@audiokinesis --
My statement about the Oblate Spheroid profile was based on my understanding that it is the mathematical optimum for minimizing detrimental internal reflections within the horn. There are other profiles optimized for other things - minimum phase, wavefront preservation, etc.
Duke
My aim with your earlier quoted statement wasn’t specific, but obviously that can be problematic in itself - sorry for not being more clear. I appreciate your info on the OSWG’s - I remember reading Mr. Geddes "White Paper" (i.e.: thesis or whatever) on this matter, and it was an interesting read. It seems to truly benefit from this design and minimize internal reflections within the horn as proposed a foam plug of some specific type is needed, but he may have patented this solution.
I guess my main gripe comes with questioning the usefulness, in some instances at least, of knowing about minutiae design "tech details" and how these are convertible into or relate to actual perceived sound. The designer/developer him- or herself should have a closer bearing perhaps, but oftentimes I feel such knowledge presented to the end user, illuminating it may be as a field and entity in itself, has a tendency to produce disciples almost or followers of a brand/principle rather than critical, informed individuals that would seek not to equate too easily. Perhaps I come off setting the bar too low here; I don’t mean to imply the worst of people, but pragmatically speaking I believe this is what marketing does in many cases. That wasn’t what I got away with reading your posts above.
As an endeavor I also have very high respect for Mr. Weiss’ OMA speakers, and look forward to hearing them at some appropriate point in the future. They’re a revival or testament of sorts to speakers as they really should be: large (as physics dictate), highly sensitive (to be used in conjunction with the topologically most simply tube amps), and made with natural, high quality materials where design follows function (and not the other way round); speakers that takes place in one’s home environment as uninhibited and beautifully imposing sound (re)producers. As much though as OMA is a celebration almost of old-school horn/-hybrid speakers, that overall vibe is tempered somehow by the insistence on the use and prowess of the conical horn profile as the best of the bunch, and at the same time shooting into the corner the rest as sub-standard material that can’t rise to the level of something (equally?) good. It’s arrogant, I find, and unfortunate/uninformed really. Like saying: horn speakers are great, as long as they’re mine. That may not be what Mr. Weiss truly feels about the matter, but it comes off that way.
I guess that was my specific aim..
