Open Baffle Experience

Just wanted to point out that I do hope to keep this thread focused on those using dynamic drivers instead of ESLs. 

Eric, click on my UN then click on picture to see my OB Emerald Physics 3.4s. You will notice 4 tall black tubes, 2 by the speakers and 2 on each side of my soon to be replaced vertical rack with a horizontal 2" thick solid Maple table. The 2 by the rack have been moved to the opposite sides of the 3.4s. The Oppo 105 was sold, and a LSA Voyager GaN 350 replaced the EVS 1200 and the subs were sold. I have recently rewired the entire system with Ali-E Odin Gold IC/PCs and Odin 2 speaker cables + 2 PCs from Amazon one from 20amp dedicated line to my Core Power 1800 and the Audio Alchemy PS 5, outboard PS

EPs can be picked up rather inexpensively if you have the patience

@kenjit  said....

"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."  

I don't listen to open back speakers from behind.  I listen to them from the front, as they are designed to operate.  So the out of phase condition you refer to only occurs at frequencies that "wrap around" the baffle.  That more likely will occur at lower frequencies, dependent on the size of the baffle.  The longer the wavelength, the larger of baffle / distance from the back of the driver to the point where the rear wave can interact with the front wave.  Look at the Linkwitz open back system woofer section.  It has that shape with particular emphasis on wrap around to lengthen the distance to decrease wrap around effect.  The other drivers also use that calculation, but in a less obvious way.  The crossovers are specifically designed to take into account the wrap around effect to help low frequency rolloff.

It's ALL in the design of the system.  

I will admit that sub-80hz requires very large baffles / crossover control that assists open baffle speakers.  Even then the bass performance seems a bit thin to my taste.

The sound coming from the back of the open baffle speakers IS out of phase with the front, but that in NOT necessarily a factor IF THE DESIGN TAKES THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.  Speakers are directional as the sound wavelength increases beyond the speaker diameter.  That makes the use of larger drivers more desirable because their rear wave output is aimed away from the front and can be diffused.  Need proof?  Look at a raw driver's response curve as the frequency increases.  Note the frequency response rolloff at 15 and 30 degrees.  Listen to speakers off-axis to reinforce that fact of physics.  That is taken into the design considerations for baffle size and rear wave control.  

It's not difficult to manage the back wave of speakers from the upper bass upward.  Artificial Ficus trees are the easiest and least expensive.  Placed around the room, they are every effective diffusers.  Used behind open baffle speakers, they are excellent in reducing back wave interference.

But there's no denying that Acoustat, Magnepan, Quad, and other manufacturers have developed quite nice sounding open back systems.

But if you are ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that box speakers are better, then that's your OPINION AND PREFERENCE.  That doesn't mean it's fact.

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.

It’s the same speaker cone… it is absolutely in time.
It cannot be “not in time” unless the cone has thickness and is somehow an accordion.

It is OK to have a subjective opinion, but an objective opinion should be based in reality and fact.

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.

OK, use an EQ… then the FR is perfect.

You had the post about time domain, and a IB is about as good as it gets in transcient response.

this thread is becoming like watching a pathetic jerry springer rerun

why do we even bother engaging with the village idiot?