Open Baffle Experience

I own the Spatial Audio M3 Sapphires....so count me as an OB fan. AC has a whole section devoted to OB not specifically sponsored by any manufacturer...here is a link for some light reading.

My general overall comment about OB sound is most of the advantages of a panel speaker but with some of the advantages and dynamics of a box speaker as well...without the supposed box sound.

I've owned a number of Magneplanars in the past, but my first real exposure to open-baffle was when I built a set of GR-Research NX-Oticas with OB servo subs a few years ago. This has been the most enjoyable system I've owned. I recently replaced the NX-Oticas with GR-Research Line Force speakers, which I would also consider open-baffle, but they use a line array of B&G planar-magnetic drivers. 

I have since heard a couple pair of Linkwitz speakers and the Spatial Audio X4s. 

All these open baffles have a characteristic sound - somewhat similar to panel speakers, but with improved dynamics (I haven't heard any Magneplanars newer than the 3.5r I owned, or their top models). 

Compared to the various box speakers I've owned (Duntech Sovereigns, Revel Gems, Revel Studios, Revel F50s, Totem Mani-2s, Goldenear Triton 2+), the open baffle speakers presented a deeper, wider sound stage where the speakers completely disappear, but the imaging is not quite as sharp.

The open-baffle bass does not pressurize the room as much, but is still very powerful with excellent definition. I find this a big advantage for music, but probably wouldn't work as well for movie sound effects. 

At this point, I can't see myself ever going back to box speakers. When I owned maggies, I always felt something was missing (although I enjoyed their sound very much), but this has not been the case with the NX-Oticas and OB subs.

I've only had the Line Forces running for a week. Compared to the NX-Oticas, the sound stage is a bit wider, the presentation (particularly vocals) is a bit more forward, and they have considerably more detail and sharper transients. They are quite a bit more efficient (at around 98db/w), so part of the improvements I'm hearing could be that they are a better match for my 300B Parallel SET amp. But even with limited break-in, these speakers are pretty stunning. 

I think all speakers sound best when they are given some space in the room (e.g. away from room boundaries), but open baffle speakers really demand this to achieve their magic. I have mine 7 feet from the front wall and about 3 1/2 feet from the side walls.

I heard a set of Spatial speakers, can’t remember the model bit less sensitive ones, at the Pacific Northwest audio show, and was very impressed. I like them more than the linkwitz. I would like to know more about the GR research line. Particularly whether it is still possible to still put together a pair of line force. @jaytor do you know? But also just how they compare to other open baffle offerings.

If you think open baffles are great, then just remove your drivers from your speakers right now and throw your wooden boxes away folks. You will be shocked how horrible your speakers sound without them. You have been warned. I’m sure Magico and others would not go to all the time and trouble to produce such expensive cabinets if the answer was as simple as having no cabinet at all!

Do not listen to folks who claim open baffles are better than box speakers. They probably cant afford state of the art box speakers which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Its just sour grapes

@peter_s - it was the X4 you heard at PAC. That's where I heard them as well. They were pretty impressive, particularly for the price (~8K). 

Don and Jay from Reference North Audio built my Line Force cabinets. They make a lot of the flat packs for GR-Research products (NX-Oticas, NX-tremes, servo subs). The Line Force cabinets are made from composite in order to be strong and stiff enough with all the driver cutouts, so they take longer to make and are considerably more expensive than the MDF flat packs. As far as I know, they are happy to make more of these cabinets.

GR-Research has NEO3 drivers available, but the Bohlender-Graebener NEO10 drivers are no longer available. I purchased my BG Neo10 drivers more than two years ago when they were still sporadically available.

Danny from GR has been trying to make a suitable replacement driver, but so far he hasn't been satisfied with the prototypes. Parts Express has their GRS 10" planar driver available, which can be used with suitable crossover changes, but this driver drops off quickly in the lower frequencies. Danny is working on a crossover using this driver, but I would expect he will have to compromise efficiency to get a flat response. They will probably sound great, but will need more power to drive them. 

This speaker is not inexpensive to build, even though you are only paying for the raw materials. I spent well into five figures for all the drivers, crossover parts, wire and enclosures. And this doesn't include the pair of open-baffle subs that are required since the Line Forces only play down to about 170Hz by themselves.

But they are pretty stunning, even without being broken in. I've heard speakers that rival these, but not many and all well outside of my budget.