There's an Audiophiliac/Steve Guttenberg imposter scamming my viewers, There’s no FREE gifts. DON’T respond! I don't do giveaways or ask for money (except for my Patreon).
Hey Steve, your most informative opinions are absolutely welcomed, and if some viewers are doubtful, there's a probability that they may be new to your output.
Steve, without question you are one of the most reasonable reviewers. And by reasonable I mean not an absolutist. You’re open, like your new reference speaker. Kudos!
Steve, I really loved this video, there’s no hiding the excitement you have as you continue your audiophile journey. I’d love to see a video in the future where you give some tips on speaker set up and placement, especially comparing any different approaches you may favour when setting up open baffle vs closed baffle type speakers. C’mon audiophile guru, teach us!!
Steve is a seriously good dude, you can just tell. Just doesn't seem to have a mean bone in his body. Plus, really opened me up to Pure Audio Projects as an option.
As a guitar player, I understand the difference between closed back and open back amplifiers/speaker cabs. It's the same difference that you describe, and you are absolutely correct.
I love the clarity with which you describe the depth capability. It gives a great impression of how this speaker sounds without hearing it in person. Thanks conveying the sound in a way that makes sense.
It's great to see the PureAudioProject speakers again. I heard them 3 years ago at an audio show - 9 floors of individual rooms, and the PureAudios where the ones that stood out (well, other than the Maggies). My impressions of them were exactly as you describe - open and powerful. I do want a pair!
15 inch drivers are one reason why I love the Tannoy Ardens, and why they are on the shortlist for my next upgrade. But I may have to find a way to hear these open baffle speakers before I make the leap. Thanks, Steve!
It can't be easy to describe the perceived audio differences between speakers and hifi equipment. There are only so many words you can use, like crisp, fast, deep, expansive etc. But I think of all your posts, this one is the very best I've heard you do, where you manage to convey how these panel speakers sound different. Great job.
Through my audio journey, I find myself listening at modest volumes around 55-75 db. I used to listen to music loud because it sounded more dynamic and bass response was better at the consequence of fatigue. My speakers were bookshelves and floor standers with woofer drivers that were in the 4-6.5” range. At lower volumes I ran into problems with less dynamics and lower bass response. The solution was larger drivers. The consequence is room real estate but for me it’s worth giving up the space. Now I run only Magnepan’s and Zhu Audio’s with a single 15” sub. Now I can listen at lower volumes while enjoying clarity and bass.
I am not surprised. I was at the audio show in New York and these were the only speakers that left a lasting impression on me. The sound is very different compared to most other speakers.
Finally listening "Outside the Box." You'll never go back to boxes without missing open baffle's special characteristics. Nothing else seems to do it quite the same. I am so jealous as my room won't work with open baffles or the Maggies. I'm stuck in the box, but I discovered small boxes are much better for my tastes with a little sub assist. Have a great time with your new setup.
I’ll be keeping my Cornwalls. I auditioned some PureAudio speakers four times. At first I was bowled over but around the third time I listened to them I felt they were novel to me. The impact lessened and I wasn’t as impressed with the playback of some types of music. I ended up keeping my Cornwall IV’s and am still completely satisfied with them. I’m glad you are happy with your new speakers, Steve! They just weren’t for me….
That’s the thing about this hobby, it’s very much about personal taste. As I said, in the video, it’s not about which one is better, the Klipsch or pure audio project, they sound different . Each of us has to decide which one is right for us.
I totally agree about 15" woofers. My current setup is a 15" woofer (Marantz) in a 1x2x3 box and a separate box MTM (Triad LCR from Denmark) with a passive 3-way crossover. I actually thought I had my studio monitor headphones on this morning and reached to take them off.
Very insightful approach! Living with different speaker designs can only broaden your familiarity with different speaker types thus giving your reviews greater authority and weight. Its one of the reasons I'm subbed here, is that Steve has been doing this for decades and has listened to any and all speakers worthy of note.
I am in the same boat as you. I love how Steve says the Klipsch are going back and the Pure Audio Project are in. Just wow!! I wish I could just send expensive speakers back and get a replacement, just like that.
I heard a pair of open baffle speakers at the Florida Audio Expo pre pandemic and I was blown away by the sound stage, openess and transparency. The negatives however are difficult to overcome for many listeners. First they are power hungry ...not too difficult to overcome in today’s world given the number of large power amps. Secondly is placement, like planar speaker they must be placed significantly away from a back wall which can meet with spousal resistance and room size problems. Lastly a subwoofer is typically a must .. again not a huge issue given the number of great sub’s that are available. As a listener you have to weight the pros and cons and decide .
I love the PAP speaker design and performance (have Trio15) , but they truly shine with the Voxativ drivers. That driver all alone as a full range is amazing (and pricey), with the 15" to reinforce low end just glorious. Nice change!
My first home-built speakers in 1972 used Richard-Allen twin cone drivers. I quickly moved to box speakers: AR, home-built, Snells then Paradigm for improved sound. In 1995 I used a Pioneer twin cone driver and small dome tweeter crossed over at 6KHz for HT surround and kitchen ceiling speakers. The dome tweeter really helped. So I'm dubious about whizzer cones, in general, a dome tweeter will perform much better. The reason open baffle speakers require large drivers and large panel area is the partial cancellation of the front wave by the back wave. I agree that not enough attention is paid to the backwave in box speaker design, that is why Kef Meta technology is SO clever, it traps the midrange and high frequency backwave before exiting through the cones!
Yeah, there are a lot of advantages to open baffle. I've been building open baffle since the mid 1990's and could never go back to conventional box. It is possible to get plenty of bass with open baffle, definitely more and deeper than your Klipsch Cornwall but you might have to build them. Unfortunately there just are not that many commercially available open baffle speakers. The DIY world has the big advantage at least for now, maybe someday there will be more options.
I'm pretty sure that PureAudioProject has a number of models/configurations on offer, some of which use two 12 or15" drivers with a mid/tweeter in the middle (D'Appolito?".
I like this quality about you Steve, very important for your chosen profession! Im suprised youve yet to consider having custom speakers made given all youve reviewed over the years.
I discovered PureAudioProject a few years ago while looking into open baffle designs. The company represents a nice balance between DIY and off-the-shelf speakers since they offer many options and choices depending on music taste, aesthetics, and budget. Perhaps one day I will have the opportunity to put together a pair of my own. Cheers!
100% agree. Also, PAP gives you the option, after purchase, to swap crossover parts the midrange drivers. The Duet15, reviewed here, is the introductory model. There are Trio and Quartet options. And, there are 10" woofer options as well.
I’ve been meaning to post a review or notes of the Duets. They are so unique and fun. I love listening to Bobby McFerrin’s Beyond Words on them. So many recordings that give you a fun presentation with open baffles. I’m surprised that you didn’t go up to the dual 15” version with your room size.
