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What does one purchase after owning horns?

I have owned Avantgarde Uno's and sold them because of the lack of bass to horn integration. I loved the dynamics, the midrange and highs. Now faced with a new speaker purchase, I demo speakers and they sound lifeless and contrived. The drama and beauty of live music and even the sound of percussion insturments like a piano are not at all convincing. I have an $8k budget for speakers give or take a thousand. My room is 13'X26' firing down the length. Any good ideas will be appreciated. My music prefrences are jazz/jazz vocalist.
renmeister
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,200 posts
 
Another speaker design that can raise the bar in the right application in the right room (generally larger) and with the right amps are large multi-driver line source designs.
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
I am currently using Beauhorn Virtuosos with Wavelength 300b or 45 amps, and I'm extremely happy with this set-up. Either combination can easily overpower my small apartment. I will be moving within a year to a house. I plan to then utilize my JBL 4550 horns. 300Bs on bottom and 45s on top with an electronic crossover. My additional plan is to be staying with these.
pryso
1,928 posts
 
Renmeister, when you owned your Unos did you ever consult with Jim Smith regarding the woofer integration? As the former but longest running importer for Avantgarde in the US, he likely knows more about them and their proper set up for optimal performance than anyone.

Most anyone who has considered any model of Avantgarde knows their reputation for importance of set up. I certainly have not heard a large number of horn speaker designs but I will say the AGs I heard set up by Mr, Smith sounded more like live music than about anything I experienced, and without the typical horn colorations.
inna
7,296 posts
 
I appears that the answer to the original question is this: better horns.
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
"Painting with a broad brush Shadorne, not all panel speakers use one panel and suffers from such"

All panels use diaphragms that are much larger than is desirable for broad even dispersion of their entire frequency range, small panels reduce the issues but none are entirely free of these problems. The big advantage of a well designed three or four way conventional speaker is that each driver can operate in a frequency range where it acts as a point source.

Soundlabs are awesome. In fact Gordon J. Holt used large Soundlabs for many years which attests to their sound quality.

I just offered some alternatives to horns as the op asked. I am not exactly sure if those who describe ATC and Genelec as S*** have actually heard them but then again there is no accounting for personal taste in this hobby.
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