Horns for SET: Low budget solutions

This is a no-brainer, the Horn Shoppe Horns are the best speaker value on earth and I am using them with 8wpc Dared Set amps. They portray the truth in musical experience. Go to Audio Circle and read the Horn Shoppe Forum. For $850 if you can afford that they are unbeatable!! Ed is the most approachable person in audio as well. They are hand built by him and his father. Sound is almost perfect. If you can put them close to the wall the bass will be ample.

If LaScalas are too large, then I'd look for a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls. A vintage pair can be anywhere from garage sale prices, which could be ridiculously low, to around $900 at the high end. Careful in pairing a sub off with horns. Horns are extremely fast and responsive, which can make them hard to keep up with (though certainly not impossible). There is a hybrid Frankenstein version of the Cornwalls that someone came up with using, I believe, the mid-horns from a LaScala. Appropriately the result is known as the Cornscala. I think you might be able to find some info on the Klipsch forums.

Marco

The problem is that in your budget(I'm guessing $2000.00) high effiecient horns are compromised somewhere. Either the bass,midrange is to shouty,peaky sound,highs rolled off. You'll have to pick the compromise you can live with, according to your taste of music and of course system and room.

Abdou, all of the above recommendations are good ones. One thing you really will have to consider is room size:

1) Large horn speakers with multiple drivers (Altecs, Cornwalls) certainly need space. Not just because of bass, but you have to be able to sit 8-14ft away for the drivers to integrate properly. In a huge room this would be my favorite option.

2) In a very small room, Fostex based speakers are much easier. Without sitting far away you will be able to get fairly good imaging. Good examples are the Hornshoppe Horns and Cain Abbys. Both have enough bottom-end extension to get away without a subwoofer in a small room. Also you can always add a subwoofer later. In my small room the Abbys work like a charm.

Much of the above will come down to a matter of taste as well. You should try to find audiophiles in your area that might let you listen to their system - always a good idea to make friends ;)

Excellent post from Rchau. I suggest you read his post again.