I'm confused as to why he chose the Duet 15 over the Trio 15...especially since he reviewed the Trio 15 already. He mentioned they lacked bass compared to the Klipsch... well... why not the Trio 15 with the extra 15" driver? A quote from Steves Trio 15 review: "“I’ve been changed by these speakers… They liberate the music… The Fastest, cleanest bass I ever heard in my room… That kind of air moving power energizes the room in a completely different way…”
👀 Steve....I wondered for a while what speaker could unseat your beloved Cornwall IVs. I even discussed this with a friend recently. The tonality and transparency got you....plus the urge to change 😊
After living with Spatial Audio Labs X4's for two years I could never go back to boxes. Open, transparent, and fast. The textures and tonal colors are clear and palpable. But the incredible imaging and soundstaging is like nothing else.
The fact that you change your setup is awesome. No one likes to "eat" the same food everyday, no matter how good it tastes. Change is very good. Like music, I love hundreds + of songs/artists. On any given day, I may like to listen to something else. The fact that you change is what makes it special. I certainly respect that. I do not have the opportunity to change my speakers/components often, but I do find myself constantly moving, rotating, adjusting my speakers and system, depending on what I am listening to. Each CD (not vinyl anymore) is recorded differently. Anyone who says they have the perfect systems is , hmmm, not really listening to the music at the individual discrete levels within the music ( the parts that make up the whole). Thank you.
I still use my 80's Infinity RSII's. As you know the mid and tweeters are open baffle. They still sound great. Open baffle does allow the speaker to get out of the way. Very open.
Agreed about the large woofers. Our active 118db sensitive OB horn speakers has 3x 15 inch paper cone drivers per side. Nothing else sounds good anymore.
@@HxThomison Nice! We are using Bert Dopenberg`s @Bd-Designs modified tractrix horn using coaxial BMS compression drivers he calls `Orphean` which was modified further by Peter@ (Phasure) to properly play with the DSP fed triple OB woofers and to produce 118db sensitivity.
7:26 You are exactly right! My FR semi open cone speakers can have incredible depth. But with some recordings this simply doesn't happen and my speakers don't sound any different to any other speakers. But with some recordings my speakers sound completely different to conventional speakers, way more spacial! So the insane depth is not caused by the speakers, they just reveal it when it's in the recording. Whereas conventional speakers only do it a bit.
I have to say...I admire your willingness to experiment with different equipment and source material in your audio journey. Once I heard my first pair of Maggie's(a set of tympanies, back in the day,) I felt like I had found my end game speakers. After all these years, I managed to find a pair of MGllas that I could afford 2 years ago. Ever since, I have been happier than I ever thought possible. Still,..there are days that I wonder about other speakers. You, being willing to try different things after you had decided on the Klipsch. You have my sincere respect.
The speakers "disappear" more, mostly cos of 2 main factors that most other speakers don't have. Point source sound and dipole sound. Texture and tone coming from a single point is always going to have an advantage over separated tone and texture sounds (like with conventional 2-ways). Any good piano passage will demonstrate the difference. You can make point source dipole speakers sound like the music is coming from anywhere but the speakers (if you are patient enough tweaking them forever).
I have a pair of Betsy Open Baffles. Actually i made a clone with the same driver and same baffle measurements. My impression is that they sound a lot more holographic than my Klipsch RP-600m's. Both width and depth are larger and they really disappear. Sound effects on Radiohead's "Everything in it's Right Place" (my reference song) seem as though they are coming from different places in the room and at times like sounds are whispering next to my ears....very odd experience. The Klipsch retain some if those qualities, but the sounds do not seem to come as close to me. The one thing that keeps making me go back to the Klipsch is that the lower midrange on the open baffles is not full enough. They start rolling off bass at 80hz I believe. I use 2 subwoofers and cross them over at 60hz with the Klipsch (600's play down to 45hz) and around 100hz with the open baffles. I think the problem is that the subs cannot keep pace with the open baffles in that range and so they don't fill in the lower midrange well enough to fix that issue
Agreed, which is why the duet works so well with a dedicated bass driver that is as fast and punchy as the fullranger. I'd recommend trying out an open baffle sub to complement your setup. You can crossover the sub at 200hz btw to resolve the mid issues. Lii Audio do a fantastic W15 which is good value or if you want the best of the best it is Acoustic Elegance dipoles. Have fun 👍
I too have the Betsy Open Baffles but with the alnico drivers. Lower midrange stops around 200-250 Hz transitioning down to upper bass. The Betsy 8 inch driver simply can't drive the power band optimally. I agree that box woofers can't keep up with the Betsys. Happily there is a somewhat affordable solution. The Lii Audio W-15 open baffle bass driver. There's a RUclips video "Caintuck Lii Audio 15” open baffle subwoofer" that demonstrates the W-15.
Speakers are as varied as women. Experience as many as you can before settling down with one once you’re older, hopefully wiser, and no longer have the energy to juggle more than one. :)
The tweeter horn was developed long ago to solve the problem of amps of the day being low powered. The upside is horns, like megaphones, concentrate sound waves and like megaphones, they alter to sound so it is unnatural.
What would we do without Steve Guttenberg reviews an honest ,sincere, upfront accurate information. A person's opinion I can trust. I know of what he's talking about in an open baffle speaker system. Steve describes it better than I could ever do.But I'm a lover of a system that has a horn.Its my preference. Again Steve Guttenberg thank you for a great review. The nose knows but it's the ear that hears.....
Agree with EVERYTHING you said on this one. I just got the Linkwitz LXmini and both SWMBO and I were immediately taken by how different they sound in comparison to my MTM ribbon boxes. Within a few notes she almost shouted out ''They're so smooth!'' She also said they're not irritating when played very loud. I'm using Uncle Nelson's special electronic crossover he designed for the mini at Siegfried's request. Since I love building amplifiers the Linkwitz stuff is truly up my alley. Unfortunately, don't yet have room for the LX521's. But, one day.
Being an audiophile is a 24 hours 365 days 52 weeks JOB & PASSION. Congratulations 🍾🎊🎈🎉 Steve for your new reference and the new references that will come after. 😂🎉
nice to hear someone speak of the choice of the preferred illusion when listening to music. so often the tendency is to consider it a finite exercise, a good, better, best, deal.
I have to admit that I was intrigued by open baffle speakers as well. I picked up a pair and was really impressed....for a while. The sound was everything that Steve is talking about here. Very detailed great soundstage (in recordings that have it) solid tight bass and I found them to be the most boring speaker I have heard. There is the reproduction of sound and then there is the presence or musicality of a speaker and that is what the open baffles lacked....for me. Others may have a different experience but if you're evaluating equipment and listening for changes, they would be good for that. But for long term enjoyment of music they just did not do it for me.
As I posted above, my room just doesn't work with any speakers with dipole output and you might have a similar situation. And my favorite large and extra large speakers are just smothered. But smaller speakers with close to point source output are just killing it for me right now. They are physically adjustable in any axis or position and can be so amazingly detailed with a stage that can put tears in your eyes. Sure they need sub support but less than I ever thought would work for me.
