open baffle speaker question


i see lots of designs for the diyer. i have never heard a pair of these [except magnepans] and need some advice if this is a project that would be worth attempting. the costs are minimal evidently but would like to hear from someone with experience about the sound quality of this design using quality drivers etc. are super tweeters needed? thanks
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Showing 1 response by elevick

I had David Lucas open baffles a while back. It took 4 12" woofers to generate good bass. The sound was very encompassing because it did radiate in virtually every direction. You can't call that good imaging...However, you have to be very careful about placement so the rear wave doesn't interfere with what you hear. Also, they tend to be fairly inefficient. A Lowther in an open baffle should waste a lot more energy than one in a properly designed cabinet. Keep in mind that tweeters aren't open baffle. So a design with a super tweeter is a compromise.
I still have single driver speakers but in a cabinet that properly channels the bass and is much easier to place in a room.