Open baffle speakers

Danny Richie of GR Research designs and sells both OB and sealed box loudspeakers and subs (in kit form). He has used the same drivers in both applications, and makes no bones about preferring the sound the drivers make when used open baffle. That preference is not a result of design difficulty, but of achieving maximum transparency, greatest soundstage depth, and lowest coloration.

Open baffle is much easier/cheaper to design/build. Even incompetent dudes with an open baffle offering can claim they are good at designing speakers. On the same note, If someone’s getting greedy/ trying to overcharge you for it (could name a few), have a second thought about it.

Tell that to Linkwitz. Just as many, if not more, incompetent dudes design box speakers

I am a business owner, just an audio enthusiast (not in the audio business).

But, give me 3 hours and I'll build you a open baffle speaker in my garage and the sound of it will get you jawdropped. I already know which pro drivers to use and how to build your crossover. I'll charge 20k just for kicks and laugh all the way to China town.

Can I design/build you a ns5000, tad, etc. Absolutely not (do not know the secrets/have anywhere close to the knowledge base of the gifted dudes who design/build such things)

Danny Richie of GR Research designs and sells both OB and sealed box loudspeakers and subs (in kit form). He has used the same drivers in both applications, and makes no bones about preferring the sound the drivers make when used open baffle. That preference is not a result of design difficulty, but of achieving maximum transparency, greatest soundstage depth, and lowest coloration.

Danny knows some stuff and is probably capable of designing a box speaker that can blow someone’s socks off too. But, the latter would end up costing more than what his target market would be willing to pay (i.e., diy guys fishing for high value stuff and very modest pricing).

He is a small business/ lacks the resources of the bigger gigs to keep prices down. OB is the easier way out to satisfy his targeted customer base/modest price bracket requirement.

My earlier comment was hinting at some other coaster clowns (not Danny) who know absolutely nothing about speaker design...but seem to be minting with their open baffle overnight speaker "expertise/extravaganza"....Am sure the next venture for these guys would be "high end" cable design...very easy to become a high end cable design expert PhD overnight as well.

But, give me 3 hours and I'll build you a open baffle speaker in my garage and the sound of it will get you jawdropped. I already know which pro drivers to use and how to build your crossover. I'll charge 20k just for kicks and laugh all the way to China town.

What are you waiting for?  Do it and quit ragging on those that produce a product.  For just an audio enthusiast you imply knowing quite a bit about designing speakers and cables.  Seem like you are sitting on an untapped gold mine of expertise.

Am Good speaker design is a speaker that Sounds good when properly set up. Does it matter if it is made of baling wire and duct tape? Or diamonds and rosewood?

No….

The end result is more important than the means to get there.