Understandable. I heard a similar one at the Newport Beach Audio Show. The full range driver is made in Oregon, and somewhat expensive. One of their speakers was open baffle, including the separate woofer, their other speaker was their special driver and woofer in a rather large enclosure. I only heard the open baffle speaker, but really liked it. It was in my top two of the entire show. The other was the 100K system by Linn Audio. What you mentioned about tone is what caught my attention. I strongly favor correctness of tone and that is one thing that impressed me in their music room. I believe they were a field coil design.
Great idea. I always felt the Klipsch were an odd choice as a reference as they have such a distinctive sound signature and personality. Keep trying, keep moving and you’ll never grow old! Ha!
Open baffle speakers are great. I had Infinity Kappas before, now I have some Spatial Audio m-1 Triode Masters and I love their open sound. You will have fun, I have no doubt.
Big woofer can move more air, which most of you know. I have a big 70s Marantz 6-G and it's effortless. The accuracy, efficiency and speed is another story due to it's age, but it plays loud
I've had a pair of these for about a year with the Voxativ main speaker as an option. So many great things about the speakers, big woofer etc. They are awful revealing, so much so that some CDs are unplayable. Try some choral music and tell me what you think. I don't get much emotional involvement with the sonics. Everything sounds pristine, there's nothing specifically wrong with the sonics, but they don't touch my inner self. Obviously I am having trouble finding the words to describe how I feel. Been looking for an alternative but so far with no success. I guess there are too many good things about them other speakers don't match.
Congrats Steve, I've been living with a duet setup for over two years. Recommend trying an active crossover with pass labs driving the bass and and a SET tube amp driving the fullranger with no crossover. Bliss 😊
@@dksculpture I use a Mini DSP HD (digital) which is very good overall, although I plan to upgrade to an LX Mini (Nelson Pass design) to get the pure analogue sound.
Awesome that a well-known reviewer is embracing open baffles. I’m a convert who’s in the camp of NEVER going back to box speakers. Also, people seem to think that because of the large woofers OBs use, they aren’t good in small rooms. That is the exact opposite of reality. The unique side wave cancellation of dipoles means they don’t overload rooms like box speakers can do.
Although I've never owned a pair of open baffle speakers, I have on several occasions had the opportunity to hear them and thoroughly enjoyed their virtues, immensely. However, when listening to Maggies, OB or electrostats, as truly wonderful as they all sounded, ultimately, I always felt like I was somehow missing out on something within the music. Like, I wasn't getting the full impact, deep bass and low-end presence that was within the recording. I believe that deep, full range bass, slam and dynamics are a critical part of the musical spectrum in order to create the complete, top-to-bottom, frequency range within the recording. Some can do without this, but not I (not if I don't have to). When I listen to my music, I want to hear everything within the recording, including the lowest bass notes (around 20Hz) and also the full dynamic range and visceral impact of the recording. I want it all!!! In my experience, OB, electrostats, and also ribbon speakers like Maggies ( I have owned Maggies and Martin Logan) have one thing in common, they all fall short. This is why I eventually ended up gravitating right back to extremely high quality, true full range, dynamic speakers, which gave me more of what I was looking for, overall. But, I do completely understand why others absolutely love other types of speakers. They sound fabulous, too.
Open baffles are the most natural sounding, provided that the drivers cover all the frequency range without aid, and don't mess with phase. Dynamic range is the best, and interacts with the room more naturally. Boxed speakers are just aids woofers need. But they add distortion, resonance, and messes with phase too.
@@tomsherwood4650 You still have diffraction, and if there is more than one speaker still could have phase problems. Is difficult, so we make compromises to get something that sounds good enough.
I have a new reference speaker - a mass loaded transmission line. It has just a total of 14.1 grams of total Mms between the woofer and the tweeter, and it has essentially flat response in my room down to ~32Hz. The imaging is very 3 dimensional, and quite "unboxy". It is easy to place, and is designed to be close to the wall.
Hi Steve. Wanted to say I really appreciate this being available in podcast form too. I'd love to have more of these videos just in audio format. Curious to see where you go with it!
Even if I had unlimited money, I wonder if I would bother to change from my Heresy IV? I'm satisfied. I think that the change, as Steve says, draws us in and makes it sound better...for now. 😉🎸🎶🌈
Just for an acoustic experiment, try spacing the FR driver from the speaker hole by about 1 cm (with spacers between the FR driver and baffle). For an even more spacial sound, more extended highs and even clearer pinpoint voice sound. More floaty and airy. Better image and will sound like ribbon speakers with perfect voice tone (perfect voicing). Try different gaps from a few mm up to 1 cm. Why do I say this? Cos I do it. But with conventional speaker boxes (that aren't acoustically conventional any more). I essentially float a FR driver over the bass vent (for the included woofer). They SMOKE my B&W 706s! Especially on piano, female voice, brass and drumskins.
I would certainly love those new reference speakers but one thing you should definitely mention is that the set you have has the Voxativ midrange speaker which is at the very least a $3500 option if not more, way more. Couldn’t check it out, the site is down or shall I say submerged with viewers 😮
If you think about it, box speakers inside an apartment are boxes within a box. And open back speakers played in an apartment are the inverse to box speakers being played outside.
Full range drivers are easy to fall in love with but they are very limited. True they sound wonderful with certain music. At some point you start to realize that not all they do is so great and you start to hear the paper nature. Even Voxativ realize the limitations and they add kick bass and subwoofer to their more expensive speakers.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I had AER full range driver in front loaded horns helped by 15 inch woofer. At times I miss the horns but not the bass. Nowadays I have six 12 inch woofers in open baffle per speaker. So no...I do not miss the 15 inch woofer at all.
@@markceci9896 I had AER full range drivers back in the days...Neutrality was not the problem. They really had no problems other than what full range drivers always have.
@@a-j6798 I had those as well. Open baffle bass is not really the intent for those. There are some new fullrangers hitting the market that work much better. I still believe they all need help in the bass region if used open baffle.
It's great that you are giving respect to open baffle (OB) speakers. In addition, the Pure Audio Duet has high sensitivity and costs about the same as the Klipsch Cornwall ($6K). Now that you are captivated by OB speakers, credit should be given to Sig Linkwitz, who introduced the first modern OB speaker, the LInkwitz Lx521, a decade ago. It's still in production, but it's an active speaker, so it won't be a good testbed for evaluating other components but it's worth a look and a listen to show how farsighted Sig was in creating a timeless OB design.
I've designed/built my own open baffle speakers, 18" woofers (92hz xover), 12" (to 2.5k xover) and compression tweeter w/wave guide. They are not refined in the way your pure audio units are, but they are great in their own way. Music just lives in the room, as if you were in a jazz club with a sweet PA that isn't hard or aggressive sounding. Music is just there, larger than life, not harsh or aggressive. No matter how loud you go it never looses that sound, and being all pro drivers and amps it can play up to about 108 db average at the listening position (drivers are all rated to play 120db or more). Upright Bass and Piano are so great... It's big fun.
When I think of open baffle I think yes very detailed but ultimately lean sounding. I could be wrong as I never heard open baffle. I am a Forte IV owner. Piano sounds like a full piano energizing the room like a real piano would, not like a piano coming out of floor standing speakers.
