bracurrie Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Many years ago in a galaxy far far away, no, no I really mean New York City in the late forties or early fifties there was a speaker company that introduced a killer audiophile technology for speakers and called it the Bradford Baffle. It was wildly popular with the, what became, the "silver speaker wire in plastic tube is better" crowd.[:-*] My middle name is Bradford and because of that someone gave me a single driver speaker with an full range Altec in it and this Bradford Baffle in the back of the enclosure. It was in bad shape but I recovered the baffle as a curiosity. But then in a dream it came to me that the Bradford Baffle was a very special audiophile technology that should be incorporated in a state of the art speaker enclosure with modern drivers and a custom passive crossover. But alas I awoke and it was, after all, a figment of my imagination. An active crossover would really be best. Anyway its a piece of audio marketing history. Anyone remember the Bradford Baffle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Thanks for posting. That's interesting and never has been up on my radar. Looking at the pic was wondering what in the heck that is. did a little browsing and found a link to a 2 page pdf on the BB. actually makes a case to not be limited to a folded horn stuck in a corner! this made me smile! http://ebookbrowse.com/bradford-perfect-baffle-speaker-enclosure-pdf-d34080964 would love to hear it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bracurrie Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 Thanks for posting. That's interesting and never has been up on my radar. Looking at the pic was wondering what in the heck that is. did a little browsing and found a link to a 2 page pdf on the BB. actually makes a case to not be limited to a folded horn stuck in a corner! this made me smile! http://ebookbrowse.com/bradford-perfect-baffle-speaker-enclosure-pdf-d34080964 would love to hear it! The pdf was of a brochure that was the speaker that my baffle came from. It was a simple door on a hinge. The wood was shaped like a foil with no springs just hanging and swinging in the breeze. I didn't hear it, but I did talk to someone who had and he said the bass was tight but the speaker didn't go that low. Thanks for the post and link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Makes me think it acts like a passive radiator, but maybe I'm dreaming. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Interesting. Have more pics? What driver was it loaded with? I've listened to lot of vintage speakers that have charm of their own without updates.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Bruce, 'passive radiator' also came to mind as i was reading this. also, although the marketing material speaks poorly of bass reflex cabs, i would imagine that the swinging baffle would share some characteristics of a port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bracurrie Posted April 29, 2013 Author Share Posted April 29, 2013 Makes me think it acts like a passive radiatorI'm no expert, but the thought occurs to me that its neither a port nor a passive radiator as very little if any sound would emit from the baffle. It was located in the back of the enclosure.maybe I'm dreaming. No, Bradford Audio was dreaming. Darn, my reputation in audio was ruined before I even got started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Morbius Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 How thick is that flapper part........... can't be too thick unless you play at very, very high levels. 1/8 inch, maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bracurrie Posted April 29, 2013 Author Share Posted April 29, 2013 How thick is that flapper part........... can't be too thick unless you play at very, very high levels. 1/8 inch, maybe?its about 3/8 in. at its thickest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Seems more like a pressure relief valve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 ...another take on the aperiodic enclosure I gather. Yamaha must have re-visited the patents just a few years ago. I remember their NX series of desktop audio devices employing a strikingly similar technology dubbed SR-Bass™. They did sound very good, considering their size. http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/desktop-audio/nx-a01_black__u/?mode=model The Bradford advertising prose is humorous. "We'll just take a moment of your time to slam everything..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bracurrie Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 Interesting information on the Bradford Perfect Baffle speaker. http://itishifi.blogspot.com/2013/04/bradford-perfect-baffle.html Thanks for posting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Interesting information on the Bradford Perfect Baffle speaker. http://itishifi.blogspot.com/2013/04/bradford-perfect-baffle.html Thanks for posting it. That's seti... