Hi Bruce, my OBs only handle 100hz and upwards - each using four mid range drivers plus ribbon tweeters. All these are physically aligned (to the originating point of each) within a flat, tall and wide baffle & the speakers also have shallow tapering 'sides' which blend to the top edge. Sound waves can pass across the front surface and away to the sides but are constrained so they also transmit (only) to the rear. Nothing else behind the speakers apart from cabling and a single protective capacitor for each tweeter
There is free space beside and behind the speakers and I have no obvious issue with back reflections or wave effects/cancellations - but that's not to say they aren't there, it's just not apparent and I have no reason to check. The music room also has a lot of diffusing and absorbing material including a great deal of vinyl (+ CD storage)
In everything I have done, listening and then adapting has been the mantra until I achieve the sound I want - this has always been referenced to natural sounding live music. Research, theory and specifications are extremely useful but the real question should be 'what does music actually sound like'?
Sure, I made mistakes and I produced multiple low cost OB prototypes - each time I heard something I wasn't happy with, I then researched that particular aspect and adapted until it sounded right. My original intention was to try out OBs, learn and then build a pair of Linkwitz-Rileys but my own developments started to sound so good that I saw no need to follow that path. Maybe I just hit lucky or it's probably more likely that DEQX is capable of fully correcting something that is nearly there already?
I am confident that in my room and with my (mostly analogue source) preferences, this system is about as good as I could hope for
I have done nothing more to my setup for at least 2 years and can find no fault (so far). For the previous 40 odd years I constantly replaced and upgraded.... 'chasing the wind' as it were. Not any more and that's why I am very happy to see Bruce, Al and others starting on the same path because I know that the end point can be so satisfying
There is free space beside and behind the speakers and I have no obvious issue with back reflections or wave effects/cancellations - but that's not to say they aren't there, it's just not apparent and I have no reason to check. The music room also has a lot of diffusing and absorbing material including a great deal of vinyl (+ CD storage)
In everything I have done, listening and then adapting has been the mantra until I achieve the sound I want - this has always been referenced to natural sounding live music. Research, theory and specifications are extremely useful but the real question should be 'what does music actually sound like'?
Sure, I made mistakes and I produced multiple low cost OB prototypes - each time I heard something I wasn't happy with, I then researched that particular aspect and adapted until it sounded right. My original intention was to try out OBs, learn and then build a pair of Linkwitz-Rileys but my own developments started to sound so good that I saw no need to follow that path. Maybe I just hit lucky or it's probably more likely that DEQX is capable of fully correcting something that is nearly there already?
I am confident that in my room and with my (mostly analogue source) preferences, this system is about as good as I could hope for
I have done nothing more to my setup for at least 2 years and can find no fault (so far). For the previous 40 odd years I constantly replaced and upgraded.... 'chasing the wind' as it were. Not any more and that's why I am very happy to see Bruce, Al and others starting on the same path because I know that the end point can be so satisfying