Calling all Horn lovers

Larryi,

Was the 15a system at DejaVu or a private home? I have read about the 15a on the long thread on Lencoheaven, and it seems everyone agrees it is truly magical.

I would just add to the characteristically excellent posts by Larry and Salectric that desirable 1930s Western Electric drivers go for EXTREMELY high prices on the rare occasions when they appear for sale. And with good reason, I would expect, although I've never heard any of them.

Regards,
-- Al

"So it all comes down to finding the right compromise for a given listener."

Very well put. And that, dear reader, is really what it's all about.

Shakey

Vu has a "club" located offsite from the store. The club includes three separate listening rooms, plus an area where they do construction projects. The 15A is in the main listening room which is something like 20' x 25'. It is in the "club" because a purchaser of the system had it installed in his listening room for a single afternoon (after the wife saw it, it was no longer welcome).

The worst cone speakers are horrible. There are cones that seem like they will loosen my fillings in my teeth. The worst panel speakers are horrible. The worst horn speakers are horrible Generalizations are nearly useless.

But the best horn speakers are sublime. Horns are capable of a wonderful combination of sweetness, ease, coherency, power, dynamics. You should try to find some great horns to listen to.

Now, in my "top 5 speakers ever" list is a wonderful dynamic speaker. Unfortunately, it is very inefficient to drive. But my point is that generalizations are flawed.

Now, for MY money, considering the above listed attributes of horns, plus typically good efficiency, more of my favorite speakers are indeed horns, so I would suggest listing to some.

Something I can categorically state is that the prejudice against horns in the Western press and, as a result, Western audiophile circles, is ridiculous and completely misleading.

Seek some out. Go to some shows. Then YOU tell US.