will
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Yes, hard to know wood effects without some pretty careful testing. I enjoyed the article on wood too, though I can't say it led me to a conclusion that the differences between hardwoods would necessarily be subtle, especially in these big baffles where the wood is so much of what makes the speaker. This is pretty conceptual for me, my references being Steve's recordings, and comments on this thread (and a few others). And this thread implies many woods and thicknesses can make a nice speaker. But if we could put all these speakers together and AB them in one system, I suspect we would hear differences notable enough to make choices if we were planning to build a pair.
Sound qualities appear to be influenced by reflective and baffling effects, but also the baffles acting in part as "soundboards." It would seem many wood characteristics could effect how the musical energy moves through and off the baffles, those effects compounded/adjusted by design choices of size, shape, driver placement, handle type and placement, weight and size of feet, thickness of a baffle...
With anything, energy movement is effected by what is in the path of that energy. So, conceptually, to me, musical energy released from the driver is very likely effected by baffle wood density, composition, grain structure, oil levels, resin levels, etc...
Even within a species, I can imagine potential for relatively important differences. Defined by genetics and where the tree grows...variability in soil, water, sun, wind, and competition for these, there could be pretty notable variables in grain and density.... and more between different species. A tree in a calmer environment, and having a lot of sun, good soil, and water, grows easily, with wider growth rings, and relatively open structure. Whereas, trees growing tight with other trees have to struggle, developing more slowly, all aspects of structure more compressed, denser...Then the variabilities between tropical hardwood compositions and structures and those more common here, lots of choices!
All else the same, it would seem some hardwoods could be similar in how they interact with these drivers, though I suspect others could be pretty different. But then it comes back to how much the baffle wood influences the sound, and how much we care.
I am just thinking, especially with these massive baffles, some variations effecting sound are likely notable enough to matter to me anyway. A more conclusive test would be a challenge though, maybe 3-5 pair made at once, just alike except using woods suspected to be good, but having notably different grain and density.....wouldn't that be a cool experiment?
On the other hand, even if wood does matter notably in this design, with these nice drivers, making baffles utilizing and springing off the discoveries this thread has so far revealed, it does seem many hardwoods could produce a very nice speaker!
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