January 2013
Chancellor
Hello,

I can't say the speakers sound like there is no tweeter at all. Neither can I say that the HF are "sparkling", but maybe that's not necessary.

To test the measurement system, I measured the HF signal 3 times: with and without USB audio card + using 2 different mics (ECM8000 and TASCAM DR-1 (TASCAM is not great but no garbage either)). The following overlap gives an idea:

index.php?t=getfile&id=1734&private=0


Red line = TASCAM mic directly connected with laptop (mic-in)
Green line = TASCAM mic connected to the USB audio card (M-audio Fast Track)
Blue line = EMC8000 mic connected to the USB audio card (M-audio Fast Track) WITHOUT .cal-file

Red and Green line are approximately the same. The Fast track isn't the weak link. Confused
The ECM8000 measurement without .cal file gives approximately the same result. So the .cal file is corrupted IMHO.

Just to give an idea, these are the same measurements, WITH .cal file applied for the ECM8000 mic

index.php?t=getfile&id=1735&private=0


Looking at the first overlap, I see a 5db to 10db roll-off. But this might be normal? Aaaargh, it's driving me a little crazy, honestly. Shocked

Would it be the amp?
Re: 4 pi speakers + 3 pi subwoofers, pics & measurements [message #81380 is a reply to message #81376] Fri, 05 June 2015 17:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18675
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

I see the rolloff is consistent, so it has to be something common to all measurements. The thing is, a 10dB drop above 10kHz is pretty noticeable, and sounds like a 1970s tape deck that's totally missing the top octave. So if the rolloff is real, the sound you'll hear is pretty dull. If you were around in the 1970s, think under-dash 8-track tape player.

Re: 4 pi speakers + 3 pi subwoofers, pics & measurements [message #81383 is a reply to message #81352] Fri, 05 June 2015 22:09 Go to previous message
tom-m is currently offline  tom-m
Messages: 56
Registered: December 2009
Location: Texas
Baron
To help narrow down where the problem is, I would ask if you have a set of speakers other than the Pi4. If so, measure another set of speakers. If they show the same HF roll off, then it would be in your measurement gear, or audio gear. If no roll off, then it is in the Pi4 speakers.

Tom
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