Horn based loudspeakers why the controversy?

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.