Questions about open baffle, the NX Studio Monitors and other related questions

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petemoss

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Sorry if this question is elemental  but dont quite get it.  I fully understand why an open baffle speaker needs to be a min of 3 ft from the walls...giving at least 6m delay on the reflected sound so our brains interpret those signals as reflections.  So i have actually have 2 questions...

1-Since the speed of sound is effectively the same regardless of frequency why would the studio monitor not need as much space between it and the back wall?  Is it because it is reflecting upward?  or are we less sensitive at higher frequencies to the reflective timing?

2-Years ago i had a set of Alon open baffle speakers that have both the mids and tweeters open baffle, some of the GR research models are the same....the X-Statics only have the Mids open baffle and the NX Studios have only the highs open....how will these different strategies of open baffle construction effect our perceptions?  IE how do we perceive open baffle sound (reflective) say comparing the X-Statics to the NX Studios?

Thanks.

Danny Richie

1-Since the speed of sound is effectively the same regardless of frequency why would the studio monitor not need as much space between it and the back wall?  Is it because it is reflecting upward?  or are we less sensitive at higher frequencies to the reflective timing?

Good question.

With the NX Studio Monitor most of the energy being directed to the rear is being absorbed and directed upward. So a lot of that spaciousness is placed within the room and not at you in any one direction.

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2-Years ago i had a set of Alon open baffle speakers that have both the mids and tweeters open baffle, some of the GR research models are the same....the X-Statics only have the Mids open baffle and the NX Studios have only the highs open....how will these different strategies of open baffle construction effect our perceptions?  IE how do we perceive open baffle sound (reflective) say comparing the X-Statics to the NX Studios?

You have to look at it as those two speakers were designed for different applications. Each has its strengths but neither has a weakness, unless you are looking for low bass. 

nrenter

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I’ll throw out a couple more questions:

Why did you decide to not front-port the Studio monitor? Yes, there’s a compromise, but it seems like in this design, the extended low-end may be worth the trade-off.

Is the sloped top necessary for the design, or could the tweeter exist free-standing (only attached to the front baffle)?

Danny Richie

I’ll throw out a couple more questions:

Why did you decide to not front-port the Studio monitor? Yes, there’s a compromise, but it seems like in this design, the extended low-end may be worth the trade-off.

The woofers weren't designed for a ported application and a ported box would nearly double the size.

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Is the sloped top necessary for the design, or could the tweeter exist free-standing (only attached to the front baffle)?

The open top is what makes closer wall placement an option. If the whole tweeter baffle had nothing around it at all then it would have to be placed three feet or more out into the room, and that would blow the application that it was designed for. 

nrenter

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You rock, Danny! Thank for the insights.

GaryPC

Concerning "and other related questions". In short, how much air do I need around an X-Voce?
As the X-Voce is open baffle for mids and highs and sealed for the base I am hoping to place it on top of a cabinet that is beneath a large flat screen.  This would limit air movement underneath but not on top.  Another option is I could mount it inside a cabinet, which I assume is a bad idea as this would be like placing it in a box. But what if the cabinet had say 3" internal clearance above the X-Voce, and was open front and back.  This would allow me to place a TV on it's feet directly on the cabinet. I could even place other components above, narrow ones between the TV feet that allow the center speaker to be as close as practical to the TV.
Perhaps another option is have the flat screen TV sit directly on top of the X-Voce so that it fits between the feet.  This would require say 5" high blocks beneath the TV's feet, as the X-Voce is 8.5" tall.  With the face of the TC set back say 3" from the face of the X-Voce, would this allow enough air movement.
Perhaps this is something I can experiment with using listening and perhaps measurements? 

Danny Richie

Concerning "and other related questions". In short, how much air do I need around an X-Voce?
As the X-Voce is open baffle for mids and highs and sealed for the base I am hoping to place it on top of a cabinet that is beneath a large flat screen.  This would limit air movement underneath but not on top.  Another option is I could mount it inside a cabinet, which I assume is a bad idea as this would be like placing it in a box. But what if the cabinet had say 3" internal clearance above the X-Voce, and was open front and back.  This would allow me to place a TV on it's feet directly on the cabinet. I could even place other components above, narrow ones between the TV feet that allow the center speaker to be as close as practical to the TV.
Perhaps another option is have the flat screen TV sit directly on top of the X-Voce so that it fits between the feet.  This would require say 5" high blocks beneath the TV's feet, as the X-Voce is 8.5" tall.  With the face of the TC set back say 3" from the face of the X-Voce, would this allow enough air movement.
Perhaps this is something I can experiment with using listening and perhaps measurements?

The top and back have to be open and they need two to three feet from the wall. Three or more is idea, but you can get away with two if the wall is covered in some absorbing material.

GaryPC

Thank you - I expect to treat front wall then as I am 2-feet away.