@@klepp19 perhaps you hear some top OB speakers in a properly setup situation and then make an informed opinion for yourself. On my rig the most fun, for me, is acoustic/stand up Bass and piano… cheers.
@@klepp19 On a great set of OB well setup the bass is -quite- different than your Klipsh's. It is unlikely to have the 'slam' because that is the result of acoustic loading in the room in a way OB's don't do, but what they do do in the bass world is tone and definition, as in you will hear the whole note from beginning to end as it changes and evolves over it's brief life time. A phenomena that changes a lot peoples ideas about things. Box speakers tend to make more of a single tone event than the actual evolving note. So, they are different... Cheers.
My open baffle speakers (custom built by the great Harry Zweben) "The Zweebs) Changed my reference! Prior to them I had some back loaded horns, with single drivers, so a big change, the bass from open baffle speakers is like nothing else
Steve...now that you have moved to an open baffle speaker, you really should get yourself a pair of GR Research's open baffle servo-controlled subwoofers to augment your system in the lowest octaves. I think you will be in heaven with the combination.
I agree that large woofers have an ease of delivery that smaller woofers can't match. They don't have to move much. Small woofers have to have compliant surrounds to move air,which results in distortion. Open baffle speakers are cool! I have played with designing open baffles/ rear firing woofers that eliminate the box.
I remember a time when JBL 4310's were the standard reference speakers used in recording studio's and why my first pair of speakers were JBL L100 century, even tho everyone loved the Bose 901's.
@@douglascampbell8829 I agree, the JBL's worked well with 70's Prog Rock I liked, Bose not to much, one regret I could have gotten a Bose Power Amp, it sounded awesome in the BX sound room.
I'm wondering... I have some 40 years of DIY audio under my belt. And one thing I have found, is that the quality of the crossover components is absolutely crucial for sound quality in High End audio. Looking at Cornwall IV crossover components, they are actually quite basic. Where as PureAudio uses very good quality Mundorf components for the crossover - also it has a lot less of them. So the assumption that better quality crossover components have better sound, goes along side to exactly what you say that you are hearing with more details, studio mix differences, recording room differences etc (with the PureAudio). I've heard the Cornwall IVs (only for a couple of hours though) and think that, although they have some very nice qualities, they just don't have the detail, refinement, vividness, tone and the 3D soundstage of a speaker with a top quality crossover. To explain this a bit further... My reference point is my current Mezzo Calpamos speakers. Since a year now, I've been listening to these DIY/kit speakers designed by Dutch designer Tony Gee / Humble Homemade Hifi. It’s a quite large, 2-way, 12" midwoofer, compression driver/horn tweeter speaker. Besides the professional crossover design, Tony also uses top notch quality components in his kits. Just the crossover parts for the Mezzo Calpamos cost about 500 euros per speaker. This can also be heard in the sound. I also just recently heard a big open baffle speaker with 15” woofers (won’t go into names here). I thought it was open and clear as people say open baffle speakers are, but to my ears not any more than my Mezzo Calpamos speakers - and still the Mezzo Calpamos having more life, vividness and emotion - also totally disappearing, leaving just the music/singer on the stage. So again, I think alot of those positives you list could also be accounted for by a better (quality) crossover - not just the differences between a box speaker and an open baffle speaker. Thanks for the great web site!
You have seen the light. lol. I cannot wait to follow you living with these speakers! I love your channel. I also love horns and my love for boxed skrs has diminished over time. I currently run single driver Lii FS15 in open baffle and as a side Ditton 66. I think I can tweak the Lii to perfection within a certain spectrum and then my goal is to not muddy that spectrum but maybe add some lower frequencies without losing the clarity I currently have. This in my experience you cannot do with a boxed or a multi-driver speaker. Cheers, a.
Thanks for the post Steve. Have you heard of the Lximini dipole OB speakers? If so, what are your thoughts? Im in the process of building an OB with Lii Song drivers.
I have been in and out of hifi shops my whole life and heard klipsch, magnipans, B&Ws, scads of bookshelf speakers and in the end I'm back at the beginning with Ar3s search is over for me. Although if I had a bigger room magnipans would be great. In my current place Villchurs masterpiece suits my fancy.
There's an Audiophiliac/Steve Guttenberg imposter scamming my viewers, There’s no FREE gifts. DON’T respond! I don't do giveaways or ask for money (except for my Patreon).
Thank you Steve fine video brilliant . peace man
This appears to be a very prevalent scam. Rick Beato has been plagued by it. He has issued a number of warnings on his YT site.
This and a few other channels.
Too bad Ray Donovan is a fictional character.
Hey Steve, your most informative opinions are absolutely welcomed, and if some viewers are doubtful, there's a probability that they may be new to your output.
Do you have a live wall, or a treated wall behind your open baffle speakers?
Steve, without question you are one of the most reasonable reviewers. And by reasonable I mean not an absolutist. You’re open, like your new reference speaker. Kudos!
Also Steve is not a cult leader reviewer.
You have become one of my favorite audio advisors. Your excitement about audio excites me. Enjoy
Steve, I really loved this video, there’s no hiding the excitement you have as you continue your audiophile journey. I’d love to see a video in the future where you give some tips on speaker set up and placement, especially comparing any different approaches you may favour when setting up open baffle vs closed baffle type speakers. C’mon audiophile guru, teach us!!
Steve is a seriously good dude, you can just tell. Just doesn't seem to have a mean bone in his body. Plus, really opened me up to Pure Audio Projects as an option.
As a guitar player, I understand the difference between closed back and open back amplifiers/speaker cabs. It's the same difference that you describe, and you are absolutely correct.
I love the clarity with which you describe the depth capability. It gives a great impression of how this speaker sounds without hearing it in person. Thanks conveying the sound in a way that makes sense.
It's great to see the PureAudioProject speakers again. I heard them 3 years ago at an audio show - 9 floors of individual rooms, and the PureAudios where the ones that stood out (well, other than the Maggies). My impressions of them were exactly as you describe - open and powerful. I do want a pair!
15 inch drivers are one reason why I love the Tannoy Ardens, and why they are on the shortlist for my next upgrade. But I may have to find a way to hear these open baffle speakers before I make the leap. Thanks, Steve!
It’s criminal that more speakers don’t have 15” woofers.
@@ryanjofre Bigger woofers doesn't mean better sound. If you are set on 15" woofers buy some Cerwin-Vegas
@@bigelile07 This is such a silly comment that disregards basic physics.
@@NavyNate123 Yeah, okay, if you say so. 🤣
I like 15s as long as they are not run up too high.
Content, experience, delivery, context, likability. Steve is the best!
It can't be easy to describe the perceived audio differences between speakers and hifi equipment. There are only so many words you can use, like crisp, fast, deep, expansive etc. But I think of all your posts, this one is the very best I've heard you do, where you manage to convey how these panel speakers sound different. Great job.
Great job Steve!! Love the sneak peeks on Patreon 👍😁😁😁. Looking forward to hearing more about your journey.
Through my audio journey, I find myself listening at modest volumes around 55-75 db. I used to listen to music loud because it sounded more dynamic and bass response was better at the consequence of fatigue. My speakers were bookshelves and floor standers with woofer drivers that were in the 4-6.5” range.
