Battle of the Open Baffles

The real advantage of the OB design is that the expense of the Baffle is not too demanding on ones pocket to produce, even if a Machine Shop produces the Board for a design.

As for a Board Material, if OB's are keeper speakers, a 25mm (1") Phenolic Resin Impregnated Densified Wood Board is the material that will ,have much improved properties to Dissipate / Damp transferred energies over other materials usually used.   

The advantage of not being caught for substantial monies for a Cabinet Design and Manufacture is also able to be off set toward the Driver Selection. There are Drivers to be selected that can push the build cost toward £1500 - £2K, but such drivers found in commercial products will most likely be close to £15K as the minimum the new purchase price.

There is also the options for Passive or Active. 

My experiences ,have not left me with, any prejudices against any electronics in the signal path. I have learnt that Active for the Bass will be much, friendlier to ones pocket than going down the passive route, (think Plate Amp). 

Xovers can be produced relatively cheap and are easily upgraded with alternate components over time, upgrades can have a substantial influence for the better, especially when Drivers are becoming more settled and presenting closer to how the design is intended. 

The individual selling the Speakers in the Link has a wealth of OB experience and was very very impressed with these speakers for the associated cost. For those only interested in off the shelve options, these as a model are well worthwhile looking into.

If OB's seem too much of challenge to take on as a project, the DML Panel Speaker might be more to ones tastes, still offering all the values of experiencing unconstrained sound, as a result of not having Cabinet Influences to contend with.   

I totally get the Post from @ricevs, there is so much to be had when the Drivers are selected using the monies saved from the avoiding the 'mark up' created by commercial ventures. 

Off setting the costs that can be incurred to much better components, catapults a design into a new level of being competitive with much much more expensive models available.

When a 'Build Your Own' model is on offer as a design produced by an individual with credentials that are not questionable when it comes to producing Audio Devices, and build support is readily at hand, the novice has now become quite smart, and their only skills needed are reduced to be ones where a little manual work is required along with basics in soldering.

Either of the above basic skills can be found not too far from a home as a supporting service, so not being too confident should not be a blocker to make in roads to the new discoveries to be had.

The Link will show a Speaker that comes with all the Pedigree that one could want behind the design, the Baffle has a little more complexity than a typical OB, but is already produced to the point of being assembled, there is history to show there is no shortage of build support to be had from the Designer.

Have a listen to Speaker in Post 163, it will hopefully stimulate the want to read through the whole of the Thread. 

@ricevs Does the method of wiring directly to the Voice Coil add any risk to the Driver when terminated a Wire?

I always thought Spades were used to keep the heat away from the driver to avoid a potential damage occurring.  

@ricevs Thank You for this info, and for offering to make available info to give guidance.

You set off my inquisitive side, strange that it is, as 90% of my listening is carried out with ESL’s creating the sound.

My Speakers are a Design with Audax Drivers HD-3P - HM130 CO - HM210CO

There is controversy about my having successfully filled the HD-3P to hold its charge of air.

Some say I have not controlled the fill pressure and some say the charge should be Nitrogen.

I say I have not heard a Tweeter has captured my attention for being attractive like this one, especially in the condition I have created, I have felt compelled to buy another pair and have them on standby to incorporated into being used with the ESL’s.

Back to being inquisitive, Typically a X over is placed within a Cabinet and less traditionally it has its place outside of the Cabinet.

One might suggest the outside of the Cabinet as a design, is classed as an upgrade to keep cabinet conditions from impacting on the X over.

Your idea of Hardwiring the the Voice Coil is a Bypass, or Shortest Route without connections in the signal path.

Can that be taken a stage further and have the X over mounted as short a distance as Possible from the Voice Coil.

An interesting reference to PC Triple C wire are you yet familiarised ?