Babb Speakers – The Foundation of DC GOLD Audio

A Legacy of Engineering and Endurance

Babb Speakers began in the 1980s with a simple but ambitious goal: to build speakers that could produce high-fidelity sound and survive the world’s most demanding environments. Long before “marine-grade” audio became common, Babb developed drivers that were both powerful and weather-resistant — setting a new standard for durability and clarity.

Known for their robust magnet structures, meticulous hand assembly, and long-throw full-range cones, Babb Speakers quickly gained a following among serious listeners who expected studio-grade sound in boats, outdoor installations, and vehicles.

Among Babb’s most admired designs was the Lorelei, a compact 5-inch driver capable of covering an astonishing 30 Hz – 20 kHz range. It was innovative, expensive, and unlike anything else available at the time — proving that a single full-range speaker could reproduce deep bass, smooth mids, and extended highs without the need for crossovers or tweeters.

These speakers were hand-built, high-power, water- and sun-proof, and sold for several hundred dollars a pair. Decades later, many original Babb units still play today — a testament to the company’s uncompromising design and build quality.

From Babb to DC GOLD Audio

In 2005, David and Laurie Chaffey, founders of DC GOLD Audio, acquired the assets and design rights of Babb Speakers. Rather than mass-producing a legacy product, they set out to elevate the original concept — preserving Babb’s proven architecture while refining every component for even greater precision, stability, and lifespan.

David Chaffey had followed Babb’s work for years and had experimented extensively with the Lorelei driver, designing optimized transmission-line cabinets and helping evolve technical improvements such as ferrofluid coil centering. His deep respect for the design philosophy became the foundation of DC GOLD’s modern engineering approach.

The result was not a reissue — it was an evolution. DC GOLD retained the spiderless, ferrofluid-centered full-range structure that defined Babb’s brilliance, and advanced it with improved materials, tighter tolerances, and modern marine-grade construction methods.

The Legacy Lives On

Today, Babb’s heritage continues through DC GOLD Audio’s Classic and Reference Lines. Each speaker is hand-built in the USA, fully waterproof and UV-resistant, and delivers the same natural full-range performance that made Babb legendary — now refined for modern amplifiers and environments.

While Babb Speakers are no longer produced under their original name, their DNA lives on in every DC GOLD Audio product. Many of the engineers and enthusiasts who once tuned Babb systems now specify DC GOLD for their new installations — from luxury yachts to outdoor venues and private estates.

Both brands share a single purpose: to create speakers that endure, and sound as beautiful on the sea as they do in a concert hall.

Now Built by DC GOLD Audio

The Babb legacy continues, reborn as DC GOLD Audio — stronger, cleaner, and built for a lifetime of perfect performance.