At lower volumes I ran into problems with less dynamics and lower bass response. The solution was larger drivers. The consequence is room real estate but for me it’s worth giving up the space. Now I run only Magnepan’s and Zhu Audio’s with a single 15” sub. Now I can listen at lower volumes while enjoying clarity and bass.
I am not surprised.
I was at the audio show in New York and these were the only speakers that left a lasting impression on me.
The sound is very different compared to most other speakers.
I Loooooved the Cornwall 4's when I had them. These must be pretty special to take their place. Its fun to change things up as well. Congrats!
Finally listening "Outside the Box." You'll never go back to boxes without missing open baffle's special characteristics. Nothing else seems to do it quite the same. I am so jealous as my room won't work with open baffles or the Maggies. I'm stuck in the box, but I discovered small boxes are much better for my tastes with a little sub assist. Have a great time with your new setup.
I’ll be keeping my Cornwalls. I auditioned some PureAudio speakers four times. At first I was bowled over but around the third time I listened to them I felt they were novel to me. The impact lessened and I wasn’t as impressed with the playback of some types of music. I ended up keeping my Cornwall IV’s and am still completely satisfied with them. I’m glad you are happy with your new speakers, Steve! They just weren’t for me….
That’s the thing about this hobby, it’s very much about personal taste. As I said, in the video, it’s not about which one is better, the Klipsch or pure audio project, they sound different . Each of us has to decide which one is right for us.
I totally agree about 15" woofers. My current setup is a 15" woofer (Marantz) in a 1x2x3 box and a separate box MTM (Triad LCR from Denmark) with a passive 3-way crossover. I actually thought I had my studio monitor headphones on this morning and reached to take them off.
Kudos to your quilt maker for capturing the color pallet and theme of your painting on the wall....also "yes" to the open baffle ref speaker...
So lucky to have you. You just know how and what to say and make your videos like a movie. Bravo!
Thank you!
He is indeed very adept at getting many to buy into his subjective opinions that hold no bearing when viewed with a modicum of rigor.
@@psyborg06 whatever you say, doesn't matter, we know him from 80' and hi is great person
@@zzezzobike Sorry, those are not very compelling reasons for me to trust someone as an expert.
Very insightful approach! Living with different speaker designs can only broaden your familiarity with different speaker types thus giving your reviews greater authority and weight. Its one of the reasons I'm subbed here, is that Steve has been doing this for decades and has listened to any and all speakers worthy of note.
Great topic... Again, thank-you for what you do Steve. IMHO... Change = fun and new knowledge.
I envy you in your constant experimentation with different components I've just restored the same system I've had for 40 + years
I am in the same boat as you. I love how Steve says the Klipsch are going back and the Pure Audio Project are in. Just wow!! I wish I could just send expensive speakers back and get a replacement, just like that.
I envy you, you found what works for you
The blessing and curse of HIFI, so many flavors so little money. Always fascinating.
I heard a pair of open baffle speakers at the Florida Audio Expo pre pandemic and I was blown away by the sound stage, openess and transparency. The negatives however are difficult to overcome for many listeners. First they are power hungry ...not too difficult to overcome in today’s world given the number of large power amps. Secondly is placement, like planar speaker they must be placed significantly away from a back wall which can meet with spousal resistance and room size problems. Lastly a subwoofer is typically a must .. again not a huge issue given the number of great sub’s that are available. As a listener you have to weight the pros and cons and decide .
You are first person to address the cons. BTW to hear decent bass you would need a second 15 inch on top to make it a MTM design.
I love the PAP speaker design and performance (have Trio15) , but they truly shine with the Voxativ drivers. That driver all alone as a full range is amazing (and pricey), with the 15" to reinforce low end just glorious. Nice change!
My first home-built speakers in 1972 used Richard-Allen twin cone drivers. I quickly moved to box speakers: AR, home-built, Snells then Paradigm for improved sound. In 1995 I used a Pioneer twin cone driver and small dome tweeter crossed over at 6KHz for HT surround and kitchen ceiling speakers. The dome tweeter really helped. So I'm dubious about whizzer cones, in general, a dome tweeter will perform much better.
The reason open baffle speakers require large drivers and large panel area is the partial cancellation of the front wave by the back wave. I agree that not enough attention is paid to the backwave in box speaker design, that is why Kef Meta technology is SO clever, it traps the midrange and high frequency backwave before exiting through the cones!
Yeah, there are a lot of advantages to open baffle. I've been building open baffle since the mid 1990's and could never go back to conventional box. It is possible to get plenty of bass with open baffle, definitely more and deeper than your Klipsch Cornwall but you might have to build them. Unfortunately there just are not that many commercially available open baffle speakers. The DIY world has the big advantage at least for now, maybe someday there will be more options.
One of the best on the market is the Vandersteen 2. I have two pair of these in my living room.
@@thomosburn8740 Vandersteen are sealed speakers, I believe. I know bass driver is.
I'm pretty sure that PureAudioProject has a number of models/configurations on offer, some of which use two 12 or15" drivers with a mid/tweeter in the middle (D'Appolito?".
Hey, thanks for reminding me what a great album Motel Shot is! I'm gonna put it on the platter now!
I like this quality about you Steve, very important for your chosen profession! Im suprised youve yet to consider having custom speakers made given all youve reviewed over the years.
I discovered PureAudioProject a few years ago while looking into open baffle designs. The company represents a nice balance between DIY and off-the-shelf speakers since they offer many options and choices depending on music taste, aesthetics, and budget. Perhaps one day I will have the opportunity to put together a pair of my own. Cheers!
100% agree.
Also, PAP gives you the option, after purchase, to swap crossover parts the midrange drivers. The Duet15, reviewed here, is the introductory model. There are Trio and Quartet options. And, there are 10" woofer options as well.
I’ve been meaning to post a review or notes of the Duets. They are so unique and fun. I love listening to Bobby McFerrin’s Beyond Words on them. So many recordings that give you a fun presentation with open baffles.
I’m surprised that you didn’t go up to the dual 15” version with your room size.
I'm confused as to why he chose the Duet 15 over the Trio 15...especially since he reviewed the Trio 15 already. He mentioned they lacked bass compared to the Klipsch... well... why not the Trio 15 with the extra 15" driver?
A quote from Steves Trio 15 review:
"“I’ve been changed by these speakers… They liberate the music… The Fastest, cleanest bass I ever heard in my room… That kind of air moving power energizes the room in a completely different way…”
👀 Steve....I wondered for a while what speaker could unseat your beloved Cornwall IVs. I even discussed this with a friend recently. The tonality and transparency got you....plus the urge to change 😊
Very cool! Look forward to hearing more about them as time goes by.
Doesn't hurt that the PureAudio's also look really cool.
Thanks for sharing. It is always enlightening to watch your videos.
After living with Spatial Audio Labs X4's for two years I could never go back to boxes. Open, transparent, and fast. The textures and tonal colors are clear and palpable. But the incredible imaging and soundstaging is like nothing else.
Congrats Steve!
