View Full Version : New Baffles
I am off to pick up my new baffles
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u327/Johnj_013/open%20baffle/openbaffleskelton.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u327/Johnj_013/open%20baffle/securedownload1.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u327/Johnj_013/open%20baffle/securedownload2.jpg
Ali Tait
24-04-2010, 08:15
Wow,fantastic John! Some pics of the finished article please.
Love the look of those! please keep us posted :eek:
Ok, so no cabinet resonances to deal with then? What drivers will go in them?
Ali Tait
24-04-2010, 16:30
Hawthornes I think,with the Augies.
Yep Hawthorne Silver Iris and Augee The baffle 40mm thick with the drivers isolated by a flange from the baffle so resonance should not be an issue I can always go back to 3/4 ply baffles I made if they do not work I find out for sure latter With the drivers in they look stunning pictures to follow
Here is what they will look like when finished
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u327/Johnj_013/open%20baffle/securedownload8.jpg
Beechwoods
25-04-2010, 06:38
Wow! That looks amazing John. It's understatement to say they look like a piece of modern art! I've not seen any OB's quite as minimal as that. Nice one.
What are they made from?
Yes I am very happy with how they look
The idea is to keep disfractions to a minium
I also wanted something totally unique a big thanks has to go to Vic of Trans Fi I gave him the idea of the design and he created the plans also Graham of Gee Cee in Long Eaton who made the baffles.
Its a rigid design so should work but find out latter today when I put everything back together
Beechwoods
25-04-2010, 06:57
I look forward to hearing how they sound! By the way, my post above... half asleep, I meant to say 'understatement' - but you knew that!
In some ways I feel a bit like Martin with his arm; trying something a bit different and untill its all connected up i will not know if it works but sometimes you have to give it a go
I hope it works out for you, John. If you like it as much as I like my arm, you'll be sporting a very large grin indeed :)
Just a quick update system now playing music mid and treble seem better greater sense of speed and clarity
I will try to clarify my thoughts latter its hard writing about you own stuff to much emotional investment to be totally objective
Graham who built the baffles is an excellent cabinet maker and as you see he is willing to take on individual projects I found him quick and fair to do buissness with
Now to slowly get everything else looking as good
Ali Tait
25-04-2010, 14:15
How's the bass compare?
It seems tighter more controlled but have not yet cranked it up
Well had a good 4 hour music session last night no semse of tiredness was so ever
The sound is more organic it has more depth and everything is more solid, in the past very fast tabla had a sense of smear this has totally gone I am also hearing bass synth I never knew was there. I do not have deep electronic music so that will be the final test for the speakers
I could never go back to conventional speakers I just do not understand why people pay silly money when you get something this good for under a grand My DIY skills are crap but I now have something that looks like modern art and sounds fantastic
Looking fantastic, John - those have got to be one of the nicest pairs of OBs I've seen! :eek:
I think this sums it up nicely:
I just do not understand why people pay silly money when you get something this good for under a grand My DIY skills are crap but I now have something that looks like modern art and sounds fantastic
Yeah, man, yeah....... :guitar:
Marco.
Ali Tait
26-04-2010, 11:43
Nice one John.How about some more pics?
Will add more pics latter Ali
They really do look great and have the sound to match I will also talk more about the design
HighFidelityGuy
26-04-2010, 13:31
Hi John,
I'ts great to see that you've finally got your OB's finished, they look awesome. :cool:
The lack of a high frequency driver has me a bit baffled though (no pun intended :lol:). Do those big drivers manage to create the same trebble sparkle as a conventional 2 or 3 way design?
I must say that this OB stuff intrigues me. I'll definitely have to try some out when I get a bigger house. :eyebrows:
Ali Tait
26-04-2010, 14:34
One of the drivers is a dual-concentric in a similar manner to Tannoys.
Plenty of sparkle as Ali pointed out it uses a duel concentric design much like Marcos Tannoys
They are very different to the Wharfedale Opus 3 you have The bass is cleaner and how they produce drums very realistic I guess its the whole sense of scale and depth that really nails it for me the other difference is how holographic they are its really hard to know where the speakers are.
