EnABLed speaker baffle

[soundsinthestix]

I have just completed the EnABLe process on the 5 1/2 inch by 24 inch speaker baffles of my Saburo's with Planet10 126En's. I applied one eighth inch wide black automotive stripeing tape and then cut the "dots" with a razor knife.

I am listening now and have notice another level of sound purity. The only way I can describe it is that every individual sound I hear now has its own space. There is no sense of any one sound intefering with another. The bass also sounds more tight and distinct.

I can't explain why this works either.....but my ears are very happy with the results

[Bigun]

can you post a photo or indicate how one decides what to put where on a speaker baffle ?

[soundsinthestix]

Photo links at end of post. I used a pattern that I printed off a thread on this site (sorry, don't have the thread). As I said, the tape is one eighth inch wide. Each section of two dots is one half inch long with one sixteenth space between them. This is the same pattern size that is used with a Fe167 speaker. The pattern is applied around the perimeter of the baffle as you can see in the pictures. The dots are not perfect......there has been some discussion that this is a good thing. The changes in sound are like magic.

http://s486.photobucket.com/albums/r...undsinthestix/

[chrisb]

cum-on Dude, "magic"? we all know there's no such thing

I think the degree of improvement will vary more than on the drivers themselves - but to be honest that's based on a sample of only one pair of enclosures - the Fonkens - that have a fairly benign baffle diffusion signature. The stock vs treated drivers are worlds apart, but the treatment to the boxes in this case was less so.

[soundsinthestix]

BIG magic......little magic......hey, thats why we are all here.

[Alex from Oz]

Originally posted by soundsinthestix

I am listening now and have noticed another level of sound purity. The only way I can describe it is that every individual sound I hear now has its own space. There is no sense of any one sound intefering with another. The bass also sounds more tight and distinct.

YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

G'day soundsinthestix,

Thanks for your post and pics!!!

Please post a link to this in the EnABL listening impressions thread.

I have been exploring and posting my results for EnABL on cabinets, ports, baffles and mouths for over 12 months with EXACTLY the results you describe.

There is so much more you can do with cabinet EnABL - mouths, all external edges - even internal panels.
Each time you add more EnABL to the cabinet you will notice an audible improvement.

Cheers,

Alex

[soundsinthestix]

Howdy Alex. Thanks. I sent link. Keep up the good work. This stuff really works.

[Bigun]

Those are nice looking speakers.

This stuff is really interesting and doesn't look destructive so I could play with my expensive home stereo speakers.

However, since I'm going to DIY some speakers I can be a bit braver and modify the baffle surface. I am wondering

a) would it also work if these features were depressions in the surface instead of raised areas, e.g. something I could do with small router/dremel etc. ?

b) do you think there would be benefits if the baffle surface were not smooth, but had some v-grooves or was 'ribbed for pleasure' across the surface to detach traveling waves before they reach the baffle edge ?

[soundsinthestix]

Now you are out of my league......I am sure Dave, Scottmoose and Chrisb will respond with best advice. Have fun with this, I am.

[BudP]

Bigun,

To my knowledge no one has tried troughs. It is covered in the patent as a possible way to apply the pattern however. So, try it out. There is a fair amount of evidence showing up that the protruding pattern works well with height from .005 to .25 inch for the pattern blocks. My own experiments and long term application has always used paint, just as with the patterns on drivers. This is only a subtle change and I used it to make the boxes disappear as the perceived source of one channel or the other. This did entail treating all exterior surfaces with the pattern.

Also, recently, another experimenter applied the patterns inside of the boxes using 1/4" square balsa wood strips, cut to appropriate lengths and run vertically down the middle of the side panels and across the top and bottom. The benefit here appeared to be in more stability in imaging and an extension of the back of all possible sound stage representations.

Bud