Are horns and hi-eff designs becoming more popular

I'd go straight to Classic Audio Reproductions, although I'm not sure you'd quite get out the door for 10K.

Dcstep,

If you ever get up to New Hampshire you'd be welcome to come by and hear my Edgarhorns. All speakers have some colorations and these are no exception. However, you will not hear any midrange honk. I also did not hear that from Azzolina horns. I also own a pair of Acapella La Campinella MkI's and with the right amplification these also do not exhibit any honk.

For to original question, I don't know if horns are gaining popularity but I think high efficiency maybe gaining slightly more popularity in the 2 channel music world. I think lower efficiency and big wattage amps are still the favorites in the HT and multichannel world.

Jaybo,the long answer is YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.Single driver and horns and various vintage Altecs,JBL'S,and others are very popular again.The Japanese have been using this stuff for years.They are usually 10-15 years ahead of the US as far as single driver and different horn technology's.It all depends where you ask the question.Check out JE labs site + "Site Jeen" there are many more vintage sites.If you wanted to try a pair on the cheap try the horn shoppe's speakers.If you want any plans for some of the 50's models send me an email.Take care,keith

Dan_ed, thanks for the offer. I've never been to NH, but you never know, do you? I expect to put together a "big system" in mid-2009 so I'll be certain to check out horns before making a decision.

Dave

I also do not think hi-eff and horn speakers are on the increase, which is a shame really. There will always be a dedicated hi-eff/horn following just like antique furniture and cars. I was put onto horns in 1993 by a friend who was selling his speakers (so sadly was he at parting with them that he was nearly crying at letting them go) they are a pair of Impulse H1's (that I bought on the spot on first hearing, as they sounded Incredible compared to my aged Isobarik DMS). Being In a bedroom band and having lots of nice recording gear we recorded my piano at home with a reel to reel and nice mics, then we played It back through the speakers and the similarity between the piano and the recording was scarily close. I think from my little experience is that there are great bargains to be had cost versus performance between horns and enclosed speakers. I listen to as many as speakers as possible at shows etc and while many are very good and a few are excellent (pricey also), I still would not swap my Oris 150's for. I really bought my 150's for peanuts compared to most speakers on sale here on Audiogon and sound wise they are as good as I need. One probably needs a sympathetic partner for one to house large horns as a minus point.