Open baffles?

dc · 27th December 2001, 09:12 PM

Hi all. I've been at this (speaker and amplifier DIY) for all of 2 weeks now... I just came across an open baffle speaker on e-speakers.com. Does anyone have opinions on this? From what I've read, the enclosure design has a LOT to do with the way the speaker sounds. Is it possible to design an audiophile quality speaker with an open baffle???

Thanks.

brad

Geoff · 27th December 2001, 09:37 PM

Yes (to second question). See http://www.linkwitzlab.com/

Super · 27th December 2001, 10:13 PM

DC

Isn't the only way to have a driver free of coloration from the cabinet, to eliminate the cabinet itself? IMO, nothing compares to an open baffle midrange.

GRollins · 27th December 2001, 10:35 PM

Depending on how you look at it, open baffle speakers (bipolar or dipolar, depending on your inclination) have been around forever. Nearly every electrostatic speaker is open in back (I believe the old Beveridges were closed. Bryan, you'd have liked 'em, the cabinet was tubular, like your subs.) The planar speakers (e.g. Magnepan) are open in back.
And, yes, dynamic drivers have been used in open baffles for years. Coincidentally, I was looking for something the other day and ran across an old piece of sales literature for the Enigma subwoofer (yes, you read that right <i>sub</i>woofer). It was about the size and appearance of a Dalquist DQ-10 and used four 15" (maybe 12", I forget) drivers in an open baffle. Naturally, the response rolled off once the wavelength got long enough in relation to the panel width, but they compensated for this by boosting the output at low frequencies. An amp and driver circuit were included. The amp looked suspiciously like a Hafler DH-200 with different silk screen on the front. Whatever works...
Anyway, the thing to watch is damping. With no cabinet, the driver tends to get floppy fast, so you'll need a fairly stiff suspension on your driver if you want anything like tight bass, or mid range for that matter. (Although I've thought about the idea of a servo on the driver to tighten things up a bit...)
Bryan's observation is correct, getting rid of the cabinet is a useful thing to do. The link Geoff suggested is the only open baffle design I've seen in years; Linkwitz is a pretty smart cookie, so I imagine it sounds good.

Grey

ThomasW · 27th December 2001, 10:55 PM

The Legacy Whispers run free-air compound load 15"s as woofers.

We kloned them for fun. The way they load into the room is interesting, more like a planar than a conventional box. The output dies below 100Hz. Legacy supplies a bass boost box. But the one's I heard still needed a sub. Our Whisper klones are bi-amped at 100Hz to a small IB sub.

I have a open baffle prototype that uses the B&G RD-75 with a line array of 8-8" Eton woofers in free-air. They sound pretty good, but are still very much a work-in-progress.

As others have noted it's necessary to have lots of displacement so the drivers aren't overworked.

Cloth Ears · 28th December 2001, 02:10 AM

http://www.warco.com.au/awar.htm has a large (Cabasse/Raven) open baffle designed by Pat O'Brien.

Picture at http://www.warco.com.au/R3COBS.jpg

Sorry, but I haven't heard them, yet.

27th December 2001, 09:12 PM	#1
dc diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NYC	Open baffles? Hi all. I've been at this (speaker and amplifier DIY) for all of 2 weeks now... I just came across an open baffle speaker on e-speakers.com. Does anyone have opinions on this? From what I've read, the enclosure design has a LOT to do with the way the speaker sounds. Is it possible to design an audiophile quality speaker with an open baffle??? Thanks. brad

27th December 2001, 10:13 PM	#3
Super diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Connecticut	DC Isn't the only way to have a driver free of coloration from the cabinet, to eliminate the cabinet itself? IMO, nothing compares to an open baffle midrange. __________________ Bryan

28th December 2001, 02:10 AM	#6
Cloth Ears diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia	http://www.warco.com.au/awar.htm has a large (Cabasse/Raven) open baffle designed by Pat O'Brien. Picture at http://www.warco.com.au/R3COBS.jpg Sorry, but I haven't heard them, yet. __________________ Jont. "It is impossible to build a fool proof system; because fools are so ingenious."

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Open Baffles at RMAF-07	Pano	Multi-Way	27	18th August 2008 01:08 AM
WMTMW Open Baffles	Magnetar	Multi-Way	47	14th November 2007 02:20 AM
New open baffles	hurdy_gurdyman	Multi-Way	3	26th September 2007 02:22 PM
$7 open baffles...	planet10	Full Range	31	8th May 2005 07:45 AM
Open Baffles :- )	brianon	Multi-Way	17	3rd February 2004 08:13 PM


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

27th December 2001, 09:37 PM	#2
Geoff diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: UK	Yes (to second question). See http://www.linkwitzlab.com/

27th December 2001, 10:35 PM	#4
GRollins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Columbia, SC	Depending on how you look at it, open baffle speakers (bipolar or dipolar, depending on your inclination) have been around forever. Nearly every electrostatic speaker is open in back (I believe the old Beveridges were closed. Bryan, you'd have liked 'em, the cabinet was tubular, like your subs.) The planar speakers (e.g. Magnepan) are open in back. And, yes, dynamic drivers have been used in open baffles for years. Coincidentally, I was looking for something the other day and ran across an old piece of sales literature for the Enigma subwoofer (yes, you read that right <i>sub</i>woofer). It was about the size and appearance of a Dalquist DQ-10 and used four 15" (maybe 12", I forget) drivers in an open baffle. Naturally, the response rolled off once the wavelength got long enough in relation to the panel width, but they compensated for this by boosting the output at low frequencies. An amp and driver circuit were included. The amp looked suspiciously like a Hafler DH-200 with different silk screen on the front. Whatever works... Anyway, the thing to watch is damping. With no cabinet, the driver tends to get floppy fast, so you'll need a fairly stiff suspension on your driver if you want anything like tight bass, or mid range for that matter. (Although I've thought about the idea of a servo on the driver to tighten things up a bit...) Bryan's observation is correct, getting rid of the cabinet is a useful thing to do. The link Geoff suggested is the only open baffle design I've seen in years; Linkwitz is a pretty smart cookie, so I imagine it sounds good. Grey

27th December 2001, 10:55 PM	#5
ThomasW diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: 5280'	The Legacy Whispers run free-air compound load 15"s as woofers. We kloned them for fun. The way they load into the room is interesting, more like a planar than a conventional box. The output dies below 100Hz. Legacy supplies a bass boost box. But the one's I heard still needed a sub. Our Whisper klones are bi-amped at 100Hz to a small IB sub. I have a open baffle prototype that uses the B&G RD-75 with a line array of 8-8" Eton woofers in free-air. They sound pretty good, but are still very much a work-in-progress. As others have noted it's necessary to have lots of displacement so the drivers aren't overworked.

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Search Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read