A speaker that looks like a driver or a driver that looks like a speaker?

What is the point of the design acoustically? Or is it just to look different? 

I have read, but don’t remember why, that circular baffles are among the worst types of designs.

However, having a very wide baffle is often a very good and under-appreciated thing. With a good crossover and high quality components this could sound very good indeed, with especially good imaging and ability to transmit the recording venue’s acoustic signature to the listener.

Focal, and Sonus Faber are among brands which take advantage of the wide baffle idea. The former in the Utopia lines and the latter in the Stradivari.  The Arni Nudell designed speakers such as the IRS also use this wide-baffle idea to very good effect.

Best,

E

@erik_squires 
Hi Erik,
    You are right on with the wide baffles and circle baffles... In this case, the front baffle is sooo wide, I don't think that it would matter, but it would effect baffle step compensation in the crossover. BSC can be touchy and can transform a speaker when done properly or a speaker can be terrible and this simple fix would take care of it.

@timlub

Thanks Tim!

Yep. Baffle step issues are frequency domain, as I understand them, and must be dealt with in the crossover or via EQ.

However, the wide baffles really seem to reduce early reflections, adding to transparency, which is usually thought of as a time domain issue and not fixable via the crossover. Of course, any change to the baffle also changes the frequency response, so this is not an absolute separation. I merely mean to point out where I think the biggest benefit of a wide baffle is.

Best,

E

@erik_squires 
Hi Erik, we're on the same page, I only made the comments because of what you said about circles and wide baffle.  Circles have nothing to stop the sound from traveling around the speaker and require even more compensation. On this very wide front baffle,  very little BSC would be needed. Makes the design easier to get favorable results.