Amplifiers and Horn Loudspeakers


Greetings,

Wasn't sure where to post this (Amps or Speakers), but here goes.....

Horn loudspeakers of course are high in efficiency, and don't tpyically require high-powered amplifiers. Most horn users prefer tubes. With highly efficient horns, folks seem to prefer SET's.

Some solid state amps operate in Class A up to a certain point, which is said to be close in some respects to the sound of tubes. I have a solid state amplifier that puts out 250wpc (Class A/B), however it operates in Class A mode up to 25wpc. I'm curious if this amplifier, operating in Class A mode, would be a good match for a high efficiency horn system.

Thanks!
seadweller
undesirably large amounts of negative feedback, a sonic no-no IMHO.

The operational amplifier is used in almost every piece of analog circuitry under the sun. Operational amplifiers are employed in circuits using negative feedback to increase their linearity (accurately represent the input signal). The audio that you listen to has been recorded and mixed in studios and often mastered in another studio....the audio signal has literally passed through 100's of feet of wire and 100's of amplifiers, all with negative feedback, by the time it reaches you on an LP or CD. If negative feedback were even slightly audible then you have already lost the battle for good sound when you leave the record store with your purchases tucked under your arm!
SS with horns is OK....if you want to rip your ears off!!
I am very carefull with horns and tubes!
Shadorne,

Why do you think it is that amps with zero or very little negative feedback sound so much better than those with lots? And that on amps with adjustable feedback changing it is indeed very AUDIBLE?
Why do you think it is that amps with zero or very little negative feedback sound so much better than those with lots? And that on amps with adjustable feedback changing it is indeed very AUDIBLE?

Horns for the post part are expecting constant power output out of the amp, regardless of the speaker's impedance curve. When you add feedback, the gain of the amp is used to force the amp to behave more as if it has a 'constant voltage characteristic'. A lot of horns are not expecting this- impedance bumps will result in less power and dips will result in more. This can lead to colorations since many horns simply are not designed for that.
Everyone has different sonic tastes in equipment-
speakers, amps, preamps etc. Here's my 2 cents worth of my subjective opinion. I own 3 pair of Klipsch Heritage speakers. 1981 Cornwalls with Deang upgraded (from Klipsch Forum) type B crossovers using Auricap capacitors. 1983 Cornwalls with Deang upgraded type B crossovers using aluminum Jensen PIO capacitors. And 1989 industrial LaScalas with Deang upgraded type AA crossovers using aluminum Jensen PIO capacitors.
The upgraded crossovers raise the sonic perfomance of Klipsch Heritage speakers to a much higher level over the old stock networks. I highly recommend them.

I totally disagree that you can't run solid state
with horns. I own Mcintosh SS-MC 7150 autoformer amp & C38 preamp. I have run Mac with Klipsch Heritage with good sonics to my ears. There are other people at the Klipsch Forum that also like Mcintosh SS with Klipsch speakers. Currently have the Mcintosh gear hooked up to a pair of stacked old Henry Kloss New Advents-top Advent inverted/upside down so the tweeters are together.

I have also run a Llano Phoenix CAS 300/VA2 mosfet tube hybrid amp with the Mac C38 preamp, a deHavilland Verve 6SN7 tube preamp & now with a George Wright AU1000 12BH7 tube preamp with Klipsch Heritage speakers with good sonics to my ears. The 1989 LaScalas are currently hooked up to the Llano Phoenix CAS 300/VA2 mosfet/tube hybrid amp with George Wright 12BH7 tube preamp with tone controls. The VA2 voltage section of the Llano amp uses either 6SN7,6SL7 or 12SN7 tubes. Currently using a pair of RCA 12SX7 GT tubes in the VA2 voltage box.

I also own two SET systems-Welborne Labs SET 2A3
Moondogs & Welborne Labs Reveille 6SN7 tube preamp-currently hooked up to my 1981 Cornwalls.
deHavilland Aries SET 845 & deHavilland Verve 6SN7 tube preamp hooked up to my 1983 Cornwalls. Good sonics to my ears using SET amps.

Making a blanket statement that you can't run SS with horns is just plain wrong/false in my humble opinion. It all boils down to personal sonic preference. Go over to the Klipsch Forum. They are plenty of guys that use & prefer tubes. And other guys that use & prefer SS. Me, I like both!