Open Baffle Experience


Much has been said about open baffles, including an epic website by the late, great Dr. Linkwitz but I've only heard them really once, playing absolutely garbage music (thanks Pure Audio!) at a hotel.

I'm talking here about dynamic drivers in single baffles without enclosures, not ESLs or Magneplanar type systems.

I'm curious who has had them, and who kept them or went back to "conventional" boxes?

I'm not really looking to buy speakers, but I did start thinking about this because of a kit over at Madisound made with high quality drivers.

 

 

erik_squires

how does the sound of OB differ from IB? if i mounted speakers in a wall separating one room from another room with no direct communication between the adjoining rooms [no windows], would infinite baffle sound the same as open baffle? or is it the rear-wave "bounce" that is key to OB sound?

Try it!  You'll probably like it. Placement in the room can be critical. My best system is the Linkwitz 521 with one amp per speaker, eight amps in total. Very easy to build; no annoying joints to master! Enjoy the music.

That is not true. Open baffle designs are WRONG. They emit sound that is out of phase out the back end. If you can show me an open baffle design that can emit sound IN PHASE not OUT OF PHASE from the back end then I will happily throw my box speakers away and we can all enjoy perfect sound with no cabinet resonances. I dare you

Out of phase compared to what?
It is more like they are focussed way back at infinity.

Just like back in your other post about about time domain, I am wondering what measurements would tell us whether these baffle speakers are more or less right than a box speaker??

 

Out of phase compared to what? It is more like they are focussed way back at infinity.

The front and back waves are not in time with each other. Show me an open baffle that has both back and front in time.

I am wondering what measurements would tell us whether these speaker are more or less right than a box speaker??

the frequency response is a mess.

@jaytor , I am a huge open baffle fan. I have been using open baffle loudspeakers exclusively since 1979, they are called ESLs. They are full range (except sub bass) line source dipoles. The entire range from 100 Hz to 20 kHz is open. I also have been building subwoofers since 1993. You can see my shop on my system page.

Granted, subwoofer enclosures are a royal PITA but trying to use an open baffle driver at wavelengths between 10 and 40 feet is a hopelessly inefficient way of going about making sub bass. What you have are floor shakers. It is also not about what you hear down there but what you feel. Who knows? Given the crappy construction quality of most subwoofer enclosures you might be better off where you are.