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Open Baffle Experience

Much has been said about open baffles, including an epic website by the late, great Dr. Linkwitz but I've only heard them really once, playing absolutely garbage music (thanks Pure Audio!) at a hotel.

I'm talking here about dynamic drivers in single baffles without enclosures, not ESLs or Magneplanar type systems.

I'm curious who has had them, and who kept them or went back to "conventional" boxes?

I'm not really looking to buy speakers, but I did start thinking about this because of a kit over at Madisound made with high quality drivers.

 

 

erik_squires

Showing 2 responses by atmasphere

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,116 posts
 

@audiokinesis +1

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,116 posts
 

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.

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.

@kenjit Its apparent that there is something you don't understand.

It has to do with the human ear/brain system.

When the ear hears a sound, a copy of the sound is made and the ear/brain system looks for other examples in near-time. If it finds an example that is delayed by about 10 mS or so, it can use that for echo-location.

If the rear firing information is about 5 feet from the wall behind the speaker, it will arrive at the listener about 10mS after the front wave. This is why speakers with rear firing information can have a more palpable sound stage.

So time-alignment has nothing to do with it.

 

 

 

 

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