Open Baffle Series speakers info now up.

Danny Richie · « **on:** 27 Jul 2006, 01:13 am »

I finally got all the info up on the web site for the OB-7 and OB-5 models.

I'll try to get links and stuff up in a few days. You can go to them direct from here:

http://www.gr-research.com/kits/ob-5.htm http://www.gr-research.com/kits/ob-7.htm

I am really please with how these sound. The latest round of tweaks on the OB-7 really took them up a notch. I think I can call them good now and quit tweaking on them.

You may now order at will.

JohnR · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Jul 2006, 10:15 am »

Danny, very nice. It appears the Neo3PDR is open at the back?

The baffle is... about 9" wide? How deep are they?

Do they need any toe in? How do you think the OB-5 would perform (you must really hate these kinds of questions...) backed up against the wall (and the port moved to the front or side)?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Jul 2006, 12:46 pm »

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It appears the Neo3PDR is open at the back?

The Neo does use the back cup. Otherwise it starts rolling off early and can't be crossed as low.

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The baffle is... about 9" wide? How deep are they?

They are both only 8" wide and 15" deep. If you like you can scroll to the bottom of the page and download the .pdf file of the enclosure plans.

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Do they need any toe in?

I like them with just a little. The frequency response is even smoother across the top end at 10 degrees off axis so not towing them in doesn't hurt them either.

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How do you think the OB-5 would perform (you must really hate these kinds of questions...) backed up against the wall (and the port moved to the front or side)?

Actually it should work just fine. It will have less room interaction than most speaker in the 200Hz and up range. You might get a little added output in the sub 200Hz range from being close to the wall, but not whole lot, not with the port in the front.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #3 on:** 31 Jul 2006, 10:06 pm »

I am really happy with the sound of these. Of all the speakers I have worked on, I have enjoyed the sound of these more than any. Some of you may not realize just how big of a statement that is. I have designed, modded, and worked on a lot of speakers and even kept a pair of Epiphany 20/21's in my listening room for quite some time. These are going to beat up on a lot of very expensive speakers, big time!

I'd like to get a bunch of these out there right away so that more people have the opportunity to hear them and compare them to other references.

So from August 1 through 19th I will offer a 10% discount on OB-5 and OB-7 kits if you let me know that you saw this on the Audio Circle, or when you order them on line write "10% Audio Circle discount" in the comments section and receive the discount. Offer ends August 19th though.

gongos · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 Jul 2006, 10:10 pm »

Will they be offered assembled at any point? Or does anyone know a good cabinet maker?

Christof · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 Jul 2006, 10:12 pm »

Danny

Do you now have the plate amps for OB-7 in stock?

Gongos
I'm not sure where you are located but once I decide on either the OB5 or OB7 I could easily build an extra pair of cabs if you go with the same pair I do.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #6 on:** 31 Jul 2006, 10:33 pm »

If enough people want them I can order a production run of about a dozen pairs of each having them built at Mark Schifters production facility in China. They would look very nice and finishes like piano Rosewood and Birds Eye Maple are not out of the question.

There would be 3 to 4 months of production time involved from the time the order is placed until they are here, cleared, and ready to distribute.

There are also a good handful of guys like Chris that can knock out a pair of enclosures for you in whatever finish you are willing to pay for.

I can order more of the amps from AV123. They are the ones used on the X sub. They work great in this set up. I am going to try and get a run of them made though with only one speaker level input, and one RCA input without all the dual speaker level inputs and outputs. I don't know when I can get them here though. Mark Seaton and I are pushing for Mark Schifter to go this route for the plate amp on the X-pls model. If so I might can order a group of those as they will be just what is needed for this one too.

I am looking into one other option on the plate amp too, but don't have an answer yet.

gongos · « **Reply #7 on:** 31 Jul 2006, 10:35 pm »

Quote from: Christof on 31 Jul 2006, 10:12 pm

Danny

Do you now have the plate amps for OB-7 in stock?

Gongos
I'm not sure where you are located but once I decide on either the OB5 or OB7 I could easily build an extra pair of cabs if you go with the same pair I do.

I live in Kirkland, WA.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 Jul 2006, 10:53 pm »

You are not far from Raw Acoustics. He can knock you out a pair of enclosures for either of these.

RAW · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Aug 2006, 12:01 am »

Tyson
Sent a email with prices and finish options to you.
And you do not have to pay for shipping

laserman · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Aug 2006, 02:52 pm »

Al, I just sent you an email via your website asking for cabinet prices too.

Thanks, L

RAW · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 Aug 2006, 03:22 pm »

OB-7
Grills for the sides Will come included in the price of the cabinets
front grills are Extra.

$995.00 each Veneered in Maple,Cherry,Oak,Walnut with painted sub cabinet bottoms in
Black textured finish.Same as on the GR site.
-Front grills add $125.00 for the pair
( Magnetic grills )

-veneer options this is endless with a up charge depending on the
veneer you pick. email for species prices and availablitiy

OB-5
Grills for the sides Will come included in the price of the cabinets
front grills are Extra.
The OB-5 can also be ordered with a open baffled top no grills, no back and no top plate as this top of the cabinet can be 100% open no closed off areas.
Danny just made note of this and asked for me to add this.
$499.00 each as as descibed above Open baffle
or
$599.00 each as built per sample pohtos Veneered in Maple,Cherry,Oak,Walnut with painted bases in
Black textured finish.Same as GR site.
-Front grills add $125.00 for the pair
( Magnetic grills )

For other veneer options this is endless with a up charge depending on the
veneer you pick. email for species prices and availablitiy

Crating charge $295.00 per pair.This is the only way to make sure the larger speakers arrive in one piece is to crate them in plywood crates 1 for each speaker, line each crate with solid foam and screw the crates together.
Building a pair of crates complete takes a good part of 2-3hrs plus materials.