Dave I am sure your room is bigger than mine so should work but the main objection might be the WAV factor. They need about 3 feet from the back walls to fully work. It seems the structure of the baffles and how much you can isolate have quite an effect on the sound
These sleeves act as further driver isolation from the baffle
Before they were painted
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u327/Johnj_013/securedownload5.jpg
After being painted to match speakers
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u327/Johnj_013/securedownload2.jpg
The design was inspired by Clive's Bastanis i liked the shape he had to his mid treble driver
and because I do not use a sideway firing port I thought why not do the same with bass drivers My main thinking is to cut down on sound diffraction hitting the baffles
It uses 40mm wood (Vic suggestion) and is very stable compared to the 3/4 ply I was using
Vic (Trans Fi) has a workshop in his garage and cut/drilled all the holes plus lots of running around; words cannot say thank you enough.
The Grand Wazoo
26-04-2010, 17:51
Interesting John.
They look great, by the way!
A few questions if I may?
Have I got this right? - the set up is as follows from front to back:
Driver mounting > gasket > baffle> rear sleeve.
The actual baffles - are they solid wood or ply?
The rear sleeves look like MDF - is that right?
It also looks like there's 2 per driver, why's that?
The bass - presumably you're losing some by not having any baffle extending beyond the drivers. I guess this is why you've gone for the extra driver?
You've given me some food for thought & the inspiration to think about carrying out some ideas I've been chewing over for a long time!
Stratmangler
26-04-2010, 18:15
Interesting design.
To call them open baffle would be incorrect, I suspect.
However, "frame supported drivers" doesn't sound very good as a name.
Any baffle reflections are going to be absolutely minimal, that's for certain.
Interesting John.
They look great, by the way!
A few questions if I may?
Have I got this right? - the set up is as follows from front to back:
Driver mounting > gasket > baffle> rear sleeve.
Yes
The actual baffles - are they solid wood or ply?
I think Kitchen worktop
The rear sleeves look like MDF - is that right?
Yes
It also looks like there's 2 per driver, why's that?
1 sleeve per driver
The bass - presumably you're losing some by not having any baffle extending beyond the drivers. I guess this is why you've gone for the extra driver?
You could use as a solo this would be good for acoustic music blues jazz etc but as I listen to a lot of rock the bass drivers augment the sound I use sub plates to power bass drivers and valve amp to power the mid/treble The theory is you can use a low power valve amp for the main drivers a lot of people use Spud amplifiers and the sub plates for the bass where this is not as critical. The sub plates allow you to alter the crossover to suit your own needs and the sound is seamless. You could even get the XTZ DSP sub plates for ultimate room control without effecting the sound quality in the mid and treble
You've given me some food for thought & the inspiration to think about carrying out some ideas I've been chewing over for a long time!
Please share Chris as sounds interesting. Steve and Clive have both built some really interesting baffles
:)
Interesting design.
To call them open baffle would be incorrect, I suspect.
However, "frame supported drivers" doesn't sound very good as a name.
Any baffle reflections are going to be absolutely minimal, that's for certain.
:) Yes keeping reflections down to a abosolute minium was part of the inspiration
I like the idea of framed support drivers:lolsign:
Stratmangler
26-04-2010, 18:31
I'm now concerned that my username has mutated to "Strangler".
It's a bit like seeing "The Rapist" on the door, when it should read "Therapist".:eyebrows:
Ahh what happened there :lol:
The theory is you can use a low power valve amp for the main drivers a lot of people use Spud amplifiers and the sub plates for the bass where this is not as critical.
plate amps for the bass where its not critical.. yours is quite a common view.. and can/ does sound very good...
but my experence is there could be much more texture in the bass with a good valve amp powering them... my view is that the bass is just as critical..
they look very good john.. and plate amps or not.. OB's can sound very lifelike. nice one
I remember hearing you speakers and being blown away so u have a good point
The Grand Wazoo
27-04-2010, 23:30
TGW: You've given me some food for thought & the inspiration to think about carrying out some ideas I've been chewing over for a long time!
John: Please share Chris as sounds interesting. Steve and Clive have both built some really interesting baffles
Well, I've been thinking for a long while now about integrating aspects of my last two pairs of speakers into one design & then stepping out a little into the unknown.
My idea is to use the configuration you have - a large DC driver and a large
bass driver mounted on an open baffle but duplicated front & rear (& in phase)to create an open baffle bipole dual concentric speaker.
