narrow and wide baffles and imaging


According to all the "professional" audio reviews that I've read over the last several years, narrow baffles are crucial to creating that so-desired pin-point imaging.

However, over the last few weeks, I've had the opportunity to audition Harbeth 40.2, Spendor Classic 100, Audio Note AN-E, and Devore O/93.  None of these had deficient imaging; indeed I would go so far as to say that it was good to very good.

So, what gives?  I'm forced to conclude that modern designs, 95% of which espouse the narrow baffle, are driven by aesthetic/cosmetic considerations, rather than acoustical ones, and the baffle~imaging canard is just an ex post facto justification.

I can understand the desire to build speakers that fit into small rooms, are relatively unobtrusive, and might pass the SAF test, but it seems a bit much to add on the idea that they're essentially the only ones that will do imaging correctly.



128x128twoleftears
Post removed 
Post removed 
Ok so I got my terminology wrong.
Yes you can have a big baffle still with no box, as the IRS V has, but the Beta is truly baffle’less, as are the Plasma’s as are most ESL’s. The moment you ad "wings", you make a baffle and it re-enforces the sound but will also screw up the image compared to no baffle. That’s why very narrow speakers such as the Audio Physics image like there’s no tomorrow.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=audio+physic+speakers&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&v...

The Infinity Prelude also had a good rep for imaging well.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/infinity-composition-prelude-p-fr-loudspeaker
" I could hear precisely where each instrument or voice was in the soundstage, and images were highly focused, tight, and compact, making the presentation sound like a collection of individual instruments in three-dimensional space. There was also a remarkable stability and tangibility to the images, further heightening the impression of instruments before me."


Cheers George
Post removed 
The baffle is part of the over all design too small like many designs  today requires BSC in networks and thus is inferior to those with proper sized baffles that do not require correction in network