[BrassEar]

"It is difficult to screw up an open baffle speaker design to where it sounds worse than your typical box speaker." - Siegfried Linkwitz.

I really appreciate this quote as I am currently testing several different full range drivers on a test open baffle. One baffle already has a pair of Alpha-15As. For fun, I mounted a pair of cheap Rockford Fosgate 4-inch car speakers that I had in the garage. Run full range on OB with the Alphas was a shocker. It sounded better than most of the box speakers I have recently heard at audio shows. I would never choose to use this speaker but it is anecdotal evidence that if you throw some very good drivers on OB, you will be way ahead of 95% of typical box designs.

[Russell Dawkins]

It's really difficult to make a box not sound like a box, but not impossible, I discovered.

I would elaborate, but I'd then have to kill you. Suffice it to say I've done it, and this should be stimulus enough for some of you to give it a good deep think.

[Folsom]

Depends on the room and space you have, greatly so.

[DaveC113]

Depends on the room and space you have, greatly so.

Also electronics, cables and AC power. OB is a crutch for systems that can't reproduce fine detail and spatial cues.

[Shakeydeal]

Also electronics, cables and AC power. OB is a crutch for systems that can't reproduce fine detail and spatial cues.

I'd gladly have my "crutches" put a thrashing on whatever suits your fancy.........

Shakey

[Russell Dawkins]

Depends on the room and space you have, greatly so.

Are you saying whether your box speaker sounds boxy depends on your room?

Also electronics, cables and AC power. OB is a crutch for systems that can't reproduce fine detail and spatial cues.

Are you saying whether your box speaker sounds boxy depends on your electronics, cables and AC power?

[G Georgopoulos]

A box speaker sounds boxy because it depands on the box, let's say 100% on bass. 
Very hard to get it right!,but superior bass than ob.

[Davey]

Also electronics, cables and AC power. OB is a crutch for systems that can't reproduce fine detail and spatial cues.

Total nonsense.

Dave.

[Folsom]

Are you saying whether your box speaker sounds boxy depends on your room?

Are you saying whether your box speaker sounds boxy depends on your electronics, cables and AC power?

No, I'm saying the benefits of OB depend on the room. If you got a small room or can't have the speakers from the wall at little bit then OB is a bad choice.

Dave isn't "wrong" exactly, as I'd say better electronics hide the boxiness or even eliminate it sometimes. But those electronics benefit OB too.

[G Georgopoulos]

Dave isn't "wrong" exactly, as I'd say better electronics hide the boxiness or even eliminate it sometimes. But those electronics benefit OB too.

Only electronics that are not hifi do that Jeremy(hide the boxiness)

[G Georgopoulos]

Ob speakers are the best from 1khz on wards even less than that,better than boxed speaker in this frequencies,mids and treble are transparent and of the quality of the driver,without distortion or restriction of boxed compartments,free playing complimenting driver quality,for bass however the box is most efficient and if used right (in its own domain) will produce great bass,ob and box,the best way forward!.

[lowtech]

Not sure where SL's quote came from, but I'm fairly confident when he refers to "OB" he's referring to a dipole design, which is generally quite different from the various "OB" abominations I've seen discussed here and elsewhere.

I also agree with the statement about "electronics, cables and AC power" being complete B.S.

[JohnR]

It's from here:

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/conclusions.htm

Probably best read in context.

[AJinFLA]

It's from here:

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/conclusions.htm

Probably best read in context.

Yes, buried somewhere in the middle. Don't necessarily 100% agree, but its his opinion.
For me, if one were to cherry pick a key quote, was at the very beginning:

Physics does not allow the accurate reproduction of the original sound field with only two speakers.

That, I agree with (magicial electronics not withstanding).

For anyone curious about reality (vs conjecture), this explains it well: http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=9136

cheers,

AJ

[mcgsxr]

To the OP - I am not surprised that mounting a car driver on OB sounds surprisingly good.  Most of them are designed for infinite baffle install (so I assume higher QTS), and open baffle mids can sound really good.  Plenty of commercial and DIY designs to prove that point.

Agree with some of the other posters that OB bass can prove more of a challenge if you're unwilling to use large diameter drivers, often in pairs or quads. 

No comment on crutches, boxiness or other BS.  I have run all kinds of speakers, and have found much to love in any number of configurations.

[Goosepond]

Why can't we just all get along and agree that this ridiculous hobby is 101% subjective.

Gene

[FullRangeMan]

To my ears mid and treble sound best in OB or Dipole, but bass can sound great in some boxes as passive radiator.

[Shakeydeal]

To my ears mid and treble sound best in OB or Dipole, but bass can sound great in some boxes as passive radiator.

I have had all manner of box speakers, planars, subs etc. None of them can hold a candle to Danny Ritchies OB servo bass.

Shakey

[FullRangeMan]

I have had all manner of box speakers, planars, subs etc. None of them can hold a candle to Danny Ritchies OB servo bass.

Shakey

Its the OB5 or an older model?

[Shakeydeal]

It's the subs that come with the Super V.