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Thread: Open baffle / dipole speakers

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    Default Open baffle / dipole speakers

    Something I've always had problems understanding is how do open baffle speakers produce controlled and weighty low end? Surely the task without an enclosure must be a huge hurdle as there's no cabinet to 'tune' the air waves and there's no 'brake' on the bass drivers which would (in my mind) lead to uncontrollable bass drivers.

    So, my boffin type friends, how do the drivers on dipoles differ and how is bass produced from cabinet-less speakers?

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  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    Quote Originally Posted by Filterlab View Post
    Something I've always had problems understanding is how do open baffle speakers produce controlled and weighty low end? Surely the task without an enclosure must be a huge hurdle as there's no cabinet to 'tune' the air waves and there's no 'brake' on the bass drivers which would (in my mind) lead to uncontrollable bass drivers.

    So, my boffin type friends, how do the drivers on dipoles differ and how is bass produced from cabinet-less speakers?

    The trade of is with Open baffle louspeakers is you get a more detailed airy sound with no frequency problems.Using the correct driver is important.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    Missing Link

    As you can read above, there are many factors controlling the woofers...

    Anyway, the back reflections will cancel the direct bass down from certain frequency, depending on the size of the baffle, you can compensate with equalization, or use a closed subwoofer, like me...

    The sound is clearer, no box colourations, imaging is incredible, I dont need surround anymore, even ear the helicopter flying around on the Pink Floyd record, another interesting advantage, to get the same loudness at the listening position, it sends 6db less to the neighbours, quite useful in an apartment...
    Antonio Melo Ribeiro

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  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    Quote Originally Posted by Filterlab View Post
    Something I've always had problems understanding is how do open baffle speakers produce controlled and weighty low end? Surely the task without an enclosure must be a huge hurdle as there's no cabinet to 'tune' the air waves and there's no 'brake' on the bass drivers which would (in my mind) lead to uncontrollable bass drivers.

    So, my boffin type friends, how do the drivers on dipoles differ and how is bass produced from cabinet-less speakers?
    It is driver design, you cannot just dump any driver anywhere. If you want to work with an open baffle you need low compliance (stiffer) surround. Bass then propogates conically. For sealed cabinet you need high compliance surround so that the driver *sits* on the air (acoustic suspension as invented by AR) and the base propogates as a tube (piston action). Partial acoustic loading as with port and transmission line requires a compromise between the two.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    IME I don't think you get 'kick-ass' bass from an open baffle arrangement. That's the price you pay for the (for some folks) huge benefits of low colouration, transparency and open sound that can be had from open baffle designs.
    .

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