The fact that you change your setup is awesome. No one likes to "eat" the same food everyday, no matter how good it tastes. Change is very good. Like music, I love hundreds + of songs/artists. On any given day, I may like to listen to something else. The fact that you change is what makes it special. I certainly respect that. I do not have the opportunity to change my speakers/components often, but I do find myself constantly moving, rotating, adjusting my speakers and system, depending on what I am listening to. Each CD (not vinyl anymore) is recorded differently. Anyone who says they have the perfect systems is , hmmm, not really listening to the music at the individual discrete levels within the music ( the parts that make up the whole). Thank you.
I still use my 80's Infinity RSII's. As you know the mid and tweeters are open baffle. They still sound great. Open baffle does allow the speaker to get out of the way. Very open.
Sorry, I confused RS II with RS II-A
Agreed about the large woofers.
Our active 118db sensitive OB horn speakers has 3x 15 inch paper cone drivers per side.
Nothing else sounds good anymore.
what are you using up top for horns? I just found a pair of 1803b!!😊
@@HxThomison Nice! We are using Bert Dopenberg`s @Bd-Designs modified tractrix horn using coaxial BMS compression drivers he calls `Orphean` which was modified further by Peter@ (Phasure) to properly play with the DSP fed triple OB woofers and to produce 118db sensitivity.
I'm excited for you on this new reference system!
7:26 You are exactly right! My FR semi open cone speakers can have incredible depth. But with some recordings this simply doesn't happen and my speakers don't sound any different to any other speakers. But with some recordings my speakers sound completely different to conventional speakers, way more spacial! So the insane depth is not caused by the speakers, they just reveal it when it's in the recording. Whereas conventional speakers only do it a bit.
I have to say...I admire your willingness to experiment with different equipment and source material in your audio journey. Once I heard my first pair of Maggie's(a set of tympanies, back in the day,) I felt like I had found my end game speakers. After all these years, I managed to find a pair of MGllas that I could afford 2 years ago. Ever since, I have been happier than I ever thought possible. Still,..there are days that I wonder about other speakers. You, being willing to try different things after you had decided on the Klipsch. You have my sincere respect.
@@n_dawson LMAO. Right?
You’re ticking all the boxes you mentioned, Steve! Thanks for the great and interesting variety!
You've gained back a lot of respect!
The speakers "disappear" more, mostly cos of 2 main factors that most other speakers don't have. Point source sound and dipole sound. Texture and tone coming from a single point is always going to have an advantage over separated tone and texture sounds (like with conventional 2-ways). Any good piano passage will demonstrate the difference. You can make point source dipole speakers sound like the music is coming from anywhere but the speakers (if you are patient enough tweaking them forever).
I have a pair of Betsy Open Baffles. Actually i made a clone with the same driver and same baffle measurements.
My impression is that they sound a lot more holographic than my Klipsch RP-600m's.
Both width and depth are larger and they really disappear. Sound effects on Radiohead's "Everything in it's Right Place" (my reference song) seem as though they are coming from different places in the room and at times like sounds are whispering next to my ears....very odd experience. The Klipsch retain some if those qualities, but the sounds do not seem to come as close to me.
The one thing that keeps making me go back to the Klipsch is that the lower midrange on the open baffles is not full enough. They start rolling off bass at 80hz I believe. I use 2 subwoofers and cross them over at 60hz with the Klipsch (600's play down to 45hz) and around 100hz with the open baffles. I think the problem is that the subs cannot keep pace with the open baffles in that range and so they don't fill in the lower midrange well enough to fix that issue
Agreed, which is why the duet works so well with a dedicated bass driver that is as fast and punchy as the fullranger. I'd recommend trying out an open baffle sub to complement your setup. You can crossover the sub at 200hz btw to resolve the mid issues. Lii Audio do a fantastic W15 which is good value or if you want the best of the best it is Acoustic Elegance dipoles. Have fun 👍
I too have the Betsy Open Baffles but with the alnico drivers. Lower midrange stops around 200-250 Hz transitioning down to upper bass. The Betsy 8 inch driver simply can't drive the power band optimally. I agree that box woofers can't keep up with the Betsys. Happily there is a somewhat affordable solution. The Lii Audio W-15 open baffle bass driver. There's a RUclips video "Caintuck Lii Audio 15” open baffle subwoofer" that demonstrates the W-15.
I was very intrigued with Ojas Devons speakers that was featured in Ben's System of the Day... fun to explore different perspectives in sound 😀
Wow. That's high praise. The Pure Audio Project speakers do sound good.
Speakers are as varied as women. Experience as many as you can before settling down with one once you’re older, hopefully wiser, and no longer have the energy to juggle more than one. :)
Yes, correct. Gotta figure out where to spend the big stash of cash to last the rest of your life.
@@markceci9896 or to be taken away
So funny, I thought exactly the same thing before I saw your comment- suddenly he’s in the mood for a redhead, previously a brunette🤣
Steve is working his way back to Quads 😊
The tweeter horn was developed long ago to solve the problem of amps of the day being low powered. The upside is horns, like megaphones, concentrate sound waves and like megaphones, they alter to sound so it is unnatural.
What would we do without Steve Guttenberg reviews an honest ,sincere, upfront accurate information. A person's opinion I can trust. I know of what he's talking about in an open baffle speaker system. Steve describes it better than I could ever do.But I'm a lover of a system that has a horn.Its my preference. Again Steve Guttenberg thank you for a great review. The nose knows but it's the ear that hears.....
Agree with EVERYTHING you said on this one. I just got the Linkwitz LXmini and both SWMBO and I were immediately taken by how different they sound in comparison to my MTM ribbon boxes. Within a few notes she almost shouted out ''They're so smooth!'' She also said they're not irritating when played very loud. I'm using Uncle Nelson's special electronic crossover he designed for the mini at Siegfried's request. Since I love building amplifiers the Linkwitz stuff is truly up my alley. Unfortunately, don't yet have room for the LX521's. But, one day.
Being an audiophile is a 24 hours 365 days 52 weeks JOB & PASSION. Congratulations 🍾🎊🎈🎉 Steve for your new reference and the new references that will come after. 😂🎉
nice to hear someone speak of the choice of the preferred illusion when listening to music. so often the tendency is to consider it a finite exercise, a good, better, best, deal.
I have to admit that I was intrigued by open baffle speakers as well. I picked up a pair and was really impressed....for a while. The sound was everything that Steve is talking about here. Very detailed great soundstage (in recordings that have it) solid tight bass and I found them to be the most boring speaker I have heard. There is the reproduction of sound and then there is the presence or musicality of a speaker and that is what the open baffles lacked....for me. Others may have a different experience but if you're evaluating equipment and listening for changes, they would be good for that. But for long term enjoyment of music they just did not do it for me.
As I posted above, my room just doesn't work with any speakers with dipole output and you might have a similar situation. And my favorite large and extra large speakers are just smothered. But smaller speakers with close to point source output are just killing it for me right now. They are physically adjustable in any axis or position and can be so amazingly detailed with a stage that can put tears in your eyes. Sure they need sub support but less than I ever thought would work for me.
