@inna Question is do horns, generally speaking, produce life-like dynamics or exaggerated ’life-unlike’ dynamics ?
As I understand, 15" woofer is difficult to make fast, maybe couple of 10" - 12" would be better ?
Generally horns, not least all-horn speakers (let’s make that distinction clear, as most speakers referred to as "horns" are actually hybrids where the lower to central midrange and down is typically reproduced via direct radiating bass/mids units, hereby giving up sensitivity) will more readily approach life-like dynamics compared to direct radiating alternatives. But let us be careful not to turn things upside down; horns don’t or can’t exaggerate into "life-unlike" dynamics but only, once again, approach and even close to emulate life-like dynamics. It’s the smaller, less efficient direct radiating speakers that comes further away from even approaching this threshold, if you will. Any "exaggeration" felt as such (from horns) would be either "modes" as coloration or distortion at very high levels that would somehow give the sensation of a stressed or forced imprinting (which is very unlike typical quality horn-reproduction); or, the dynamics at play from horns are so much more in the same vein as life-like dynamics that any comparison to smaller, direct radiating speakers (which by virtue of a more general experience can easily become a false reference where dynamics are involved) would invariably be rather startling, and perhaps lead to the conclusion of horn dynamics being "exaggerated."
If we’re talking horn bass, which is rare nowadays, a 15" driver would likely sport a light diaphragm (typically paper) with a relatively small and lightweight voice coil (i.e.: no larger than 3," likely between 2-3"), have low excursion, and likely be placed in a sealed chamber. Horn bass sensitivity easily sits at 100+ dB’s, generally around 105 dB’s give or take, so imagine the power needed to feed this unit generating sound at a typical 65-85 dB listening level. We’re talking increments of watts, and at truly very high levels approaching 105-110 dB that driver would only need 1-5 watts, whereas the more general example of direct radiating speakers would need up to 100 times more power, power indeed of a magnitude where thermal impact is given at leads to compression. A horn-loaded 15" paper woofer has no problems with speed, even a non-hornloaded similar-ish unit faces no issues here.
@kosst_amojan
....because everybody wants gigantic, hulking crates for speakers, a big honky sound, and 110dB, right? This doesn’t strike me as a debate so much about dynamic range as it seems about just blaring, deafeningly loud regardless of the quality. The foundation of excellent imaging is flat response across a broad range of volume. You cannot have excellent imaging without that characteristic. Huge speakers are very well known for sonically falling apart when operated below their optimum power. Speakers with smaller drivers remain much more coherent across a much wider power range at the cost of some dynamics at the their limits. It’s a trade off and very few speakers deviate far from that truth. That’s all I’m trying to say and have acknowledged here.
It’s a misconception that owners of big horn speakers would generally and necessarily favor playing at 110 dB’s. What’s less known, if one knows horn speakers more "intimately" than mere exhibition experience, is their oftentimes excellent abilities to "come alive" at lower volumes (better so than non-horn speakers), which is an important asset for several reasons. Big size horn speakers also emulates live acoustic sound more closely than smaller direct radiating dittos, end of story. That’s a means in itself if you’re into a natural representation and can appreciate a live acoustic reference, regardless of playback level. And honky sound? Some horns can do that, but others don’t. You should seek more out for audition, and hear this for yourself - unbiased. Regarding the imaging thing: to be perfectly honest, the narrow baffle sales speech does nothing to me, because I can’t relate to or identify its so-called virtues - and it’s not for any lack of trying. My own speakers, which are all-horns (that is, from some 60Hz and up, below which a sub takes over), are 80 cm’s wide (over 30") and the enclosures are by no means diffraction friendly by that school of thought (Peak Consult speakers on the other hand, if you know them, image in ways that close to no other speakers I've heard can replicate, but whether it's really more natural I'd question). However, they image wonderfully, and I’d be very glad to let you hear for yourself. It’s not that I can’t appreciate non-horn and smaller speakers, on the contrary, it’s just really not "my thing" anymore as something I would actually own. Been there done that. Having said that I respect your choice of speakers and preference here, but it seems to me much of your inclination towards horn speakers is heavily biased from a ground of limited experience (and perhaps under less than ideal circumstances?), but if you should still come to the same conclusion with more widespread experience under better conditions, fair enough - to each his own.
