Lii 15 open baffle

mick wolfe · « **on:** 11 Feb 2025, 04:14 pm »

I'm considering a Lii 15 open baffle project in the near future. (DIY of course) There's a lot to be considered, but I think a 25"x36"x1.5" butcher block countertop would be my choice for the baffle. Questions would be best location for the driver on the baffle and the exact diameter of opening to be cut to accommodate the Lii 15 driver? At this point experts can feel free to offer advice or even steer me in a different direction.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Feb 2025, 05:03 pm »

Your best option for F15/18 is the Decware Barrel baffle.
Lii Audio site inform the baffle hole.

mick wolfe · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Feb 2025, 07:12 pm »

Thx. Not a fan of that baffle from an appearance standpoint. Caintuck sells a similar baffle, but it looks to be much smaller by comparison. Maybe they offer a larger version, but the price would certainly reflect that. The Decware prices on a complete speaker don't work for me.

Plus those barrel type designs place the driver very low in relation to the floor. Great for enhancing bass, but also at a perfect height for my Goldendoodle to poke her nose right thru the driver. Regardless, this is an issue I'll have to deal with some sort of grille.
In regard to the diameter of the opening for the driver. I read the print of the driver's dimensions to reflect a needed opening close to exactly 14" diameter. But it would nice to have someone who's built a DIY version of the Lii 15 to confirm.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 Feb 2025, 08:26 pm »

The Lii Audio F15 or 18 page show other Square OB plan.

viggen · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Feb 2025, 01:05 am »

the original lii audio drivers have a flower stamped on the driver such as the one here:

https://www.amazon.com/AVPLAY-FAST-15-Frequency-Speaker-50-80W/dp/B0C3GRFJTK/ref=sr_1_13?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dtwMEW5w15Ie3z6Md3mRbE1EOAu9NbCNfmdfA2Ztp7WdnenZaTqnEqOWOs5d7XXKkghhQ0DgidSo5pXSrZ-NxWpJHgHmDC0xn3Y2YgyYoFbxNZWyJETp9dakkv197gH2j6KWfYbQEzNcKZ0WdXKjoJI5diARYc_MOx_QWRP46iZasQkaEW_mkDh_mPQd1UsJuQQq5Z2GffaPW2KmpCXKYuJhrkCSGILLnEPxLc8SQln7V_FcAxaDYikydX3j0PhZFWYgduQOReA8DhZAwG3a6hr-aF-rot1TvTjcq1u2y990TMvpk0v71cgkkrvjN2eFi9VeQl7M_H3K4LLeZC2lACD24VmjnN6yqTFut6Vi0ts.PjV1vu4It0b5pOJJQ1KnbEWh2l7bGm08aVgwbGxezcg&dib_tag=se&keywords=AVPLAY&qid=1739322182&rnid=2941120011&s=electronics&sr=1-13&th=1

if i were getting lii audio drivers, i'd get the original not lii song ones.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Feb 2025, 02:10 am »

The F15 Baffle cut out diameter are 360mm.
If you dont want the Barrel circular sound dispersion check the Lii Audio F18 square Baffle.

benzxc · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 Feb 2025, 07:17 am »

I've used the Lii 15 in Caintuck baffles before. It sounded pretty good and has a small footprint but it really needs to be tilted upwards.

I am currently using the new and original Lii F15s (not Lii Song) in a larger folded wing baffles and they sound really good, much better than the smaller baffles.

benzxc · « **Reply #7 on:** 12 Feb 2025, 07:19 am »

The ones I am using is the one linked to above by viggen.

jk@home · « **Reply #8 on:** 12 Feb 2025, 12:34 pm »

I have the Lii Audio version that Viggen linked to, not the Lii Song version. But they may use the same frame supplier, the (inner) cut out size appears to be the same as what FullRangeMan posted. On my test baffles I cut a 14-1/8" inner cutout and a 15-1/2' outer frame cutout, with chamfers on the opposite side. That allowed me to test the drivers both front and rear mounted, using diy speaker cleats.

https://www.lii-song.com/dt_gallery/

It appears they do not list an F-15 OB plan on the Lii Song webpage. The plans for the F12 are 700 mm wide, the F18s are 900mm. Other wise they are similar. So maybe a test baffle of 800mm (31") wide. I would email them for conformation.

There are modelling programs for this, but from what I can gather from comments I read on diyaudio, the manufacturer specs are suspect. I did a WAW design, which allowed a smaller size baffle.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #9 on:** 12 Feb 2025, 12:48 pm »

For OB I would prefer the F18 if the room allow.

mick wolfe · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 Feb 2025, 04:47 pm »

Thx guys. Very informative.

I like the suggestion of cutting a test opening on a scrap piece of plywood or similar. This once the drivers are in hand of course. Fine tune the final diameter dimension before cutting into the butcher block.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Feb 2025, 07:41 pm »

I first tried the F-15's in 36"H x 30"W baffles and while it was ok I felt like some of the back wave was missing. When I placed the F-15's in the smaller baffle in the back ground I noticed a big improvement. It wasn't because of the H-frame woofers as they weren't powered at the time.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Feb 2025, 07:58 pm »

I finally decided on these baffles which are 36" H x 18.5" wide. I think for best results the F-15's need to be closer to ear level. Too wide of a baffle and you can lose some of that reverb magic.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Feb 2025, 08:14 pm »

Lii Audio gave me the wrong cut out size for the F-15's. I had to sand down the cut out hole I made so they would fit. What a pain that was. If anyone has the correct cut out size please share.

I just noticed the cut out size above so never mind.

I never recess my drivers as there is too much material loss with 3/4" MDF. The F-15's are so heavy they required bracing.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Feb 2025, 08:32 pm »

Jon L · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Feb 2025, 07:12 am »

Looking good

Those long steel(?) vertical beams. What are they called and where did you get it?

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Feb 2025, 10:09 am »

They are shelf supports from Lowes. They come in different sizes but these are the largest I could find. I've tried wings on one side and both sides which had no audible effect.

How high up you mount the shelf supports on the baffle determines the tilt. I use 1 1/2" rubber feet on the front of the baffle and felt pads on the rear shelf support. The drawer handles are needed as these OB's are very heavy and I have to move them around in order to vacuum.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Feb 2025, 10:44 am »

IMO the F-15's need some bass support regardless of baffle size. I use the Eminence Alpha 15" woofers which are probably not as good as the Lii Audio W-15 bass woofers but they are more affordable. A single w-15 might be enough.

An Aiyima AO7 amp powers the Alphas with FMod low pass filters on the AO7's inputs. The F-15's are driven by Bottle Head 2a3 mono blocks. The amps receive their signal from a Bottle Head preamp which has two pair of outputs.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 Feb 2025, 12:08 pm »

The controversy over Lii Audio and Lii Song Audio reminds me of the Black Ice ( formerly Jolida of Maryland ) and Jolida ( of China ) feud of a few years ago. I bought from Jolida China and it was exactly the same tube phono as a friend who bought from the Maryland Jolida but less expensive.

Now Black Ice formerly Jolida Maryland says Jolida is out of business yet they still sell on eBay.

FWIW I bought the Lii Audio F-15 early on and they were shipped from a warehouse in California. Shipment was delayed as they said they were upgrading with better parts. Apologizing for the delay they sent me a free pair of 6" drivers.

But it seems hard to imagine there are two products both assembled on different assembly lines that look identical yet one is superior to the other? How many times do we see the same product with a

different brand name? China is a giant shell game when it comes to audio.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Feb 2025, 12:50 pm »

Lii also is a big company, I have saw some suberp Alnico FR from a Lii xxx brand at AliEx last year.