Question concerning db sensitivity

First the obvious. Sound quality is completely subjective.
As I read it I think this generalization is probably from a source that thinks bass response is correlated with high quality. The SET single driver audio system may be nirvana, the truth, pure etc. to some, but the vast majority think they are hearing very thin sounding speakers. They are high efficiency speakers given that SET amps are as a rule low energy output signal. Admittedly a well designed high efficiency backloaded horn can make satisfying bass. However there is a strong prevalence that bassy sound is better sound if is not muddy, even amongst audiophiles. What are all these subs about? Not just HT.
BTW I think whomever said that pro monitors do not have horns in them should look at what is on the pro/studio market. Lots of horns. Beyond which they are voicing the sound for car radios and earspuds from portable compressed formats. Audiophile labels are almost irrelavent. Except to us. Unfortunately IMHO we don't represent significant money to the media.

BTW I think whomever said that pro monitors do not have horns in them should look at what is on the pro/studio market.

Mechans,

I meant real professional monitors for mixing/mastering in a studio....NOT sound reinforcement or for nightclubs or concert or myriad of speakers with the monikor "monitor" or "pro".

I think you will find that horns were popular in the 50's but eventually fell out of favor (in professional studios) in the 70's as non-horn designs began to achieve sufficient loudness levels for use as main monitors (mostly used to impress clients by playing back what they just played in a very realistic fashion).

Horns are almost completely out of the professional studio market as far as I can tell. They are almost never used as nearfields and only rarely used as main monitors.

Anyway, don't take my word for it, after all, many of my most accurate statements have been totally discredited/contradicted/distorted by one or another of the "experts" on these forums so what's new...

Perhaps this, from a person who is passionate about the Altec Lansing 604 horn designs (famous in the 40's), may convince you;

Studio Monitor Evolution

Jim,

Here is an example.

Take a classic famous well respected "hall of fame" type speaker like the Wilson Watt Puppy 7.

Look at the two distortion plots at 90 db SPL and at 95 db SPL (top curve is output SPL and bottom curve is THD+N SPL)

Notice that as the sound level is raised by 5 db SPL the distortion components increase by much more (8 or 9 db SPL)....this is always the case, even on great speakers such as this. The higher the output levels (towards realistic live sound) the relatively greater distortion ...until eventually the distortion becomes audible (and perceptively very loud). This point will vary for each system of amplifier and speaker but generally even small systems can be made to be perceived as sounding very loud (but in a small system it is mostly the harshness of distortion and not ACTUAL SPL level that gives the impression of loudness)

shadorne is right on

Shadorne Horns are used in studios I have built a fostex system with such for a known studio. I see lots of TAD horns in studios but most of the small monitors are still cones and domes keep in mind a good studio doesnt just use the small monitors, ussualy on the wall a set of compresion horns with BR bass will be in use.