Interesting comment
You say you picked up a pair of open baffles, but what specific make/model did you listen to, and ultimately reject?
Interesting take on the sound.
I think open baffles are simply made for longtime listening
So good. As Ron at NRD says, OB is a different animal. Love your videos.
Thanks
Understandable. I heard a similar one at the Newport Beach Audio Show. The full range driver is made in Oregon, and somewhat expensive. One of their speakers was open baffle, including the separate woofer, their other speaker was their special driver and woofer in a rather large enclosure. I only heard the open baffle speaker, but really liked it. It was in my top two of the entire show. The other was the 100K system by Linn Audio.
What you mentioned about tone is what caught my attention. I strongly favor correctness of tone and that is one thing that impressed me in their music room. I believe they were a field coil design.
Great idea. I always felt the Klipsch were an odd choice as a reference as they have such a distinctive sound signature and personality. Keep trying, keep moving and you’ll never grow old! Ha!
I just saw that you reviewed their trio’s 3 years ago. Happy you finally got a pair that fits your room. The trio’s were too big anyway!
Open baffle speakers are great. I had Infinity Kappas before, now I have some Spatial Audio m-1 Triode Masters and I love their open sound. You will have fun, I have no doubt.
Klipsch should have awarded the Cornwalls to you for the number of pairs you sold.
Big woofer can move more air, which most of you know. I have a big 70s Marantz 6-G and it's effortless. The accuracy, efficiency and speed is another story due to it's age, but it plays loud
I've had a pair of these for about a year with the Voxativ main speaker as an option. So many great things about the speakers, big woofer etc. They are awful revealing, so much so that some CDs are unplayable. Try some choral music and tell me what you think.
I don't get much emotional involvement with the sonics. Everything sounds pristine, there's nothing specifically wrong with the sonics, but they don't touch my inner self. Obviously I am having trouble finding the words to describe how I feel. Been looking for an alternative but so far with no success. I guess there are too many good things about them other speakers don't match.
You seem to stand alone on your assessment of these speakers.
@@johndavidson5075 Huh? Actually I love them. Saying they are revealing isn't a negative. Box speakers sound closed in and murky to me in comparison.
Congrats Steve, I've been living with a duet setup for over two years. Recommend trying an active crossover with pass labs driving the bass and and a SET tube amp driving the fullranger with no crossover. Bliss 😊
Wow!
That sounds intriguing. Which active crossover do you like/use?
@@dksculpture I use a Mini DSP HD (digital) which is very good overall, although I plan to upgrade to an LX Mini (Nelson Pass design) to get the pure analogue sound.
@@MusicLover-01 Thank you.
You're absolutely right!
Love the new speakers!
Just about the same as you I switched to open baffles as well … mine being the Spatial Audio Hologram… and I share you’re thoughts
Awesome that a well-known reviewer is embracing open baffles. I’m a convert who’s in the camp of NEVER going back to box speakers. Also, people seem to think that because of the large woofers OBs use, they aren’t good in small rooms. That is the exact opposite of reality. The unique side wave cancellation of dipoles means they don’t overload rooms like box speakers can do.
Although I've never owned a pair of open baffle speakers, I have on several occasions had the opportunity to hear them and thoroughly enjoyed their virtues, immensely. However, when listening to Maggies, OB or electrostats, as truly wonderful as they all sounded, ultimately, I always felt like I was somehow missing out on something within the music. Like, I wasn't getting the full impact, deep bass and low-end presence that was within the recording. I believe that deep, full range bass, slam and dynamics are a critical part of the musical spectrum in order to create the complete, top-to-bottom, frequency range within the recording. Some can do without this, but not I (not if I don't have to). When I listen to my music, I want to hear everything within the recording, including the lowest bass notes (around 20Hz) and also the full dynamic range and visceral impact of the recording. I want it all!!! In my experience, OB, electrostats, and also ribbon speakers like Maggies ( I have owned Maggies and Martin Logan) have one thing in common, they all fall short. This is why I eventually ended up gravitating right back to extremely high quality, true full range, dynamic speakers, which gave me more of what I was looking for, overall. But, I do completely understand why others absolutely love other types of speakers. They sound fabulous, too.
Open baffles are the most natural sounding, provided that the drivers cover all the frequency range without aid, and don't mess with phase. Dynamic range is the best, and interacts with the room more naturally.
Boxed speakers are just aids woofers need. But they add distortion, resonance, and messes with phase too.
He might consider the classic infinite baffle then. Build your woofers into the wall, no pressure on the woofer, and no cancellation.
@@tomsherwood4650 You still have diffraction, and if there is more than one speaker still could have phase problems.
Is difficult, so we make compromises to get something that sounds good enough.
Welcome to the OB world! I have a pair of OB speakers, and I'm not sure I could ever go back to a box speaker.
Completely agree with the comments about bass and bass speaker size. A large driver does bass with such ease and so little effort.
I have a new reference speaker - a mass loaded transmission line. It has just a total of 14.1 grams of total Mms between the woofer and the tweeter, and it has essentially flat response in my room down to ~32Hz. The imaging is very 3 dimensional, and quite "unboxy". It is easy to place, and is designed to be close to the wall.
Hi Steve. Wanted to say I really appreciate this being available in podcast form too. I'd love to have more of these videos just in audio format. Curious to see where you go with it!
I'm changing my reviewing reference actually 😊, you and some other "notveryexpensive" RUclipsr are awsome in each your own approach.
🖖
Well done explaination Mr. Klipsch!
Glad to see you change it up!
Even if I had unlimited money, I wonder if I would bother to change from my Heresy IV? I'm satisfied. I think that the change, as Steve says, draws us in and makes it sound better...for now. 😉🎸🎶🌈
Just for an acoustic experiment, try spacing the FR driver from the speaker hole by about 1 cm (with spacers between the FR driver and baffle). For an even more spacial sound, more extended highs and even clearer pinpoint voice sound. More floaty and airy. Better image and will sound like ribbon speakers with perfect voice tone (perfect voicing). Try different gaps from a few mm up to 1 cm. Why do I say this? Cos I do it. But with conventional speaker boxes (that aren't acoustically conventional any more). I essentially float a FR driver over the bass vent (for the included woofer). They SMOKE my B&W 706s! Especially on piano, female voice, brass and drumskins.
I would certainly love those new reference speakers but one thing you should definitely mention is that the set you have has the Voxativ midrange speaker which is at the very least a $3500 option if not more, way more. Couldn’t check it out, the site is down or shall I say submerged with viewers 😮
I made a pair of open baffle b4 they were a thing. I used excellent quality drivers and built the crossovers and I still love them
If you think about it, box speakers inside an apartment are boxes within a box. And open back speakers played in an apartment are the inverse to box speakers being played outside.
You seem to be gradually heading towards a more lively dynamic sound. First the Cornwall's and now Purity Open Baffles. Definitely a direction here.
I will collect the Klipsch Cornwalls asap. It is a free service I provide to all audiophiles around New York.
