narrow and wide baffles and imaging


According to all the "professional" audio reviews that I've read over the last several years, narrow baffles are crucial to creating that so-desired pin-point imaging.

However, over the last few weeks, I've had the opportunity to audition Harbeth 40.2, Spendor Classic 100, Audio Note AN-E, and Devore O/93.  None of these had deficient imaging; indeed I would go so far as to say that it was good to very good.

So, what gives?  I'm forced to conclude that modern designs, 95% of which espouse the narrow baffle, are driven by aesthetic/cosmetic considerations, rather than acoustical ones, and the baffle~imaging canard is just an ex post facto justification.

I can understand the desire to build speakers that fit into small rooms, are relatively unobtrusive, and might pass the SAF test, but it seems a bit much to add on the idea that they're essentially the only ones that will do imaging correctly.



128x128twoleftears
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@kosst_amojan OK, I'll bite.  By imaging I understand individual sound sources (voice, instrument) being well defined and easily localizable within the overall sound stage.  Ideally, the listener should be able to map, more or less precisely, where each "instrument" is on the left to right axis and, at least to some extent, on the front to back and high/low axes.  Also, importantly, the instrument should not appear to be substantially larger or smaller than the other instruments in the soundstage than it is in real life.  Example: a three foot wide clarinet.
@twoleftears  there are clear explanation  how width of baffle
make sound or sound stage different , The problem coming from 
different diffraction lost from low frequency and mid freg. 
the call baffle step , you can read more on google
http://diyaudioprojects.com/Technical/Baffle-Step-Correction-Circuit-Calculator/ https://www.trueaudio.com/st_diff1.htm and much more.
Good design 3 way Loudspeakers usually dont have this issue. 
but one way crossoverless and some 2 way get this problem
result -pure soundstage, lack midbass, voices and piano sound  thin   
Also, Voxative  made one nice Loudspeakers with huge baffle
try to avoid this issue. The Good Horn design  also is good for
this reason and make  good  soundstage
The width of the baffle really only affects the baffle step. If the crossover designer knows what they are doing, there is very little difference. Having chamfered edges or a curved face (like the LS50’s) have a bigger impact than the width of the baffle (assuming equal efforts of dealing with the baffle step).