Probably already been done, but not to my knowledge.
Spectral Morn
27-04-2010, 23:31
Hi John
Sorry I am a bit late to this party and I did not expect you to do anything with the speakers quite so quickly after my visit during the hifi show. I take it these new baffles have sorted out the things I heard that I put down to a lack of rigidity in the baffles you had built ?
Looking good though I guess I would have built a bigger brace at the back aka the Jamo 909s and built adjustable spikes into the bases (may be you have I just can't see them)
Looking very good...:)
Regards D S D L
Well, I've been thinking for a long while now about integrating aspects of my last two pairs of speakers into one design & then stepping out a little into the unknown.
My idea is to use the configuration you have - a large DC driver and a large
bass driver mounted on an open baffle but duplicated front & rear (& in phase)to create an open baffle bipole dual concentric speaker.
Probably already been done, but not to my knowledge.
Sounds like a really interesting project
Awhile back I was talking with Jimmy Hughes he actually listens to music with his speakers firing agianst the wall it seemed a bit crazy to me at the time. I think your idea is a lot more interesting be really interesting to hear what it sounds like
Hi John
Sorry I am a bit late to this party and I did not expect you to do anything with the speakers quite so quickly after my visit during the hifi show. I take it these new baffles have sorted out the things I heard that I put down to a lack of rigidity in the baffles you had built ?
Looking good though I guess I would have built a bigger brace at the back aka the Jamo 909s and built adjustable spikes into the bases (may be you have I just can't see them)
Looking very good...:)
Regards D S D L
Yes seemed to have sorted out that bass oscaltion but I do not have any deep electronic bass tracks so do not know for sure but more depth detail and even closer to live music
The speakers have adustable spikes
Spectral Morn
28-04-2010, 08:40
Yes seemed to have sorted out that bass oscaltion but I do not have any deep electronic bass tracks so do not know for sure but more depth detail and even closer to live music
The speakers have adustable spikes
Good news all round then. I am pleased for you.:)
Regards D S D L
Yes seemed to have sorted out that bass oscaltion...
Wossat when it's at home, den? :eyebrows:
Marco.
The Grand Wazoo
28-04-2010, 08:53
oscaltion
It's a kind of dog isn't it?
http://s.bebo.com/app-image/7925291164/5411656627/PROFILE/i.quizzaz.com/img/q/u/08/05/04/gsd3680.jpg
opps really tired late night early start
kreacherx
10-05-2010, 00:48
Stratmangler recommended i look@ these? but as I read confusion increases? the wooden baffles act as a sound isolator & of course are not reflective!? how they fire the sound forward properly escapes me? wouldn't a ribbon speaker for the high end be more productive? & for the bass end two speakers like the Linn Isobarik's 180 deg Out of phase.... in my mind it works, what you say ? Dont be too hard on me!after all I just need a pair of speakers that work with my Krell KSA100 & it is late!!!!
Its augumented bass and no issues around firing bass forward listening to drums is a very physical experience and you still hear the bass underlining the drums in fact my best friend is a professional bass player and he was blown away by the sound, sorry if i have not answered your question well I am not good about the techinical side
The main drivers are duel concentric thet have plenty of detail and the extra isolation at the back has increased low level detail. On sunday I listened to about 4 hours of music without a hint of fatigue and have never been happier with my sound
The baffles keeps diffraction soundwaves to a minium, with my last set of baffles i had to use felt to reduce this but do not have to do this now
Open baffles have a wonderful un boxiness I like ribbons a lot but for me there something about the scale of large drivers that I love. There are lots of paths to good sound this one is very good value and you have to pay crazy money to beat it
I use 2 plate amps for the bass so this allows you to adjust phase and frequency crossover and gives stereo bass
If you wish you can come round and hear I think the only way you can really decide is to hear for yourself but notice you live quite far away
My other suggestion is go to Owston lots of Open baffles designs Its an even longer journey but some really great sounding gear and will give you plenty of ideas
http://www.hawthorneaudio.com/speakers.html This explains the concept better
Ali Tait
10-05-2010, 18:28
OB bass is very good IMO.You don't hear the box singing along!
yes agree Clean no overhang realistic
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