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Attention Horn Owners

Hey guys. I’m in the middle of making a few changes and seek your wisdom and help. Doing my research for speakers, I currently own Audio Note e/lx, and I think I might need a little more bass presence. These are wonderful, natural sounding speakers but I’m debating a change. Slightly more efficient would be nice, the AN’s are listed at 94db but some say measure closer to 92db. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 
Now for the post title. Doing my research I came across Volti. I like purchasing American made when I can, my amp and preamp are Aric Audio. I’ve never heard a horn speaker before. Reviews of some say they tend to be bright, which is a no go for my sensitive ears. Reviews did mention that Volti are not bright. So, any comments regarding ear fatigue and horn speakers or Volti speakers would be fantastic. 
‘Finally, I live on Long Island. If there is any nearby who would be kind enough to allow me to listen to a horn speaker, there’s a six pack or bottle of wine in it for you! lol. I’d love to hear a pair before I spend 1 million hours researching different ones. Thanks in advance. Earthbound

earthbound
earthbound OP
195 posts
 

Having heard them, I wonder just how close they are sound wise to the Lucera or Rivals. Greg will say come on down and have a listen! lol. Great guy. I liked the modified Klipsch a lot. 

sns
4,014 posts
 

With the modded Khorns hard pinned info really extends into room, but at the same time I have a wonderfully deep center sound stage which can also extend out into room. I've had narrow baffle box loudspeakers in the past which made speaker disappear, with the large Khorns this really not possible. One of the great benefits of my mods is that I've been able to achieve much better time alignment of drivers. With the free standing mid horn and tweeter I can set tweeter baffle back from front face of speaker, result is high freq much more in balance with mids, when Khorns were stock sound stage was much more in your face and hot. I can also toe in or out both mid driver and tweeter without disturbing the corner placement/seal which is required for the folded horn to perform best.

 

No doubt horn material matters greatly, far more natural sounding vs. plastic or the metal mid my Khorns originally had. Shape of horn also matters in that it directs the sound, tractrix far superior to exponential. 

 

Finally, in order to achieve a more refined or natural sound quality from horns a quality crossover is required, using quality caps, inductors, resistors if used and wire can go a long way in achieving this. 

 

As for amps, pre's, I think SET is great match for most high efficiency horns although push pulls can be very nice as well. SET may be more immediate/up front but the lovely 300B with no negative feedback and it's even order harmonic distortion is sublime.

 

 

sns
4,014 posts
 

Meant to say wood horns.

referee1
15 posts
 

Depending on your budget Klipsch heritage series work well with tubes. I’m using Rogue Cronus Magnum III with Cornwall IVs, very good match. 

unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
1,152 posts
 

@toddalin 

Best they have ever heard?

They haven’t heard mine, 😂!

Then again, I’d never make such a claim about a particular component, only about a system.  Each component functions within the context of the system within which it resides. Weakest link rules. 

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