If a " system " cannot do this, I move on........

@mrdecibel,  Nice description of what many of us heard as teenagers when our listening preferences were being formed.  The sound of Altec and Klipsch horn speakers in the 1970s is what did it for me.  

As many have pointed out, Klipsch speakers in particular really benefit from upgrading their stock capacitors.  They have also made some improvements in their Heritage line over the years.  However, I can’t say I like the sound of their “modern” tower speakers vs. their old school designs.  Again, personal preference, but even they have proven not all horn speakers are created equal.

Recently, I finished a modified Altec Model 19 project giving the 416A woofer its own reinforced cabinet and tried new and old compression drivers and horns to find the most enjoyable combination.  So even if you’re in the horn camp, there are different flavors for your own preference. 

Trying different capacitors in Zilch’s Z-19 crossover actually surprised me as to how much it could change the sonics of the speakers, for good or bad vs. what I was looking for.  (But this is for any speaker, not just horns, though they tend to reveal the differences more.)

But it’s not just the electronic altering of the recording that engineers use to get a certain sound, it starts with how the room is setup acoustically with room treatments.  I would suggest that horn speakers are more in need of proper acoustic room treatments to sound their best, especially in reflections points between the speaker and listener.  

Engineers also affect the sound with the instrument or vocalist’s position in relationship to the microphone.  Given the horn’s by-design directed sound distribution, their placement in the room and to the listening position, especially toe-in, also seem to alter their sound more than all-cone speakers. 

That said, I’ve heard capable horn speakers sound bad when the room, placement, etc., is not set up correctly.  I’d even say they can be made to sound worse than a non-horn speaker in a poorly prepared listening environment.  This could be why some people are anti-horn.

So, while horns may need more attention to detail to sound their best, the rewards can be as you described.  Thanks for reminding us it’s about enjoying the music.

Got my speakers.  They were horns, cause that's what I had before.  These are much better.  But when I put them in two years ago, I had lots to do.  Get the digital right.  Treat the room.  Move speakers around.  Adjust subs.  Still, it wasn't quite there.  I got rid of the harshness with the above, but soundstage was flat and I still got that fatigue.  Finally, when it happened, it was like the sea had parted.  Taller wider deeper soundstage.  The notes decaying, visualizing where they recorded the record, hearing individual parts of individual strings plucked.   No, these horns don't sound forward to me.   I know, you can do this with other speakers, but I like the efficiency, the dynamics, details, So it took me a couple years to wring all of this out of my system.  I think I'm there, until I find something else to improve!

And thank you, Mr. Decibel, you were one of the ones who welcomed me to this forum and offered suggestions. 

I am not going to sugar coat this.

I have spent time on the recording side, the live performance side, and home system side of music. I was asked by my brother to apply my skills and knowledge as an ex aerospace/defense engineer to the recording/playback issue you are describing.

It turns out making a great recording is usually not an accident, but making exceptional recordings is rare and usually is just luck. However, there are a few recording engineers who know at least some of the secrets. The big secret is "high performance cabling". If you want to push the limits even farther then the connectors on the equipment needs to be upgraded and some equippment may require recapping. Endorsement is a big issue on the recording and performance side so I won't tell you who I have done work for.

But just like in the Audiophile world the question is what makes for a "exceptional cable" and which cables sound the best. It boils down to what is good enough for the job.

In my cable design studies I have attempted to reduce the difference between a live performance and a recording of that performance. My lab was a recording/playback room with typical "Rock Band" equipment and I can barely play an instrument and off to the side I had a electronics lab with fabrication capibilities. When accuracy and noise control are pushed to the limits of available materials, previously unheard detail and emotion are uncovered in the music and it is like you have never heard the recording before.

I did find something I did not expect in my studies. Some peoples brains reject what others call an improvement. The people who's brains accept the increase in performance appear to be addicted to the sound created. I am one of those people. In case you were wondering my design work only looses a cable shoot out on price, The competetion will reduce the price until they sell their cable.

There is one problem with my cable designs, it will uncover every inadequacy (or lowest performance item) in a system and I expect the owner to blame me. Therefore I highly suggest only one brand of cable in a system, mixing causes problems. Ray Seda wrote a review in two articles describing this problem of mixing cables.
Tom
Audio Union

With obvious bass issues, I have to say that many elctrostatic speakers rival or supass many horns systems in realistic sound reproduction.

I acknowledge that mating a sufficiently good subwoofer with an eletrostat can be problematic.

Welcome back Mr. D.!

I, too, am beholden now to horns.  And like you, I'm at a spot where the quality of recording takes things to a special place.  That said, unlike, you, I can enjoy a Jethro Tull recording--not picking on you...I've had all sorts of issues with all sorts of systems over the years. 

I looked at your systems page and I didn't see any components listed. Would you mind sharing?  

I agree that Adele can really sing and she would never need autotune but for "effect", which is not my taste.  I do, however, hold the opinion that some of her records could be recorded and mastered better.  Some of her greates songs sound like they are always running full throttle and things get busy/smeary for me--across lots of systems.  I think she needs to work with T Bone Burnette.   

Coincidentally, have you heard Imelda May's album, Life Love Flesh Blood?  It's produced by T Bone.  If Adele sounded (from a production, engineering and mastering perspective....) like this I'd buy everything and perhaps a Reel to Reel deck to hear it.  Sublime.