[Joemamma]

This is a follow up to my previous post about the GR Research Wedgies......

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=137528.msg1463072;topicseen#new

     I have purchased many box speakers over the years (HSU, Ascend, ACI, Usher,ERA,to name a few....).  I was always sucked in by reviews that would say they sound like live music.  So, I bought and sold many pairs.  But then I finally realized there is only so much you can do with the drivers, crossovers, and cabinets.  Sure, some companies come up with these exotic looking drivers that cost more than some complete speakers, but I really don't know if they make the big of a difference. I think the pinnacle of my boxed speakers were the GR Research N3 towers.  I am really glad I discovered GR Research.  I think Danny did all you could with the cabinet, drivers, and crossovers.  They were satisfying especially with my Rythmik subs, but humans always seem to want more and I am no different.  I was always intrigued by his Super V speakers.  But they just seemed unrealistic for a guy with shallow pockets.
     As mentioned in my previous post, I had a pair of Wedgies built for me along with the bases that supplied the low end.  These speakers are just at another level than any other box speaker I have owned.  Its like you have a drummer in your living room, and the voices image all over the place.  To the sides and tops of the speakers.  You have these speakers in your room but it seems like they are just taking up space and no sound seems to be coming from them.  In other words, the speakers truly disappear.  I am not going to use language that I don't understand when I read speaker reviews, that say something like, "I was troubled by a subtle excess in the lower midrange" (this was from an actual review).  They just sound so clean.  Also, I am not using top notch electronics.  An Onkyo receiver and ATI amp. 
     I mentioned in my previous post that I don't understand why more large scale operations don't make open baffle speakers or subs.  Taking that a step further, why don't companies like SALK and Ascend develop open baffle speakers?  I think SALK may have had open baffle offerings but they sell mostly high end boxed speakers.  I know space can be a limitation, because open baffle speakers need to be moved out into the room, but I plan on moving mine out to listen to music and slide them back for just casual TV listening.   I think for high spl or for rumbling of the entire foundation during a movie, there maybe better choices, but for music they are without equal.  I am sure some of Danny's more expensive designs would trump them. 
     Before considering a boxed speaker for music, I would read this thread.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=126112.0

and here is the build thread for mine
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=135561.0

[tull skull]

Joe it is great to glimpse your enthusiasm. Congrats on your new speakers!

I will be very interested to hear from you if you happen to borrow, upgrade, or build new electronics and what you experience with those changes.

Danny has established and deserves the loyal following he has here at AC and I count myself among them.

I will never forget and desire never to become callous to the privilege of witnessing the love he demonstrated toward his friend, Gary Dodd, in times of difficulty in Gary's life. It has registered in my heart as an example of faith in action.

[Early B.]

I mentioned in my previous post that I don't understand why more large scale operations don't make open baffle speakers or subs. 

Until very recently, no one was building "small" open baffle speakers. Virtually every OB speaker is huge! For the better ones, I'm talking multiple 12" and 15" drivers, often with limited bass. And not just large, but typically not WAF friendly at all. Add the fact that OB speakers need lots of real estate, and you have several great reasons why you don't see more OB speakers on the market.   

[rudib]

The only decently mainstream brand that recently released a commercial OB design (that I know of) was Jamo with their R909 and R907. I think they're discounted now.

http://www.jamo.com/speaker-types/floorstanding/?sku=R909.

[OzarkTom]

My Zellaton Emotion speakers look like box speakers, but are actually OB speakers with no crossover on the midrange. They also completely disappear.

[ricardojoa]

This post gets me so excited, i wish ihave a room for OB speakers because i know thats what im looking.
Hope Danny will put up the wedge up on his site.

[RCduck7]

This post gets me so excited, i wish i have a room for OB speakers because i know that's what I'm looking.
Hope Danny will put up the wedge up on his site.

