Open baffle speakers

40 years in this hobby and owned all styles of designs in that time. New designs of open baffle speakers are like having a Magiee or Quad Electrostatic but with the full bottom end, extended highs, and dynamics on steroids. They work great in all rooms, and like all speakers sound best 2-3 feet from the front wall. No different than box speakers.

So much in the audio is talking about how things were in the past, from Class D amps to digital and DIY OB speakers.

This is 2024 new time and era of new designs that have had years to mature and form.  Open baffles speakers bring the music "live" into the room. Besides my Quad ESL's OB speakers on well-produced recordings sound like they are playing in your room, yes they sound different than box speakers as do the panel and electrostatic speakers and that is not a bad thing music-wise. 

@phillyb, Great take! I could not agree more. But first you’ve got to have an open mind. I’ve owned Electrostats for over 40 years. For years CLSiiz’s were my speakers of choice. I relished in their midrange which I believed was not matched by box speakers. We all listen differently, and prefer different components, so why should loudspeakers be any different? But 15 years ago I met an audiophile who was a professional woodworker. He built his own speakers, using solid woods and no mdf. He began building OB speakers using bass speakers specifically made for OB’s. I was floored by their performance to reproduce authentic sounding bass, which was as natural as I’d ever heard. I purchased several pairs, all while keeping my electrostatic speakers. Enjoy whatever speakers you choose. But to denigrate someone else’s choices, especially when you’ve not heard them, seems a bit harsh and illogical. We each have our biases. Allow others to enjoy and live with their choices. After all, audio is about freedom of choice. 

I heard those OB speakers a year ago or so and they were really good and very small. There are two planar tweeters mounted angled on each side and a midrange. Four 8-inch base drivers (might be sealed, hard to see and I don't remember).

https://www.hifistallet.se/products/lindstr%C3%B6m-audio-iso-85

I went to my friends Danny's place in Ventura, CA he is the owner of Requisite Audio. He is also a musician and has the best ears for audio of anyone that I know, genius level hearing and also commented as such by Stajan on an article on 6moons.com.

He told me his new creation is the best speaker he has ever heard. Now I know he does not BS but still it was his baby, so I had some doubts.  He had come to my place a year earlier and heard my Yamaha NS5000 with my CODA #16 amp and said that was the best box speaker he had heard in about 40 years.  I have it in a nice room with very little side reflections and a high ceiling.

When he told me the open baffle speaker he his creating sounded better than the NS5000, especially on the bass I was surprised. Yesterday, I had 4 hours available while I had to go to LAX to pick up my parents. I spent that time at his place listening to the smallest iteration of his new speaker. His place is not ideal for a demo of speakers, he will set up the top end model at his shop in Ventura soon. However, this demo reminded me of a demo of a DAC and amp by what is now Infigo Audio about a decade ago. They used a $500 used scratched up B+W speaker to demo the DAC (and amp). Even in a non-deal setup great sound was possible.

I had heard an open baffle system, that cost $160k for the speaker alone, at a local store and thought it was not better than the NS5000.,which they also sold. I was not blown away with the idea of open baffle based on that experience. That is until yesterday. What I heard yesterday was a very fast, detailed, and explosive speaker, The demo was one where I was either toe tapping or dancing to the music as never before in a demo. I had also taken my superlative Schitt Yggi+ OG DAC to his place to listen with it so that had something to do with it.  That bass was extraordinary and Danny told me that is what bass should sound like. He was a professional bass player for decades.

I listened to jazz, Mozart, rock (specifically Roller by April Wine).  There was something special going on with the open baffle design. He had a class D on the 15 -inch woofer and a device to control the top end from a 15-inch full range driver. That full range was driven by a Felx Envy 4-watt amp with $2k+ of tubes. The customization of the balance between the top end and the bass was all done on the analog domain. Normally, I would say digital was the way to do that but what do I know after hearing this.

This maybe the best speaker I have EVER heard. The wife may be a no go to having 2 speakers in the same Livingroom. I also need some cash to make this happen. 

I asked Danny if he would sell the NS5000 if he was in my shoes. He said he would not since it is so good, but he also said he will no longer listen to a box speaker. I totally get that sentiment now.

Due to space restrictions and the wife factor, I think I may be selling my NS5000 and the CODA #16 amp (or my Sanders Magtech amp) to get this speaker. I love the CODA amp and can use it in my office with my Magnepan Mini. I am getting the open baffle speaker but not sure about selling the NS5000.

Requisite Audio | High-End Audio For Creators & Connosouirs

The web site in not updated with the new open baffle speaker. He is expecting a December release with many customization options from a 2-driver setup to a 5-driver setup. For my Livingroom his 2-driver speaker would be good, but the 3-driver is ideal. I am getting the 3-driver. The customization is for extra bass modules, fancy finish, 2 levels of driver quality. I heard the lower end driver he will sell. I will likely go with the unheard higher end driver and bare bones finish.

He will offer me a discount, but I never take discounts from my friends since this is their livelihood.

^ Can’t wait to see these OB’s. People who are against OB’s haven’t heard all OB’s. Their designs are endless.