Very BIG Room? Music and Home Theatre Challenge

As I've said earlier and as Elevick and Shiva have pointed out there are very sound reason for suggesting horns, especially in this application. If one is trying to simulate the sound one hears in a movie theatre, it makes even more sense. I have no desire to replicate what I hear in movie theaters. I certainly hope we can do better than that. While Shiva points out all that might be good in horns in a theatre he does leave out all that is bad. I haven't been to a movie theatre in California, but I have in New York and elsewhere too. I suspect that the top N.Y. theatres have sound sytems comparable to what ever any other locale might have. Well, I find them just dreadfull. As Shiva carefully suggests they can be too loud, where even whispered dialogue is shouted into the cinema. Despite the many speakers there is no real soundstage and side and rear speakers are always gimicky and too self evident ( hight tech special effects aside, you know Star Wars et al.) The honkyness is absolutely annoying and I always leave with a mild headache and my ears ringing. I don't suggest that my priorites are the same as everyone elses and horns may be just the ticket for some. As for me, not my cup of tea.

"...I have no desire to replicate what I hear in movie theaters. I certainly hope we can do better than that." (Unsound).

I beg to dissagree with Unsound, but you can't really!!!...especially for movie soundtracks. The Things a good horn setup(especially quality active stuff) can do are perfect for movies in a large venue! They project pressence(what most audiophile speakers can't do) in to a space that's immediate and grabbing! You can easily hear dialog and ever detail in a good setup, and they are dynamic as hell!!!!...again, something you can't get on home gear for the most part, especially audiophile dainty!
I've sold Wilson's, Thiel, Dunlavy, B&W, Meridian, SFaber, Logan's, Maggies, you name it. They can't compete with horns for an all out dynamic assault. And that's the majority of the passion, the thrill, excitement and heart of a good Movie system, sorry. Still, to each his own.
Just don't expect anyone but you to be impressed with your system for movies if you use a lot of these speakers...it's a big yawn for most.
At the very least, on high end gear, you need to boost the efficiency and coherence/focus of the system usually, to get the dynamics and solidity of immage out! Otherwise, it's airy and delicate alright, which is really drown out when the volume goes up, and the dynamics overwhelm the audiophile speakers. Basically, they have serious dynamic limits, and are dynamically un-transparant. That's the truth...ok if you listen at a flee's volume level, and listen to small scale music most often.
Also, a well designed horn system on the right gear is a well balanced thing.
That said, the movie theater has to be setup properly and calibrated correctly, and many aren't! It's easy to over crank the bass, have blown woofers unrepaired in the theater not working, improperly EQ'd, etc in these theaters, just like any home. Management varries. However, in a good THX certified cinema, it's very good!
Also, tubes work very good often with tube gear! My Klipsch's (I've got Infinity's too) are superb on a Jolida! They're 100db effecient, and very well balanced with the tubes...many should try.

Well, I did get rid of my Klipsch Heresey's to get Cornwalls. However, I got rid of the Cornwalls to buy Coincident Conquests. These are enough for a huge room but find some Victorys or even milleniums and you will be set. Coincident are almost as efficient as Klipsch yet no horns! The sound isn't anything like klipsch. These will set you back a few more bucks though.

I still say he's better off with good active-woofered higher end speakers like MTS prelude Infinities. This will tremendously help you overall, as you wouldn't have problems integrating your woofers and mains...thus no separate subwoofers.
I know, I know,...sounds like your loooking for more "essoteric" speakers, even more obscure findings from the audiophile mix.
If that's the case, I'd seriously look at Wilson Cubs! These are fast and higher sensitivity desings, and are used in a number of dubbing studio and recording houses. Very high end sound, and stellar for movies.
Again, I'd tend to shy away from some of the other speakers you mentioned, serving double dubty for music/HT in your large venue, wanting higher end aspirations.
But you know, Martin logans might be just what you want. Who's to say. Also, the Logans will sound better with limited acoustical treatment as well, as they cancel out off axis. Then however your off axis seating, and listening around the room won't be good for music however. You've got to sit right in front of Logans, just like Maggies!
Another more expensive propossition in high end active systems that might work for ya, are ATC actives.
Na, I'd still look at Wilson Cubs first.
Good luck either way. Maybe a good saleman can close the deal for ya...make you take something home! (lol)
Otherwise, you're gunna have to just guess/hope, and find out what works

OK now this thread might go on forever....

but philosophically, I have a hard time with this home theatre sound vs music sound debate.

If a so called audiophile speaker gets washed out, or sounds wimpy, or cant articulate dialogue etc, I would say it isnt a very good speaker and we should all give it a miss?!

I do understand that chamber music and Vietnam movies present different challenges, but at the big buck, high quality level, I dont know why there should be such a great divide between home theatre sound and music.

If highly dynamic, extremely sensitive speakers sound loud or fatiguing on music, then why wouldnt they sound loud and fatiguing after 2 hours watching a movie?!

Now we could argue that dynamic, sensitive speakers including some horns lend themselves well - within a certain price range - to the wide dynamic swings of movies and also have enough bottom end oomph to reproduce explosions, or car crashes or whatever.

And perhaps my taste in movies is more Woody Allen than Arnold Schwarzenegger, but so far, I side with Unsound:

I want it to sound BETTER than the cinema.

At least the ones I have heard which certainly includes 90% of the lousy mulitplex screens. And I live in NYC. God help the people in Peoria or wherever.