Shipping we will let you arrange the shipping with a carrier of your choice.
We use Edge Logistics in Blaine Washington
1-877-332-1414 Ask for Omar,or Lorrie tell them Al from RAW Acoustics sent you.

The average freight cost with full insurance is around $300-375.00 for the pair from Blaine.

We will deliver them to Blaine WA for NO CHARGE as this is Direct across the boarder from us.

Brucemck · « **Reply #12 on:** 1 Aug 2006, 09:22 pm »

Three questions:

(1) Could a 7 be easily turned on its side and used as a Center, or would it sound too different from the vertical sides to make that work? (This assumes a 7 with the sub mounted differently, or, a 7 without the powered sub.)

(2) Could the 7s be built so that the subs could go in a different location (eg, have binding posts on the back of the speakers that are the "sub outs" from the crossover)? The location that works best for my midrange vocal imaging is several feet from the location where I get the best low end response.

(3) Is there a plate amp option that would have one or two bands of PEQ and adjustable phase? I find both a big help in dialing in the low end in my room.

Thanks

Danny Richie · « **Reply #13 on:** 1 Aug 2006, 10:08 pm »

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Could a 7 be easily turned on its side and used as a Center, or would it sound too different from the vertical sides to make that work?

Just drop off the sub, turn it in its side, and rotate the tweeter and your there. You'll have to build a trick looking stand for it, but it will work fine.

As soon as I can I plan to draw up the enclosure plans for a OB-5 turned on its side and one of the lower woofers moved to the other end. Since the lower woofers are only covering from 200Hz and down they can be moved around with no effect on performance.

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Could the 7s be built so that the subs could go in a different location

I wouldn't move them around too much because they need to blend with the M-130 woofers. You can still add secondary subs with PR's (playing down lower) and place them where ever you want in your room.

The OB-5's play down low enough to reach external subs mounted elsewhere in the room. You could go with three of those across the front.

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Is there a plate amp option that would have one or two bands of PEQ and adjustable phase?

I am looking into a plate amp option with variable phase. The ones that I used only have a 180 degree phase switch but in one direction (I don't remember which) it made them perfectly in phase with the M-130 woofers.

You can use any plate amp that you want on them really. It can even be mounted externally. Or it can be mounted on the inside of the speaker at the bottom of the enclosure just opposite of the outward firing sub.

These are some of the best things about kits. You can vary them slightly to make them just the way you want them to be.

Cacophonix · « **Reply #14 on:** 1 Aug 2006, 10:42 pm »

Quote from: RAW on 1 Aug 2006, 03:22 pm

The OB-5 can also be ordered with a open baffled top no grills, no back and no top plate as this top of the cabinet can be 100% open no closed off areas.
Danny just made note of this and asked for me to add this.
$499.00 each as as descibed above Open baffle

Hmmm ... this looks more like something that i can try building on my own ... despite of the number of times i've burnt my hands at cabinet building. So Danny, there isn't any need for cross over modifications? Does the front baffle need to be thicker?

Danny Richie · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 Aug 2006, 11:11 pm »

Using the OB-5 with no top or back section requires no crossover changes. In fact with the top and back on it and only the sides open requires quite a bit of damping material to keep the surface reflections from coming back off of them. I put BH-5 on the back wall and No Rez on the top and bottom. I then added a foam wedge to the back wall, because I am an extremist.

By removing that whole section you can add a strip of No Rez across the top of the lower woofer section and you're done.

The reason the top and back were added was for esthetics and so that it would match a center channel that has to have a back wall to connect the outer woofer sections just like the OB-7.

When leaving off the back and top, run the front 3/4" MDF layer across the full front. Then add at least a 1/2" thick layer of MDF to the first layer only in the area of the open baffle. Be sure to radius the back side of the woofers holes as much as possible too.

Piece of cake.

klh · « **Reply #16 on:** 2 Aug 2006, 05:07 am »

Please post pics of the completely open baffle verion of the OB-5 when available (anyone).

Cacophonix · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 Aug 2006, 05:39 am »

Quote from: klh on 2 Aug 2006, 05:07 am

Please post pics of the completely open baffle verion of the OB-5 when available (anyone).

I'm guessing it'll look something like the DiAccutonPole built by selah audio.

http://selahaudio.com/id103.html

Of course, instead of one big woofer at the bottom u'll have 2 M130s. The MTM at the top will look similar.
Actually i like this config better than usual box shape

Danny Richie · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Aug 2006, 01:14 pm »

Hey no foul language in here.

I think he means it would look something like this.

Brucemck · « **Reply #19 on:** 2 Aug 2006, 05:36 pm »

Those boxless on top 5s look terrific!

How much power does it take to run the 5s or 7s? Would a 15w to 20w 300b amps drive them to high volumes, or is more required? Any special/unusual demands on an amp? (Assume if I do 5s that the lowest end will be handled by a powered sub.)

Reason for asking is that I'll likely change amps at same time I change speakers .... from high precision high power solid state to something a bit more involving.