ampage Tube Amps / Music Electronics	For current discussions, please visit Music Electronics Forum.

ampage archive

Vintage threads from the first ten years

previous: FredG All, I am buildi... -- 9/25/1999 5:09 AM

Re: yes, another floating baffle question

9/25/1999 2:41 PM
Bruce	Re: yes, another floating baffle question It also depends on what speaker you are going to use Fred. A 60oz 12" ceramic magnet speaker is going to release energy differently into a 3/8" baffle then a small weight 12" AlNiCo speaker. The floating baffle story is a little bit over stated in my opinion, but some vintage lower powered style amps do sound a little more resonant with a thin 5/16" floating baffle, as you described, but all amps and speakers don't sound great just because you float the baffle. With everything else being equal, I think floating baffle board amps sound a bit more low midrangey to me and a little less big in the bottom end too. I'm not saying that's a bad thing mind you. Pre drill the 3/4" x 1" baffle hook strips to accept the baffle and the hookstrip mounting screws. That means three holes slightly bigger in diameter then the threaded part of the screws you plan to use on two adjacent sides of the hookstrip. Install the hookstrips verticaly with the 1" width being the part that goes to the cabinet and use 1 1/4" screws on each side. OH, use glue too. Don't let the hookstrips touch the bottom of the cabinet either. Stick a quarter under it to hold it up. You should have used 1 1/2" wide strips around the front of the outside perimeter of the baffle (like a small picture frame) to make it thicker where it mounts to the hookstrips and hold the grille away from the baffle when the speaker (mounted from the back) rattles it... So you can use the same 1 1/4" screws to mount the baffle to the hookstrips too. When you put the baffle in, hold it up from the bottom by a about 1/16". I set it on a shim too.... ususally an old long piece of 1/16" circuit board. If you float it, and you don't hold it up a tiny amount, it might squeak or buzz later on down the road and drive you nuts. It might buzz anyhow! :>) Remember to do all this AFTER you wrap the baffle with grille cloth and cut the rough baffle board about 1/16" to 3/32" in smaller then the opening it goes into. Bruce

9/25/1999 2:41 PM

Bruce

Re: yes, another floating baffle question

It also depends on what speaker you are going to use Fred.
A 60oz 12" ceramic magnet speaker is going to release energy differently into a 3/8" baffle then a small weight 12" AlNiCo speaker.

The floating baffle story is a little bit over stated in my opinion, but some vintage lower powered style amps do sound a little more resonant with a thin 5/16" floating baffle, as you described, but all amps and speakers don't sound great just because you float the baffle.
With everything else being equal, I think floating baffle board amps sound a bit more low midrangey to me and a little less big in the bottom end too.
I'm not saying that's a bad thing mind you.

Pre drill the 3/4" x 1" baffle hook strips to accept the baffle and the hookstrip mounting screws.
That means three holes slightly bigger in diameter then the threaded part of the screws you plan to use on two adjacent sides of the hookstrip.
Install the hookstrips verticaly with the 1" width being the part that goes to the cabinet and use 1 1/4" screws on each side. OH, use glue too.
Don't let the hookstrips touch the bottom of the cabinet either. Stick a quarter under it to hold it up.

You should have used 1 1/2" wide strips around the front of the outside perimeter of the baffle (like a small picture frame) to make it thicker where it mounts to the hookstrips and hold the grille away from the baffle when the speaker (mounted from the back) rattles it...
So you can use the same 1 1/4" screws to mount the baffle to the hookstrips too.

When you put the baffle in, hold it up from the bottom by a about 1/16". I set it on a shim too.... ususally an old long piece of 1/16" circuit board.
If you float it, and you don't hold it up a tiny amount, it might squeak or buzz later on down the road and drive you nuts. It might buzz anyhow! :>)
Remember to do all this AFTER you wrap the baffle with grille cloth and cut the rough baffle board about 1/16" to 3/32" in smaller then the opening it goes into.

Bruce

Replies:

FredG Thanks Bruce, W... -- 9/25/1999 5:15 PM
Andrew Hi Bruce,Thanks for... -- 9/28/1999 11:49 AM