Here is a question I get asked often when someone is ordering their custom cab.

Q. What is a "Floating Baffle"?

A. There are two basic types of baffles used in speaker cab construction, a floating and fixed baffle.

A floating baffle should be made from ½” or less material and can be attached by only the four corners, as in early Fender tweeds or along two sides, secured in to cleats by screws or bolts. The baffle is not tight to the sides of the cab. This type of baffle resonates in harmony with the speaker(s) as the cabinet or combo is pushed it comes alive and the cabinet becomes part of the tone.

A fixed baffle is secured tight to the side of the cabinet on all four sides with screws or bolts in to cleats or mortised directly in to the sides of the cabinet. Generally, they are made from at least ½” material and more common ¾”. This type of baffle is more inert, with most of the tone coming directly from the speaker.

I like to build my open back cabs with a true floating baffle, not touching the sides of the cabinet and secured along two sides. On Cabinets with closed back panels, I will attach the baffle on all four sides. Cabinets with convertible (open/closed) or oval open backs can be constructed either way based on preference and other factors.

Please check out my custom cabinets and heads.

If you have a design in mind just let me know.

Best,

Paul