Open Baffle Experience

I purchased Spatial Audio X5 open baffle speakers about two years ago and can honestly say I will probably not go back to a box speaker.  I belong to an audio club and have listened to multiple box speakers and some open baffle speakers at their homes and at audio shows and I simply prefer the sound of open baffles.  Of course there are many box speakers that I've really enjoyed and also some open baffle speakers I did not.

But in my opinion the way an open baffle projects the sound reminds me more of how live music sounds.  And bass frequencies just sound faster and more detailed than most box speakers I've heard.  The problem with the bass is not that it's coming from a box it's that most people's rooms have many bass resonances that are difficult to control.  Box speakers excite all six room nodes while open baffles project a figure 8 pattern and only excites two nodes, the front and back walls.  I was astonished how much cleaner the bass presentation was when i purchased my open baffles.  Previously I had used some well regarded floor standers and monitors with subwoofers and could never get the quality of bass I'm getting now.  Also the midrange sounds more open due to the lack of box effect/influence.

It's true open baffle bass is not as powerful but in the case of the X5s the oversized woofer is self powered by a Class D amplifier which includes DSP and a level control.  So I can adjust the bass exactly to suit my preference and room.   I'm getting flat bass into the upper 20s which is more than sufficient for music listening and no longer use my subwoofers as they detract from the bass quality.  If I ever move my system to a larger room I would maybe purchase open baffle subs if necessary.

Nearly all of the audio club members who've listened to my speakers agree that they are special speakers and previously would have never even listened to an open baffle speaker due to previous misconceptions. A few have already purchased them.

It's true you do need at least three feet distance from the front wall but I've also had any of my previous box speakers at least that far away from the front wall and usually further out than that.  I have a difficult room in a basement and have very little need for my room treatments any longer as well although I've kept some on the front wall for diffusion.

Not all OB have open back tweeters.  The Spatial audio x series have open back tweeters and their M series do not.  If you cannot have about three feet from the front wall then a powered open baffle such as the X series and other open baffle speakers that have powered controllable woofers would make sense as you could increase or control the bass quantity to match your speaker location.  Sure if the speakers are only two feet from the front wall you would probably also lose a bit of spaciousness as compared to at least 3 feet.

I don't see why not.  They could be three feet from the front wall and you could sit around 8 feet from the plane of the speakers with three feet or so behind you.  It may not be ideal but could work.  I would treat the front wall with mostly diffusion and the wall behind you with absorption.  Also maybe control first point reflections but open baffle does not radiate much sound to the sides.

I'm no expert so maybe someone else has experience.

I respectfully disagree.  I own the Spatial audio x5 open baffle and their woofers are powered and include DSP and a level control. I also have two rel subwoofers and have tried using them with the X5s and they detracted not improved the bass.  The bass is much better without the rels.  I'm getting flat response to 32 Hz without the subwoofers and very good extension to the upper 20s according my stereophile test cd.

Sure I have heard open baffles with weaker bass but it depends on the open baffle speaker design and woofer implementation.  The X5s are a little different in that the bass is powered and the output controlled by the end user but this just adds flexibility.

In my opinion open baffle bass is faster and more detailed than a boxed subwoofer bass but again that is just my opinion after having lived with and heard many very good box floorstanders and subwoofers such as the Rel.