Why not horns?

macrojack,

I like your assertion that horns are essentially a form of mechanical amplification that can be done well, poorly, or anywhere in between.

Unfortunately, my gut tells me that practically mechanical amplification is a preferred means of the past and not the wave of the future.

More efficient forms of electronic amplification, like Class D switching amps. are the wave of the future and will likely put an even further hurt on high efficiency speaker designs, horn or otherwise.

BTW, I do own a pair of horns. One of them can be seen in one of my system photos. Take a look and see if you can find it!

Macrojack, I think you make a good point. I think electrical amplification is preferable. As I posted earlier, I suspect that the current trend in horn speakers, is due to the current trend in low powered amplifiers, not to any inherent superiority of horns. I will grant you that horns almost always play louder, and are usually superior in dynamic contrasts. To my ears those benefits are far out weighted by their compromises. If mechanical amplification is all that good, why aren't Victrolas used much anymore?

I own a klicpsh 5.1 set up which I listen in six channel set up or in two channel stereo set up and they sound very lively. For those who listen to hard core Salsa music this is the only way to go.The sound production will put you on the dance floor weather you are a dancer or not.Plain and simple.On the other hand, if I just want to do critical listening I go to my Ushers.Horns give you the opportunity to feel crochendos,decrochendos,accents as if you were in a club listening to live music.When I listen to Tito Puente on timbale drums I am able to disect his rymthm patterns in SUPER detail.Its imposible to do it with non horn speakers.The same goes with the other latin drummers.Hand slaps rolls finger slaps ruffels etc.can be distinguished perfectly. I personnally use the horn to study my drumming.I just can not do this with non horn speakers.If there is something that you spectifically look for in a musical piece you just might fine it with the horns.Bottom line ,you just have to listen to them to see if they favor your type of music.

I think we can all agree that horns are not going to set the mainstream audio world on fire anytime soon. But I believe it is NOT because of mechanical amplification being outdated. (Are we now going to claim that tube amplification is old technology and outdated?) Most designers don't understand how to work with them. Then there are the drivers. Many horns, including the ones I use, are built with vintage, pro drivers in mind. Except for my Fostex horn tweeters which are very recently made. There are shipping issues, user issues, WAF issues, etc., which are all valid reasons why there are not more horn speakers being designed these days than this old and in the way technology theory.

Victrolas? Bad analogy. Just because those had a horn does not make it work in this comparison. There are many, many more issues with those old gems which would speak to why they aren't used anymore. If we all remember, those things had no electronics and you cranked them by hand.

Horns have greater potential than any other approach. Designers who move into using horns do not go back unless they need the money they can make producing yet another boring rendition of the 3-way.