Stacking Speakers?

Blue Meanie

Blue Meanie

Scratch 'n' Sniff
I recently acquired a second pair of Pioneer HPM-100s, and I'd like to use 2 for the left channel, and 2 for the right channel (obviously, I suppose).

Anybody have any experience using two pairs of these things?

Am I best off:

1. Stacking vertically? And if vertically, should I turn the top speaker upside-down to keep the tweeters closer together?

2. Stacking with the speakers oriented horizontally?

3. Not stacking, just placing the speakers side-by-side?

Thanks for any opinions offered.:D

Jeff
P.S. Yes, I already know that plenty of folks don't like these speakers, and wouldn't want one pair, much less two...
 
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I'm 99% positive I had my double stack of HPM-100's stacked on their sides, with the tweeters on the outside, raised with a milkcrate off the floor... could've been tweeters on the inside though... :scratch2:
 
P.S. Yes, I already know that plenty of folks don't like these speakers, and wouldn't want one pair, much less two...
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Sorry I can't help you with your question. Haven't been privileged enough to own 2 pair.
 
In pro audio they teach you to stack the top speaker upside down to couple the HF driver. Not sure if it would be needed here. If you get too much of a hot spot in the seating area you could try splaying the speakers some too.
 
I stacked a pair of KLH 17's, with both speakers upside down.
Disconnected the tweeter on the bottom speaker.
Ended up sounding pretty nice!

Steve
 
I run a triple-stack of the suckers. Just stack them normally. You'll really enjoy them.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
Blue Meanie said:
P.S. Yes, I already know that plenty of folks don't like these speakers, and wouldn't want one pair, much less two...
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Jeff, there's no need to apologize for those speakers! They sold well for a reason and deserve their reputation as an all-time classic. It's like the title of that Elvis record
50 000 000 Fans Can't be Wrong.

I don't think that the backlash is all about taste. They're just not that radically different compared to other good speakers. I believe that sometimes there is something else going on there.
 
Jeff, there's no need to apologize for those speakers! They sold well for a reason and deserve their reputation as an all-time classic. It's like the title of that Elvis record
50 000 000 Fans Can't be Wrong.

I don't think that the backlash is all about taste. They're just not that radically different compared to other good speakers. I believe that sometimes there is something else going on there.
Click to expand...

Just for the record, I don't own these speakers.

IMO, most backlash probably IS because some people just don't consider them good speakers, plain and simple. To most, a good speaker means they like the sound. If they don't like the sound, then to them it's not a good speaker, p & s.

Again, no disparagement intended, just is what it is...

My advice to the OP is to try as many stacking combinations as you can. What works in one room may not work in another.
 
Member Jackgiff measured various orientations of stacked Dynaco A-25s in this thread:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=114319

The results with different speakers will likely be different, but his work may serve as an indication of what to expect.

An analysis of HPM-100 frequency response appears here:

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=119789

I believe it's fairly easy to put two and two together and come up with a rational scheme for stacking them: What Gearhound said @ #6, above.

Think, "D'Appolito...." :yes:
 
whoaru99 said:
Again, no disparagement intended, just is what it is...
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No offense taken!

I don't know if it is open to debate whether or not the HPM-100 is a good speaker - I think that the preponderance of evidence demonstrates that they do enough things well to be considered a good speaker. There is no argument that technically, they are not the best speakers (read: most accurate). That doesn't diminish their esteem, IMO because there are no clear winners when it comes to selecting the best speakers.

I do not like the taste of Scotch whiskey but I would never deny that a wildly popular single malt Scotch is a good Scotch. I actually feel at a loss because I cannot appreciate what so many others enjoy.
 
You have over kill since the HPM's are cancelling each other out! Get rid of one pair and send them to (my address) then try any speaker of choice for better sound.
 
I have my modded hpms stacked horizontally. Tweeters are faced towards the inside. They're up a few feet off the floor with a pair of sansui 3500's and a pair of epi 100's for a triple stack. A sansui 9090db runs the hpms and the epi's. A mac 250 power amp runs the 3500's with the line levels turned down as the sui's are very efficient. This foolish sounding set up really sounds quite good.
 
Thanks to all for the input/suggestions!:D As I suspected, there is no definitive answer to my question, just a matter of preference.

Time to make my sore back worse experimenting with these things, lol.

Thanks again to everyone.:thmbsp:

Jeff
 
Blue Meanie said:
Thanks to all for the input/suggestions!:D As I suspected, there is no definitive answer to my question, just a matter of preference.

Time to make my sore back worse experimenting with these things, lol.

Thanks again to everyone.:thmbsp:

Jeff
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Yup, you have an opportunity to experiment a little bit. when I think of stacking, I look at my Quads, which have the HF panels in the middle, and the bass panels on the top and bottom, for imaging. If I was going to stack speakers, I'd start with that arrangement (i.e., top speaker upside down so as to place the HF drivers close together, as another poster mentioned).

I also like the idea of putting them on their sides, in parallel (again, it would seem with HF drivers aligned).

A lot of what you do will be driven by your environment, floor/shelf space, etc.

Have fun, and let us know how you make out!

bs
 
rushfan said:
Jeff, there's no need to apologize for those speakers! They sold well for a reason and deserve their reputation as an all-time classic. It's like the title of that Elvis record
50 000 000 Fans Can't be Wrong.
Click to expand...
That is the McDonalds argument...............
Over 6 gazillion sold...................
 
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