Zero Baffle Width, Zero Edges...Sort of..

[BlueWizard]

I'm wondering if any do-it-yourselfers has ever tried a design like this.

http://assets.bowers-wilkins.com/med..._w817_h328.jpg

http://assets.bowers-wilkins.com/med..._w817_h328.jpg

These are from the Bower & Wilkins Signature series.

As I was reading several discussion about how critical baffle width is to a speaker design, and how problematic baffle edges are, the concept of the B&W Signature series came into my mind, though at the time I thought I had come up with something original.

Essentially, you have a curved front cabinet that has no width or edges; more or less. Into that you make small round vertical tunnels just wide enough to mount the speakers. In my mind I had envisioned a multi-woofer design in an WWMT configuration.

Conceptually it seems like a good idea, but there must be some drawbacks besides the complexity of construction. Which seem fiddly but not all that complicated.

So, to your knowledge, has anyone tried this, and can anyone tell me what the advantages and disadvantages of this design would be?

Just curious. It seemed like a good idea, and I'm surprised lots of people haven't thought of it and tried it.

Steve/bluewizard

[Vikash]

All I see is a speaker with mostly all baffle edges the same distance from the driver, and sharp angles at the edge of the driver. Highly unimpressive on first look.

I would research into edge diffraction, and baffle step.

[MisterTwister]

what an ugly speaker looks like diy plumbing pipe one.
beautiful woofer though I guess edge diffraction happens above woofers' crossover frequency.

[BlueWizard]

Yes, but the edge you refer to is unavoidable as it is the edge of the woofer. Essentially, the baffle width and the woofer width are one and the same.

Now, I suppose one could make the speaker mount slightly wider and roll the edges. That takes care of edges.

Though if you look closely at the photos, you will see that the edge beyond the edge of the speaker is beveled back. So it not that sharp an edge.

But in terms of baffle width, it would seem physically impossible for the baffle width to be narrower.

Again, I'm only curious. It seems that baffle width either needs to be infinitely large or infinitely small, or heavily compensated for.

With a few tweaks, it would seem that this design could come as close to infinitely small baffle width as is humanly possible.

Again, just for fun.

Steve/bluewizard

[454Casull]

So basically what you want is a back-mounted sphere?

[sdclc126]

They look like very expensive trash cans - they could have finished the cabs in something other than white paint - ugh!

[Andersonix]

Speaking of DIY and no baffles, seen Linkwitz' Pluto? It sounds nice...
Pluto

[Brett]

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...ad.php?t=12126

[BlueWizard]

For what it is worth, the example B&W Signature Diamond speakers have received "Stereophile's" Best of the Best Award.

Just passing it along.

Steve/bluewizard

[gainphile]

Originally posted by Tosh
Speaking of DIY and no baffles, seen Linkwitz' Pluto? It sounds nice...
Pluto

That Pluto is an engineering marvel. So amazing that something very deep, natural, and open can come out of those sewer pipe speakers.