Caintuck Open Baffle Loudspeakers

Horizons · « **Reply #20 on:** 30 Dec 2015, 08:40 pm »

The responses to this thread remind me why I am a recovering audiophile. Some of the harshest criticism is from people who have never heard these and also love tubes and ultra-expensive cables.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #21 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 03:40 am »

There's nothing better than a good ol fashion preconceived notion.

lowtech · « **Reply #22 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 03:59 am »

Quote from: Bob in St. Louis on 31 Dec 2015, 03:40 am

There's nothing better than a good ol fashion preconceived notion.

Toss in the complete absence of any speaker design knowledge and I'd agree with you.

Davey · « **Reply #23 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 04:31 pm »

It's possible pre-conceived notions are based on past real-world experience.

My pre-conceived notion is that open-baffle systems are inherently robust and they will perform decently (in certain aspects) no matter how you implement them.
There also seems to be a pre-conceived notion that products can't be judged/evaluated without firsthand listening experience. (I find that curious.)
My pre-conceived notion is that only MY pre-conceived notions are valid.

He's not making box speakers.......so, he's a lot farther progressed than most speaker builders.

Dave.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #24 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 04:40 pm »

Quote from: Davey on 31 Dec 2015, 04:31 pm

It's possible pre-conceived notions are based on past real-world experience.
My pre-conceived notion is that open-baffle systems are inherently robust and they will perform decently (in certain aspects) no matter how you implement them.
There also seems to be a pre-conceived notion that products can't be judged/evaluated without firsthand listening experience. (I find that curious.)
My pre-conceived notion is that only MY pre-conceived notions are valid.

He's not making box speakers.......so, he's a lot farther progressed than most speaker builders.

Dave.

Well Dave, in that case, I think I like you.

Had you not agreed with me, then I wouldn't like you.

Davey · « **Reply #25 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 05:00 pm »

I've always wondered what a "recovering audiophile" is. Uh, does that mean you're still in the audiophile Twilight Zone or not.

Anyways, that's all neither hear nor there. I suspect these Caintuck speakers probably sound fine. I wouldn't mind taking a listen sometime.

Cheers,

Dave.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #26 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 05:27 pm »

Nice to see Randy going for it.

Have to say, I just don't get the low speaker height. O.K. you fill out the bass that way, and the soundstage probably floats higher than the speakers a bit, but it would still seem like midget musicians on the stage.

Rocket_Ronny

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #27 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 05:34 pm »

Randy (Caintuck) has been into audio for a very long time. He's got good ears. People who know him respect his opinion.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #28 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 05:39 pm »

Agreed. As do I. Still, those look about the size of my desktop speakers?

Worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thZA5JxVSIw

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #29 on:** 31 Dec 2015, 05:44 pm »

Quote from: Rocket_Ronny on 31 Dec 2015, 05:39 pm

Agreed. As do I. Still, those look about the size of my desktop speakers?

Sizes and specs are here: http://www.caintuckaudio.com/
He uses 8, 10 and 15" drivers (mainly).

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #30 on:** 1 Jan 2016, 12:17 pm »

Randy's a good guy. Met him at Hornfest one year and he got me into barbershop quartet music. I'd trust his ear for audio any day of the week.

Rich48 · « **Reply #31 on:** 17 Jan 2016, 06:30 am »

I took a chance and bought Randy's OB speakers after reading a very positive review by Steve Deckart on the Decware site. The baffel's I bought have Wild Borro Betsy drivers. I'm amazed at how good they sound. They totally blew away the Monitor Audio Silver 5's I was using. My room is small, 9.5 by 12. I'm using a Decware SE84UFO2 amp. Randy's speakers produce a huge sound stage in depth, width and height. The music seems to float well above the height of the speakers. They also have great imaging with good detail. I'm very happy with my purchase.

Guy 13 · « **Reply #32 on:** 17 Jan 2016, 11:31 am »

Quote from: Rich48 on 17 Jan 2016, 06:30 am

I took a chance and bought Randy's OB speakers after reading a very positive review by Steve Deckart on the Decware site. The baffel's I bought have Wild Borro Betsy drivers. I'm amazed at how good they sound. They totally blew away the Monitor Audio Silver 5's I was using. My room is small, 9.5 by 12. I'm using a Decware SE84UFO2 amp. Randy's speakers produce a huge sound stage in depth, width and height. The music seems to float well above the height of the speakers. They also have great imaging with good detail. I'm very happy with my purchase.

Hi Rich,
I own a Decware SE84C+ driving an Omega 7F OB DP set up.
What the number 2 stand for at the end of the SE84UFO2 ???
I did not see that model number on Decware website ???
Glad to read that you like you (Basic - simple) set-up.

Guy 13

opnly bafld · « **Reply #33 on:** 17 Jan 2016, 02:26 pm »

Coming soon .....

The Caintuck Audio Storefront.

Now closed

; but Caintuck Audio is still selling OB speakers.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #34 on:** 17 Jan 2016, 02:36 pm »

Is Alexandria on the Bourbon Trail?

Rich48 · « **Reply #35 on:** 17 Jan 2016, 05:54 pm »

Hi Guy13, The 2 is for the select version with a wood base and meters. Scroll down on the Decware main page and you will see it.

Guy 13 · « **Reply #36 on:** 17 Jan 2016, 06:20 pm »

Quote from: Rich48 on 17 Jan 2016, 05:54 pm

Hi Guy13, The 2 is for the select version with a wood base and meters. Scroll down on the Decware main page and you will see it.

Thanks Rich,
no very smart from myself.
I should spend more time browsing the whole page...
Thanks for the info.
Like we say here in the province of Quebec:
I've learned something, therefore,
I will go to bed less stupid or ignorant !

Guy 13

fsdaron · « **Reply #37 on:** 23 Jan 2016, 05:52 pm »

I have these with the WB Betsy mounted and they sound great.

ompv62 · « **Reply #38 on:** 9 Apr 2016, 02:01 am »

I recently purchased Caintuck's Betsy Baffle with the Wild Burro full range driver. I like high sensitivity, crossoverless single drivers and low powered SET amplification and wanted to experiment with an OB design. I'm a computer guy, not a woodworker so I decided against trying to build myself.

Are you kidding me, these are a steal. If you go out and buy the wood and components and tools and figure in your time and gas you will spend way more than his selling price.

They sound great with my Decware SE84CKC. They are detailed, coherent and dynamic. Compared to my Omega Super 3XRS, they are slightly less resolving (I quickly got over that fact) but magically more musical and non fatiguing. I guess this could be what the OB sound is all about.

I think Randy deserves credit for his simple and elegant design which, for me at least, has yielded exceptional results.

ohenry · « **Reply #39 on:** 9 Apr 2016, 03:56 am »

I've known Randy for a decade or so and I visited his home a couple of years ago for an evening of listening. It was my first intro to the short baffle idea and he had several iterations for us to enjoy. He was using the Hawthorne Augies for low frequency extension at times.

I was impressed how the Betsy speaker sounded as well as his other, more pricey creations, all on these attractive, short baffles. Tone and imaging were fine and they could go as loud as I wanted. I think it's especially entertaining when something that shouldn't work does work extremely well. These little giants make music, period. I don't know what's not to like about a smart, experienced guy making affordable and competent OB's. Properly implemented, they are seriously good.

Tlak about cheap and cheerful hifi, this is it.