Hello Randy.... this is Mike D.

Stone...
I have quite a bit of experience with Audio Nirvana drivers.  And I concur with Randy, who has more experience with varying drivers in OB designs than anybody I know.  You will not like AN's by themselves in an open baffle design, unless the baffle is "huge".  

That said, augmenting their bottom end with like a Hawthorne Augie or the Eminence bass drivers in an OB can make for some serious good sound.  
The AN drivers are typically, very efficient, very detailed, very dynamic and resolute.  And in a box like David Dicks recommends, they make bass too.  I have a pair of 12" Super Cast Frame Alnico's is a 5.6 cubic foot bass-reflex box and they are very good sounding overall - including "bass" - mid-bass weight/body - they do not do subwoofer bass.
I also have AN 15" SCF Ferrites in a OB speaker that started life as a Hawthorne Audio Trio and these are my current reference for the better part of the last year.  I drive these with a Torii 3 and the sound is superb.
If I were to recommend an "experiment" to somebody who has not heard these drivers, and who is looking to place them in a normal to smaller amount of room space, I'd try the smaller models.  These drivers move a lot of air and I can attest to the fact that the 15 inchers can light up a huge space - with no problem.

Thanks Maddog. I'm going to go small with the Betsy's and get a taste for it.

I have 3 pairs of Audio Nirvana drivers:

• 12 inch SCF Alnico's - mounted in big bass-reflex boxes
• 15 inch SCF ferrites - mounted in OB's
• 12 inch SCF ferrites - inventory waiting for a project

In an OB design, the sonic difference between the Audio Nirvana Alnico's and ferrites almost needs to be A/B'd to detect differences.  If you put them in a box, as suggested by Audio Nirvana's owner... the differences become more apparent.  They all make bass in boxes, more than I ever expected.  In a reasonable sized OB, they are a bit thin in the bottom and need lower frequency augmentation IMO.  
I have heard my 15 ferrite drivers in a 8.0 cu.ft. box and in an OB.  The driver's mids/highs are noticeably smoother and more natural in the OB.  However, the 8.0 box(obtained from the previous owner) was far less than optimally constructed or damped.  Dampening is critical in a box to get the most from these driver's.  

The 12 Alnico's I have in a 5.6 cu.ft. box of AN's David Dicks recommendation/design.  I have paid special attention and tuning to the boxes internal dampening and structural design of the box.  This setup is full-range in every sense of the word, except subwoofer realm bass. But in the mid-bass weight region, they are actually a little heavy - but I like this, as it puts meat-on-the-bones and imparts a very nice warmth to most of the music I like to listen to.  Standup bass is "in the room".

This is a bit of speculation on my part, but I have heard Randy's Betsy baffles... as best as acoustic memory can serve, I would say the AN Alnico's are a little more like Betsy's in the upper frequencies, where as the ferrite AN's are a little "hotter" like most full-range drivers in the upper mids on up.

I would suggest to anyone wanting to dip their toes into OB's and Audio Nirvana's to go with a ferrite model to start with - even shop around for some used.  New, the ferrite models are 1/2 price or less of the Alnico models and will give you a very good taste of what can be achieved.  If you like what you hear, and want to go all-in long term, then spring for the Alnico's.  I might be willing to part with some of my AN driver's.  Not because I don't like them - the exact opposite - I would just upgrade to bigger, newer, Alnico AN models - I'm a believer - full-range xoverless is it for me, as long as you pair with the right amp.

Hi Palomino,

Steve did a great job on the audio / video presentation .....

His photo of the new Sapele Betsy baffle in the online store is also top shelf.  He has generated a lot of interest in my little speakers and everyone who has heard the Betsy baffles paired with a Decware amplifier has been amazed at how much sound can be had for a very modest investment.

As to the "big sound" ..... it's a fact.
In my storefront, the main listening room is 35' long x 17' wide with a 11.5' ceiling.
With the SE84UFO providing the power, the soundstage is immense with no sense of congestion or clipping and the speakers simply evaporate visually ..... nothing but vocalists and instruments hanging in the air.

Steve introduced me to "real" hi fidelity sound many years ago and it is an honor to have one of my projects work so well with his amazing amplifiers.

Happy listening,

Randy

Hi Costas,

Many thanks for the good wishes .....

I can't imagine life without music.

It's hard to complain about something that is both fun and "therapy" .....

Best wishes,

Randy

Music is sacred - or it can be. I know it heals and I know the better it sounds the faster it works. Hey, I've got an idea... buy a Decware amp, live longer. Buy a Besty Baffle, live larger. Demonstrate your intelligence and buy both!

God Bless Betsy  8-)