Good, Affordable Horns?

Well OK, if you are comparing the Klipsch cabinet quality with new Polks, Bose, KLH then yes they have good cabinet construction. If you compare them to B&W, NHT, Dynaudio ect..then they are built rather poorly. Klipsch most certainly needs tubes to tame them nasty, bright, colored mids and highs.

If you want a good horn speaker look at some single driver speakers with rear loaded horns. But to each his own. Like I said I have owned many Klipsch & I will never go back. The Klipschorn was designed back in 1945, we have come a long way since then. People still like them but I strongly feel there are much better speakers for the money. It's like a bright TV, it will catch your attention right away but give it an hour and your eyes/ears will hurt.
IMO

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Touche' on the bored comment. Sometimes I like to look at new options just because I can.....

I guess I'm just always looking to try (or hear) something different.

I still don't know if there is a single speaker that works best for all kinds of music.

I don't think I have anything currently that would resemble the sound of a good horn loaded design.

The tube/horn point is probably very well taken. I'm not looking to go to tubes in general.

My Carver c-6 does provide pre-amp outputs with a "tubelike" response (God bless Bob Carver...always looking to innovate and provide something different)as well as the solid state outs that I currently use and prefer given my current SS amplification and brothel of speakers.

I think currently, my Ohm Walsh's are still my favorites in general. If I had to keep just 1 pair of speakers, it would probably be the F-5's.

i get bored with my hi fi stuff all the time....i do like the klipsch cornwalls and heresys, but i know those ohms have that magic balance that many agoners have yet to find, regardless of speaker type or cost.

The Ohms are a great value. They do tend to take somewhat of a bashing on this site though. Many purists who know the history of this line can't get over the fact the current CLS drivers used aren't as sexy as the older, problematic Walsh drivers and have to be hidden in a metal can because they are ugly otherwise.

I do tend to listen to speakers, not look at them. Those JAdis Eurythmies are so cool looking though!!! I think I like the distinctive looks of horn speakers and as a speaker affectionado, I want to have a pair to look at almost as much as to listen to. For example, I would love to have an old Victrola just because of what it represents from an audio engineering sense even though the technology is antiquated in a sound quality sense.

Anyone want to sell me a pair of Eurythmies in my price range?????

Well OK, if you are comparing the Klipsch cabinet quality with new Polks, Bose, KLH then yes they have good cabinet construction. If you compare them to B&W, NHT, Dynaudio ect..then they are built rather poorly.

As a matter of fact, no, I was not comparing the Klipsch cabinets to any of those speakers you mention. I did not comment on the cabinet 'quality' at all, except to say that they could benefit from some additional internal bracing. I also questioned how a wood cabinet could 'ring like a bell', as you suggested. More importantly, regarding the Klipsch speakers, what I said was that the horns that are being used in the Klipsch Heritage line do not depend at all upon the cabinets for any aspect of how they perform (other than being held in position). The midhorn and tweeter would sound the same whether or not they were held inside a cabinet, or supported firmly in space by a simple stand. The folded horn and bass drivers are the only aspect of the performance of those speakers that would be effected by cabinet 'quality'. If you are referring to visual and aesthetic 'quality' I agree with you completely: there are many other speakers that are built and finished better and are more pleasing to most folks in comparison to the rather utilitarian (deliberately so) look of the Klipsch Heritage speakers. As far as how they sound, it's largely a matter of synergy and personal tastes. The bass response could be improved upon by better bracing and more solid cabinets. Most of the magic of the horn speakers are in that midrange though.

It does not surprise me one bit that there are those who do not like how they sound, nor does it surprise me that there are just as many who do. I would say the same thing about any speaker or component. You'll always find someone who likes it and someone who doesn't.

The Klipschorn was designed back in 1945

And it is still in production! Continuously....for over 60 years! Why, I wonder? How many other speakers can claim that longevity? I can't think of any others, can you? I can't really think of any electronic product that can make that claim. We've come a long way since then, yet a 60 year-old design can still wow quite a few very serious music lovers. It ain't perfect..plenty to improve upon, but a damn find foundation IMO. If there were one perfect speaker, wouldn't all of us agree and covet the exact same thing?

Marco