Horn based loudspeakers why the controversy?

Would agree horns match best with horns making a hybrid system is a compromise. Full horn loaded systems are rare mostly due to size and since rare not many experience them. I have people fly in from many parts of the earth to hear mine. I have built owned so many horn systems over the years and at this time have 3 all front loaded horn systems running many are stored- one uses a 20ft long 900lb front bass horn- one just a giant RCA front horn -also using pair of RCA Shearer horns and a pair of community leviathans with 515 and TAD mid all systems use combinations of vintage and modern though I can and have run many stock to get a idea what they were originally capable of.  Since much of front horning is done by DIY types I have heard greatness but also ignorance in some set ups. But even those who bumble are learning and knowledge is well worth pursing. I do know that today hands on is kind of shunned most today just want to drop in local shop or open amazon and get instant gratification. So I never expect front horns to become popular but they sure can perform and I do think that some will always be after this performance aspect since most other designs do not equal it or do not supply it due to size and cost constants. The market demands small similar designs and that is what buyers get. The market does not demand giant horn systems but that doesn't negate what these types of design are capable of. Today if one wants better than average one must seek it out and that takes a bit of effort that today most do not care to do.

phusis-{ In essence: the controversy surrounding "horns," as I see it, has more to do with misinformation, confusion of definition, convenience and habitual bias than any actual assessment of a pair of true horn speakers}  I agree -I would also add that disinformation on horns is also put out by audio dealers and manufacturers to shill products and self promote own designs. 

I think that an all-horn system would be ideal, but as a user of a hybrid system myself, I have to say that it can do a very good job as well. Consider that with the one compression driver covering all of the treble and midrange, it already has an advantage in coherence, and the bass provided by the direct radiating drivers in my system seems to blend in very well. I think that there must be many other hybrid systems out there that do a good job as well. 

larryi practical isn't what audiophiles or audiophiles system are about. Many front horns can be placed near wall or corners so take up less usable room sqft than standard audiophile fare of monitors on stands pulled out into room. My giant community leviathans use up the same space as my slim fostex towers did.  Many OB designs would require more usable room sqft than front horns since it requires distance from rear wall and proper baffle size to produce useful low frequency most greatly undersized and under-build  OB designs and look at it as a quick easy fix when in reality they are anything but. A OB needs to be greatly overbuilt or they become sound boards much energy wraps around baffle edges you can easily feel it when music is played. Also drivers in OB designs rock baffles with cone movements most OB I see do not address this and many place tweeters and mid on such unstable baffles. Not saying OB or hybrids are not viable or that one can not get good sound out of its just sub-optimal when used with horns.