Open Baffle Experience

When I first set up my open baffle system, I used GIK absorber/diffusers behind the speakers on the front wall. These are absorption panels with a plate mounted on the front with various holes. They are supposed to absorb low frequencies and scatter higher frequencies. I found that these deadened the sound too much and reduced the depth and airiness of the soundstage. 

I replaced these with Quadratic Residue Diffusors from ATS and these made a huge difference for the better. 

These kind of "discussions" always end with some people showing their ignorance about how the real world works.  

"A four-dimensional space ( 4D) is a mathematical extension of the concept of three-dimensional or 3D space. Three-dimensional space is the simplest possible abstraction of the observation that one only needs three numbers, called dimensions, to describe the sizes or locations of objects in the everyday world."

kenjit-

Enclosed speaker radiation into space is compromised by baffle step.  

The Schroeder frequency defines low frequency propagation in rooms driven by transducers that radiate into 2 pi space.

Dipole speakers by design are much less susceptible to Schroeder frequency effects because they essentially remove the floor, ceiling and wall interactions adjacent to the baffle.

I was present (an exhibitor) at RMAF when Danny Richie debuted his open baffle speakers.  Pete Belasco has a song called "Deeper" that has 808-drop effects in the mix.  Their center frequency is 21Hz.  Those drops caused everyone in the room to look around in disbelief as their pants legs flapped from the LF wavefront transients and bass that was tactile as much or more than auditory.  The lows hitting the chest was startling!

I have heard the GR speakers that Jaytor has.  They are, as he says, stunning in the way they communicate (and this is important) EVERY GENRE OF MUSIC!

As a retired recording engineer with more than a little street cred I know what instruments are supposed to sound like:  ie., a double bass or contrabassoon radiates into 4 pi space.  So does the human voice...

My friend's Boulder driven Magico M3 are great at reproducing pop, electronica, ambient, etc.  They do not reproduce low frequencies produced by acoustic instruments as well as the GR open baffle speakers.

Obviously, you have never heard a properly designed open baffle speaker.  There are a lot of so-so designs that frankly suck, just like there are box speakers.  As another opined - people without real world exposure that make statements about things outside of their universe of experience are speaking out of their ass.

Just sayin'.  Over and out >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GR-Research offers a model called the NX-Studio which are designed for applications where the speaker can't be placed at least 3ft from the front wall. These are a two-way design with an "open-baffle" planar-magnetic tweeter and sealed woofer. The cabinet has an angled panel behind the tweeter which deflects the back wave up through an open top, so the rear wave bounces up and off the ceiling. 

These aren't quite the same as a full open baffle, but in a smaller room, they project a nice spacious soundstage. They don't play super low so a sub is required if you want deep bass. I have a pair in my bedroom system (13' x 15') and they sound very nice with an open-airy sound. 

In response to Kenjit's post about me above:  For the record there are two apparently very different sides to the story, but imo this thread is not the place for either side.

It is important to mention that Audiokinesis and I had a disagreement initially about speaker design but then he started making ad hominem attacks on my character. Its not clear whether his opinion of my character has influenced his opinion about my views on speaker deisgn or vice versa but there is some correlation.  So keep that in mind when reading his responses to my comments as there may be some bias.

This is akin to a butcher having a disagreement with a surgeon about how best to remove a tumor.  Substitute “knowledge” for “character” and you might have something here.  Jeez.