"jeffreybehr, nice arrays."
TY. I have lots of hours and $ invested.
"I too have been interested in the design ever since reading Dr.Griffin's paper. It is absolutely essential reading for anyone attempting such a design."
Wasn't essential for me; I've never read it. But...then...maybe some of youz are thinking 'ya, it looks like it'?!?!?!?!
"How does the open baffle design affect the sound of the system you posted above?"
As I wrote above, OB designs are much more spacious sounding than closed designs, and spaciousness is a sonic requirement of mine. Also, OB designs lack bass due to Wrap-Around Cancellation. WAC is reduced by the use of wings separating the front and back, the longer the better*, and can be offset by electronic equalization, either passive or active. Of course one must have enough amplifier power and driver power handling to do much of that, and here multiple drivers help immensely.
"I like the idea of having an open baffle, because it makes cabinet building...easier. This is especially appealing since I do not possess many tools in my workshop (jigsaw, circular saw, multi tool with plunge router attachment)."
You have more than I!
"Have you experimented with other tweeters, cone, or dome? Parts Express has a nice little Dayton ND20FB-4 Rear-Mount 3/4" Neodymium design that I've been eye balling lately. It mounts from the back, which would make it easy to mount. It's only $4. PE#: 275-035."
I've tried 1" soft-dome tweeters from old Kindel PLS-As...
They sound plenty OK but not up to the quality of the JG65 drivers. I've also listened to Aurum Cantus G2 ribbon tweeters; they sound EXCELLENT but are too expensive for me in enough quantity for a linesource. I suspect those inexpensive Daytons would sound OK, but if you're going for inexpensive AND a linearray, I'd use a batch of these...
...VERY inexpensive tweeters from Apex. http://www.apexjr.com/speakerstuff.html At $1 each, one can afford to toss them if they don't sound good enough.
*
Of course large wings have their own perhaps-big problem, namely panel resonances. Mine were QUITE audible, and I spent weeks adding material and bracing to sort-of eliminate their resonances. Here's a clue.
Had I known then what I know now, I'd have used 1" PLUS 3/4" MDF for them. The new systems will have 1-3/4"-thick wings, smaller than the current systems', and which will require more electronic equalization. I use an active filter, a dbx DriveRackPA, in my triamped system.
Do yourself a favor--call Sonic Craft...800/689-9800...and buy a carton of the JG65 drivers before they're all gone--and they will be SOON. You'll be happy you did. I again offer to send you the e-mail of my 2 friends' comments on the sounds of my prototype systems. E-mail me at jeffreybehr(at)cox(dot)net and I'll forward it.