Klipschorns can produce wonderful dimensional imaging if set up properly and fed with the right equipment. My other speakers are Merlin VSM-MM, highly modified with Duelund VSF caps in crossover, bam modded with far too many boutique parts to go through here. Even stock, the Merlins are image champs, very much part of Bobby's design intention. My Klipschorns image as well or better than the Merlins, wonderful 3D center image and plenty of depth, Merlins only superior in that they 'disappear' to a greater extent. Mid freq material does 'stick' to the mouth of mid horn to some extent. Keep in mind my Klipshcorns are highly modded, but I do recall even in stock form imaging was not the problem. I've also been through single driver, open baffle speaker ownership, imaging is extremely important to me, Klipschorns can image, total falsehood they can't. Yes, stock Klipschorns do have imaging liabilities in the sense of driver placement, horn mouth, room placement limitations, amazing they image as well as they do. My modded Klipschorns excel in this department.
Agan, I just don't see Klipschorns as head banger speakers, yes they do macro dynamics, but so do lots of speakers. The special thing about Klipschorns are the MICRO DYNAMICS, even in stock form never heard such immediacy, the sense of live performers in room. Add SET and their inherent sense of the same and you get magic. But superior micro dynamics and loudness brought about by extreme efficiency doesn't add up to head banger speaker.
I will modify my original negative comment about them not being head banger speakers, In the sense that I don't see Klipschorns as rocker speakers, in stock form I don't believe they do well with metal, or hard rock, bass not done justice for this type music, too round, lack of control, won't be doing the slam thing. They'll do much better with electronic dance music, bass will be harder hitting, synthesized bass works much better, you can get some slam here. Subs will be needed to reach EDM lower bass frequencies.
Now, my modded Klipshcorns can do any genre of music well, just this weekend listening to Alice Cooper, Love it to death, an album I hadn't listened to in years, never heard it so alive and compelling in my life, brought me back to my young adolescent self! And EDM played on my system would certainly entice a dance party.
The major problem with the Klipschorn in stock form is timbre, tonality, they simply lack the naturalness required for long term listening pleasure, even at a party. I'd expect they would initially blow a party crowd away, but over time fatigue would set in. I'll reiterate mids will begin to shout, mids bothered me in stock form within minutes. Better supply lots of beer and other mind altering substances so listener fatigue doesn't set in! Perhaps your son has heard about the new fad of house concerts using Klipschorns, many double stacked. Around where I live the people giving these concerts are more about various folk genres, perhaps some EDM mixed in. These are generally not head banging concerts, they are house based, moderate volume, even in student housing areas they can only play so loud for so long.
I totally get why many don't like Klipschorns and/or any horn loudspeakers. Improper horn design and materials, driver and driver placement liabilities, crossover component liabilities, room placement liabilities. Add it up, you got problems, redesign and upgrade components you get natural, live performers in room with you. Inherently superior micro dynamic performance is font of magic from horns, add proper timbre and speaker alignment, sympathetic system matching, proper room, proper placement in room, get every i dotted and t crossed, you get sublime!
Bottom line, for me Klipschorns are a speaker with enough inherent goodness to draw you in, but with enough flaws to drive you away. I get the polarized response to the speaker, I guess some can hear past the flaws, others can't. Being an inveterate modder I saw the flaws as fertile ground for improvement and the inherent positive qualities as motivation to fix the flaws.
