[Ultralight]

Apologies for a basic question.

I have a boxed speaker coming where the box has two internal separate chambers.  It basically looks like two boxed speakers put back to back with driver pointing in opposite direction.  The jumper cables so that the drivers can be in phase or out of phase so that they will play as bipole or dipole.

So when they are in dipole, will this give me a sense of what open baffle sounds like?  Or is open baffle and boxed dipole very different animals?

Again, newbie question on this one.

Thanks in advance for your help.

UL

[guest42212]

> So when they are in dipole, will this give me a sense of what open baffle sounds like? 

Somewhat. The 'dipoleness' will be there as far as room interaction (reflections,
dispersion, etc.)

>Or is open baffle and boxed dipole very different animals?

What won't be there is the openness of an unconstrained driver.
Open Baffles happen to be dipoles, but that is only part of their allure.

[rabbit]

lower freq will transition to omni directional like any other box speaker.
as you can see in this plot for instance:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcYOFRbEl7U/TXDMzPHO0dI/AAAAAAAAF5I/G_KNYldF8IY/s1600/s15dsp%2Bnormalised.png
the same is true for some dipoles, but less so than a box. so yeah it wont behave like an OB.

[FullRangeMan]

Apologies for a basic question.

I have a boxed speaker coming where the box has two internal separate chambers.  It basically looks like two boxed speakers put back to back with driver pointing in opposite direction.  The jumper cables so that the drivers can be in phase or out of phase so that they will play as bipole or dipole.

So when they are in dipole, will this give me a sense of what open baffle sounds like?  Or is open baffle and boxed dipole very different animals?

Again, newbie question on this one.

Thanks in advance for your help.

UL

It basically looks like two boxed speakers put back to back with driver pointing in opposite direction.
This you mention are Bipolar speakers, not Dipole.

[Poultrygeist]

Linkwitz says OB bass is more articulate than boxed bass and I agree.

[sfdoddsy]

If they are wired out of phase they would be classed as dipoles, so you get some of the radiation effect. However probably not a great deal due to baffle width, drivers and path lengths.

However, you miss entirely the benefit of no enclosure.

To me, the open baffle/no box is the single greatest advantage of 'dipole' speakers.

Every open baffle speaker I've heard or tried has a bit of this boxless magic whether they have dynamic drivers, electrostats, ribbons or whatever. Even when they aren't operating as true dipoles.

[mcgsxr]

I would agree with the sentiment that no box = a different sound.

Only you can decide if that sound is for you.  As with any alignment, there are special considerations for OB (baffle size, speaker placement, listening position placement etc) that relate to other speakers, but differently.

In my experience the OB experience is deeply satisfying.  I have owned other types of speakers, but I keep coming back to OB.

I have tried OB cone speakers, and currently leverage a commercial design (Magnepan).  All deliver a delightful sense of tonal correctness, and a sound that just flows (must be my interpretation of lack of box colorations).

[Ultralight]

Thanks everyone.  So the answer is, 'no' but will have a bit of all the room reflection interactions.  I can also wire them as bipoles and so will hear that sound also and see how I like it... 

Thanks.

Thanks,
UL

[Guy 13]

Hi Ultralight,
I agree with mcgxr, I have also and still own box (Bass reflex + sealed)
and open baffle and they are different.
However, I do prefer the dipole open baffle,
but it's entirely up to you to decide what sound is best for you.
Good luck.

Guy 13