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Interesting information on the Bradford Perfect Baffle speaker. http://itishifi.blogspot.com/2013/04/bradford-perfect-baffle.html Thanks for posting it. Actually, the most interesting thing on that page was the most recent addition about Harry Partch. The blog owner has a link to an old documentary about him. Partch's work was absolutely unique and fascinating. I've looked in vain for years for a special addition of "The World of Harry Partch" that contained an LP sized booklet with large color images of his instruments. The album is available, but not with the book. Documentary is in two parts, about 16 minutes total and well worth a look. He has to explain the limitations of optical sound at one point as he demonstrates his "marimba eroica" which has a note at 22hz. Of course, you hear nothing but the sound of a mallet on wood. Love to hear a modern recording of that! It's about the only thing that reaches down to that area other than a 32' organ pipe. I also found it fascinating that at the time this old doc was made, he made his living personally publishing his LPs right down to wrapping and mailing them. Apparently he got by on that and grants later in life. Pix of his instruments aren't easy to come by. Oddly, the university that houses the collection has an extensive writeup but no pictures. If you want to have some fun and have Flash installed, use this link to get to a page where you can actually play some of his better known instruments with your mouse and/or keyboard. Very cool. SciFi filmmakers have missed a bet not using his instruments and compositions for alien music, as these things are more alien in look and sound than the tavern band in "Star Wars." Dave PS - Apologies for the hijack, but I think the Bradford Baffle has been pretty much covered so I don't feel too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Dave posted, " . . . Actually, the most interesting thing on that page was the most recent addition about Harry Partch. The blog owner has a link to an old documentary about him."As Bruce just indicated above, the "owner" of that fascinating blog is our own seti. Must be those mallets Partch uses on his marimbas that got your attention Dave. IMO, any post referencing seti's blog can't be described as a hi-jack. One good thing about a Bradford Baffle, if you don't like it, you can mount it in your back door to allow the dog to let himself in or out. Despite all of the professed superiority of the Bradford Baffle over cornerhorns or bass reflex, they never caught on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Interesting information on the Bradford Perfect Baffle speaker. http://itishifi.blogspot.com/2013/04/bradford-perfect-baffle.html Thanks for posting it. That's seti... Couldn't resist. Snagged the pics from the link Dee posted. I love the rarities and there aren't many mentions of this one out there. Interesting information on the Bradford Perfect Baffle speaker. http://itishifi.blogspot.com/2013/04/bradford-perfect-baffle.html Thanks for posting it. Actually, the most interesting thing on that page was the most recent addition about Harry Partch. The blog owner has a link to an old documentary about him. Partch's work was absolutely unique and fascinating. I've looked in vain for years for a special addition of "The World of Harry Partch" that contained an LP sized booklet with large color images of his instruments. The album is available, but not with the book. Documentary is in two parts, about 16 minutes total and well worth a look. He has to explain the limitations of optical sound at one point as he demonstrates his "marimba eroica" which has a note at 22hz. Of course, you hear nothing but the sound of a mallet on wood. Love to hear a modern recording of that! It's about the only thing that reaches down to that area other than a 32' organ pipe. I also found it fascinating that at the time this old doc was made, he made his living personally publishing his LPs right down to wrapping and mailing them. Apparently he got by on that and grants later in life. Pix of his instruments aren't easy to come by. Oddly, the university that houses the collection has an extensive writeup but no pictures. If you want to have some fun and have Flash installed, use this link to get to a page where you can actually play some of his better known instruments with your mouse and/or keyboard. Very cool. SciFi filmmakers have missed a bet not using his instruments and compositions for alien music, as these things are more alien in look and sound than the tavern band in "Star Wars." Dave PS - Apologies for the hijack, but I think the Bradford Baffle has been pretty much covered so I don't feel too bad. Partch is one of my favorites right up there with Moondog. If wasn't for artist like this I would have been bored to tears years ago.... I had a dream once that I walked into a club and Sun Ra and Moondog were collaborating on stage LOL..... Dave posted, " . . . Actually, the most interesting thing on that page was the most recent addition about Harry Partch. The blog owner has a link to an old documentary about him." As Bruce just indicated above, the "owner" of that fascinating blog is our own Seti. Must be those mallets Partch uses on his marimbas that got your attention Dave. IMO, any post referencing Seti's blog can't be described as a hi-jack. One good thing about a Bradford Baffle, if you don't like it, you can mount in your back door to allow the dog to let himself in or out. Despite all of the professed superiority of the Bradford Baffle over cornerhorns or bass reflex, they never caught on. Thanks! It is nice to see something different. It would be fun to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Sheesh. I saw the "That's seti" note but didn't figure out what it meant. Kewl. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Iain, i didn't realize you had this blog. very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Iain, i didn't realize you had this blog. very cool. I started it in 2009 as just an experiment. Then when I stopped posting I started getting emails so I kept it going. I got even more emails when I stopped HiFi Girl Friday so back by popular demand LOL...... The Bradford Baffle concept is pretty interesting. It would be fun to make one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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