I hope so to, if i would buy them they would be delivered to Belgium. So if a finished product is to much to ask for then a kit would do.
Rightnow I'm renovating my house, so no time or financial for my hobby, but next year these will do perfectly me thinks.

[sebrof]

My Zellaton Emotion speakers look like box speakers, but are actually OB speakers with no crossover on the midrange. They also completely disappear.

Hello Tom - How are those OB? Look like boxes to me.
(and they don't disappear, I can see 'em right there!)

[Danny Richie]

I'd love to offer the Wedgie as a kit and a couple of larger versions of it as well. But right now the tweeters are not being made available to me or anyone else. But trust me, I am working on it.

[opnly bafld]

Hello Tom - How are those OB? Look like boxes to me.

I guess anything with a big hole is open baffle these days. 

Zellaton Emotion: The cabinet itself is made from MDF and concrete, the speaker breathes through an open-back baffle.........

[DaveC113]

My Zellaton Emotion speakers look like box speakers, but are actually OB speakers with no crossover on the midrange. They also completely disappear.

I didn't realize that, cool design. The OB aspect is controlled by the box and slot for the rear exit so it might behave more like a ported speaker at lower frequencies while allowing some of the backwave energy to exit at higher frequencies. It probably behaves more like a bipole than a dipole I'd guess, would be interesting to know what happens at and under baffle step frequencies, whether there is any cancellation or not.

On dipoles, I've heard nice ones like the Lotus Audio Grenada and Serenity 7's. I don't have the room to even consider dipoles, so I prefer conventional speakers with narrower dispersion.

[OzarkTom]

Hello Tom - How are those OB? Look like boxes to me.
(and they don't disappear, I can see 'em right there!)

Just turn the lights out.

There is a thin slot in the back the full length of the speaker for OB.

[Danny Richie]

That will really act more like a long slotted port and is not really open baffle at all. Just check the impedance curve and you'll see it loading the drivers at some point.

[nrenter]

I'd love to offer the Wedgie as a kit and a couple of larger versions of it as well. But right now the tweeters are not being made available to me or anyone else. But trust me, I am working on it.

Danny, sorry to take this thread in a different direction, but what's your opinion on ribbon tweeters?

[Danny Richie]

Danny, sorry to take this thread in a different direction, but what's your opinion on ribbon tweeters?

They have their pros and cons. I have used just about all of them. I was a Raven dealer years ago and I had two designs with the Aurum Cantus ribbons. I used the OEM RAAL in a design too.

[Hank]

The best ribbons are great - but expensive, and Danny tries to spec drivers that are affordable and thus appealing to a wider DIY audience.  Correct me if I'm wrong, Danny.   I built a pair of towers designed by a gent in Canada for whom Danny designed the crossover.  The tweet is a customized Aarum Cantus.  Sounds quite nice.

[Danny Richie]

The best ribbons are great - but expensive, and Danny tries to spec drivers that are affordable and thus appealing to a wider DIY audience.  Correct me if I'm wrong, Danny.   I built a pair of towers designed by a gent in Canada for whom Danny designed the crossover.  The tweet is a customized Aarum Cantus.  Sounds quite nice.

Yeap, those were really nice.

[jcotner]

I have a pair of GR speakers with the Aurum Cantus ribbons and I must
say I'm very happy with them.

[Tyson]

Part of why I'm quitting RMAF show coverage is that I have a pair of Danny-designed Super 7 speakers with OB planar mids/highs and Rythmik OB servo bass and it's pretty much ruined me for anything else.  It's hard to gather much enthusiasm when every room is a let down vs what you have at home. 

[jparkhur]

Part of why I'm quitting RMAF show coverage is that I have a pair of Danny-designed Super 7 speakers with OB planar mids/highs and Rythmik OB servo bass and it's pretty much ruined me for anything else.  It's hard to gather much enthusiasm when every room is a let down vs what you have at home. 

And you spent tenths of what those rooms have.  Very nice indeed. 

Jp