Horn based loudspeakers why the controversy?


As just another way to build a loudspeaker system why such disputes in forums when horns are mentioned?    They can solve many issues that plague standard designs but with all things have there own.  So why such hate?  As a loudspeaker designer I work with and can appreciate all transducer and loudspeaker types and I understand that we all have different needs budgets experiences tastes biases.  But if you dare suggest horns so many have a problem with that suggestion..why?
johnk
helomech, I did say the Heresy worked, in the next sentence. Believe what you want, but, IMO, the Lascala, the Belle, and even the Vittori and Simon Mears, have a bass that is more musical, and coherent, between the bass and mid horn, than many. I love hybrids, and there are many I could probably live with. This is just my opinion. Enjoy your Heresys, as they are IMO, the best out there, at the price, and size ( I have owned many Heresys, mostly series 1, and some series 2. I have heard the series 3. If you PM me, I can give you a pointer or two on how to bring them to the next level ( however, if you bought them new, I would not want you to void the warranty ). Enjoy !  MrD 
P.S. You should join the Klipsch community, as, they are all Klipsch fanatics.
Dynamic speakers absolutely smash horns into the ground in terms of volume of media attention, sales, and conversation. Why do dynamic loudspeakers practically own the speaker market at every price point? You can't understand the controversy if you can't answer that question.
Sure- and to be fair, 90% of those speakers are sold at Best Buy and similar; and really aren't 'high end'. My speakers at home are a lot more expensive that anything sold in a box shop.

Horns were pretty well the only game in town in the old days. Tubes were the only game in town too. Tube power is expensive- so doing the most with it pays off on the speaker end. Horns are still around because if you can build them right, they are as low distortion as anything out there, just as three dimensional and revealing, and a plus is they can play a lot louder- still a good thing, as tube power is still more expensive than solid state and tubes are still very much around!
Yes horn people have a over all general consensus those who have experienced much know whats good or bad in horns and how to use them. But you still have the pro-audio gents who look at vintage as crazy you have the klipsch crowd and those who only pursue the most modern but over all if you have enough experience in horns we tend to agree whats good and not. Many horns are modular so a experienced user can combine these modules together to reach a end goal this also allows for user upgrades far more than conventional designs do and I think this hands on  and ease of upgrades and optimization is appealing to some.