Full range drivers are easy to fall in love with but they are very limited. True they sound wonderful with certain music. At some point you start to realize that not all they do is so great and you start to hear the paper nature. Even Voxativ realize the limitations and they add kick bass and subwoofer to their more expensive speakers.
Right, the Duet15 has a 15 inch woofer.
I would argue that paper is the most neutral at all frequencies. There are so many types of paper that it is a sub-category all by itself.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I had AER full range driver in front loaded horns helped by 15 inch woofer. At times I miss the horns but not the bass. Nowadays I have six 12 inch woofers in open baffle per speaker. So no...I do not miss the 15 inch woofer at all.
@@markceci9896 I had AER full range drivers back in the days...Neutrality was not the problem. They really had no problems other than what full range drivers always have.
@@a-j6798 I had those as well. Open baffle bass is not really the intent for those. There are some new fullrangers hitting the market that work much better. I still believe they all need help in the bass region if used open baffle.
It's great that you are giving respect to open baffle (OB) speakers. In addition, the Pure Audio Duet has high sensitivity and costs about the same as the Klipsch Cornwall ($6K). Now that you are captivated by OB speakers, credit should be given to Sig Linkwitz, who introduced the first modern OB speaker, the LInkwitz Lx521, a decade ago. It's still in production, but it's an active speaker, so it won't be a good testbed for evaluating other components but it's worth a look and a listen to show how farsighted Sig was in creating a timeless OB design.
Vandersteens?
Vandersteen implemented the mid-treble OB speaker as did Dahlquist but I believe Linkwitz was the first to implement the concept full range.
Jorma Salmi of Gradient was doing the open baffle at the same time Linkwitz in the early 90,s in Europe.
I've designed/built my own open baffle speakers, 18" woofers (92hz xover), 12" (to 2.5k xover) and compression tweeter w/wave guide. They are not refined in the way your pure audio units are, but they are great in their own way. Music just lives in the room, as if you were in a jazz club with a sweet PA that isn't hard or aggressive sounding. Music is just there, larger than life, not harsh or aggressive. No matter how loud you go it never looses that sound, and being all pro drivers and amps it can play up to about 108 db average at the listening position (drivers are all rated to play 120db or more). Upright Bass and Piano are so great... It's big fun.
I'd love to see a picture of your speakers
When I think of open baffle I think yes very detailed but ultimately lean sounding. I could be wrong as I never heard open baffle. I am a Forte IV owner. Piano sounds like a full piano energizing the room like a real piano would, not like a piano coming out of floor standing speakers.
@@klepp19 perhaps you hear some top OB speakers in a properly setup situation and then make an informed opinion for yourself. On my rig the most fun, for me, is acoustic/stand up Bass and piano… cheers.
@@bayard1332 Ok thanks I will! I am looking into Lil Song! Appreciate you sharing your experience!😊
@@klepp19 On a great set of OB well setup the bass is -quite- different than your Klipsh's. It is unlikely to have the 'slam' because that is the result of acoustic loading in the room in a way OB's don't do, but what they do do in the bass world is tone and definition, as in you will hear the whole note from beginning to end as it changes and evolves over it's brief life time. A phenomena that changes a lot peoples ideas about things. Box speakers tend to make more of a single tone event than the actual evolving note. So, they are different... Cheers.
Dear Steve: Why not a review about what you consider the best sounding AAD CDs?
My open baffle speakers (custom built by the great Harry Zweben) "The Zweebs) Changed my reference! Prior to them I had some back loaded horns, with single drivers, so a big change, the bass from open baffle speakers is like nothing else
Steve...now that you have moved to an open baffle speaker, you really should get yourself a pair of GR Research's open baffle servo-controlled subwoofers to augment your system in the lowest octaves. I think you will be in heaven with the combination.
Your life your decision, I love my klipschs
I agree that large woofers have an ease of delivery that smaller woofers can't match. They don't have to move much. Small woofers have to have compliant surrounds to move air,which results in distortion. Open baffle speakers are cool! I have played with designing open baffles/ rear firing woofers that eliminate the box.
I remember a time when JBL 4310's were the standard reference speakers used in recording studio's and why my first pair of speakers were JBL L100 century, even tho everyone loved the Bose 901's.
Right, 50 years ago.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I know right 50 years and still I don't like them 901's, LOL
@@KenSmith-bv4si Bose and JBL do make good sounding column pa systems that have pretty amazing sound projection distances.
@@douglascampbell8829 I agree, the JBL's worked well with 70's Prog Rock I liked, Bose not to much, one regret I could have gotten a Bose Power Amp, it sounded awesome in the BX sound room.
I'm wondering... I have some 40 years of DIY audio under my belt. And one thing I have found, is that the quality of the crossover components is absolutely crucial for sound quality in High End audio.
Looking at Cornwall IV crossover components, they are actually quite basic. Where as PureAudio uses very good quality Mundorf components for the crossover - also it has a lot less of them. So the assumption that better quality crossover components have better sound, goes along side to exactly what you say that you are hearing with more details, studio mix differences, recording room differences etc (with the PureAudio).
I've heard the Cornwall IVs (only for a couple of hours though) and think that, although they have some very nice qualities, they just don't have the detail, refinement, vividness, tone and the 3D soundstage of a speaker with a top quality crossover.
To explain this a bit further... My reference point is my current Mezzo Calpamos speakers. Since a year now, I've been listening to these DIY/kit speakers designed by Dutch designer Tony Gee / Humble Homemade Hifi. It’s a quite large, 2-way, 12" midwoofer, compression driver/horn tweeter speaker. Besides the professional crossover design, Tony also uses top notch quality components in his kits. Just the crossover parts for the Mezzo Calpamos cost about 500 euros per speaker. This can also be heard in the sound.
I also just recently heard a big open baffle speaker with 15” woofers (won’t go into names here). I thought it was open and clear as people say open baffle speakers are, but to my ears not any more than my Mezzo Calpamos speakers - and still the Mezzo Calpamos having more life, vividness and emotion - also totally disappearing, leaving just the music/singer on the stage.
So again, I think alot of those positives you list could also be accounted for by a better (quality) crossover - not just the differences between a box speaker and an open baffle speaker.
Thanks for the great web site!
You have seen the light. lol.
I cannot wait to follow you living with these speakers!
I love your channel.
I also love horns and my love for boxed skrs has diminished over time.
I currently run single driver Lii FS15 in open baffle and as a side Ditton 66.
I think I can tweak the Lii to perfection within a certain spectrum and then my goal is to not muddy that spectrum but maybe add some lower frequencies without losing the clarity I currently have. This in my experience you cannot do with a boxed or a multi-driver speaker.
Cheers,
a.
I also have been playing with full range drivers a lot lately,like the speakers that you are debuting.
Thanks for the post Steve. Have you heard of the Lximini dipole OB speakers? If so, what are your thoughts? Im in the process of building an OB with Lii Song drivers.
I have been in and out of hifi shops my whole life and heard klipsch, magnipans, B&Ws, scads of bookshelf speakers and in the end I'm back at the beginning with Ar3s search is over for me. Although if I had a bigger room magnipans would be great. In my current place Villchurs masterpiece suits my fancy.