Open baffle loudspeakers are my current favorite way to enjoy music. They produce a wider soundstage than other designs, image exceptionally, are easy to build and reduce cabinet induced challenges. Open baffle speakers don’t sound bloated or have one-note bass. They integrate with your room to produce a lively and encompassing sound. If you have the room and are serious about music reproduction, you owe it to yourself to listen to open baffle.
Speaker Projects by Zilla 
My listening room is only 12 ft x 11 but expect this to change a year from now to one 15 ft x 12. So I really want to build a pair of OBs now with great bass response. I’d like it to get down to between 30 and 28Hz. In my tiny room the right OB will have 3 ft of space all around it. The left OB can get 3 feet behind it but very limited sidewall space, especially on one side. Again, I’m willing to make do for now with less than great sound; getting a really high performance pair of passive OBs built for when they are moved to a larger room is my goal. So, for example, H frame OBs with 18″ woofers are manageable footprint wise if ~ 21″ square x 16″ http://www.quarter-wave.com/Project08/Passive_Crossover.pdf
OR they can be panel OBs http://manzanitaaudiosolutions.com/gallery.html Can either of them get very close to 28Hz in my room? My budget is generous for efficient high quality drivers, film caps autoformers
http://www.intactaudio.com/atten.html My ears can’t take high SPLs, even in large rooms; figure 65 to 68db in my room, if even that much. However, my amp is a First Watt F4; only 25 wpc 8 ohms/ 40 wpc 4 ohms. So these passively crossed OBs would probably need to have pretty efficient drivers.
Wood finishing could be something very simple, like semi-flat statin black duratex
http://store.acrytech.com/Speaker-Cabinet-Coating-DuraTex-Roller-Grade-Black.html
Do you know anyone in NYC or on Long Island who will build me a pair of custom OBs? Thanks
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Hi,
Thank You for very inspiring designs and descriptions 🙂
Looking at Your H-baffle with the Eminence Alpha 15″ woofer (the red cabinet), it seems that the debth is not 16″ but more like the half (8″?). Or is that just the photos making it seems so?
BR/Bo
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Yes, my H-frame is just 12″ deep rather than the original design of 16″. I did this to save space in my room. I do not feel the bass lacking by reducing the size.
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My H-frames are only 12″ deep. Good eye!
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Hi I am designing a new open baffle 3 way. using active analog XO from sublime acoustics. XO 180 and 1100 Hz The bas will be a 10 inch ripol and the highs will be cotswolds soundsystems BMR 46 XEL. Choosing a suitable mid driver is the hard part. The baffle will have hinged sidewings. for the 180-1100 range I am looking for glorious (old fashioned) mids I listen to classical music only, so transparency detail finesse are all important. there will be no passive XO components. so no coils no caps. options so far: betsy WOW ; eminence lil buddy ; faital pro 10fe200 ; dayton audio PM 220-8 Looking forward to some qualified judgements on these drivers. regards, Emile
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Sorry for getting back to you so late. Please let me know if you decided on a driver and how it sounds. Of the group you listed I’ve only heard the Betsy and Lil’ Buddy. They sound totally different with the Betsy having a bumped up midrange and the Eminence a flatter sound (to my ears). Both great with a bit of character. If I had to choose I’d pick the eminence but doing so requires a lower crossover and tweeter – so this solution is more work. Since you are building a three way I’d go with the Eminence. I’m also curious about the FaitalPRO and Dayton – both have been in my shopping cart at one time or another. Let me know your progress when you aren’t busy enjoying music.
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Hi Jeff, thanks for your message. a friend of mine has given feedback on the faital. he say’s that its best quality is to play loud, but it lacks a bit of refinement. However for the money its unbeatable. What is your music taste, and the background against which you give your verdict about the betsy and the buddy ? my number one at this moment is the Dayton PM 220 or even the smaller pm 180 for 180 -1100 Hz. duty. The change comes mainly from my alergy for beaming. I just love the point source acuracy and nice sound dispersion. The smaller driver also allows for a narrower baffle which looks good and reduces diffraction. reality is that I own a pair of seas fa 22 RCZ so most likely the first try will be with what I already own. This way I can get a feel for what the active analog xo brings in terms of transparency eficiency and low distortion. Any feed back is more than welcome to aid my search. regards, Emile
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