Horns - Necessary to complete the Audiophile Journey?

[watchnerd]

Any experiences with little baby hybrid horns like the Klipsch Heresy IV?

It might be an easy way to dip a toe in the water.

 

[watchnerd]

100%

Play typical pop music through my (narrow pattern) horns and it sound dry. Every synthetic instrument and added 'effect' like reverb (especially 80's studio mixed stuff) sounds detailed but synthetic.

Play a live track and it sounds like you are there. Same goes for classical, and for older recordings. New stuff (even pop) is getting vastly better across the board, and this is clear on my speakers.

Put my big focals on though, and it all sounds more wide and 'Live', but it sounds like that regardless of what the track is. Heavily mixed/engineered tracks sound MUCH more like everything else.

The majority (all?) of tracks sound excellent on the (good measuring ) focals.
None of them make the hairs on the back of your head stand up though.

What model are your big Focals?

 

[tuga]

Any experiences with little baby hybrid horns like the Klipsch Heresy IV?

It might be an easy way to dip a toe in the water.

I'd check the tonal balance before diving.

 

[watchnerd]

I'd check the tonal balance before diving.

"Forward" is what the consensus seems to be.

It's probably the direct opposite of my current speakers (Dynaudio Contour 20).

 

[tuga]

"Forward" is what the consensus seems to be.

It's probably the direct opposite of my current speakers (Dynaudio Contour 20).

This is the only plot I've found:

 

[Lbstyling]

What model are your big Focals?

I have several, but the 1028be's would be the best I've A-B'd with these. Focal are quite 'forward' in terms of imaging vs many typical speakers anyway.

I built some troels Gravesen TJL3W's some years ago. wide, flat, smooth. Extremely low distortion. You could put some calm music on these and go to sleep. Super high quality background music speakers. Those were the opposite of these horns. Both ruler flat on axis though.

 

[Lbstyling]

"Forward" is what the consensus seems to be.

It's probably the direct opposite of my current speakers (Dynaudio Contour 20).

I really like those! Great on rock music I thought. Wouldn't put them at the opposite end of the scale for me. Quad ESLs maybe? But similar detail levels.

I remember playing trentemoller 'trees?' (or similar?) on these. Sounded great!

 

[Lbstyling]

Any experiences with little baby hybrid horns like the Klipsch Heresy IV?

It might be an easy way to dip a toe in the water.

Honestly?

Most horns sound bloody horrific. like scraping nails on a wall. I don't fancy the chances of toe dipping working that well. If its not digital active....be skeptical. Flat FR on a horn usually requires heroic levels of EQ.

 

[Inner Space]

Most horns sound bloody horrific. like scraping nails on a wall.

You know ... that's just the inverse of exaggerated audiophool babble. Almost no horns sound "bloody horrific", and no horn I ever heard sounded like "scraping nails on a wall". Horns have significant strengths and weaknesses; some listeners like the strengths more than dislike the weaknesses. They're an extremely valid option.

 

[mhardy6647]

I'd check the tonal balance before diving.

That was impressively diplomatic

 

[Sal1950]

Honestly?

Most horns sound bloody horrific. like scraping nails on a wall. I don't fancy the chances of toe dipping working that well. If its not digital active....be skeptical. Flat FR on a horn usually requires heroic levels of EQ.

You haven't a damned bit of an idea what your talking about.

 

[Lbstyling]

You haven't a damned bit of an idea what your talking about.

Um. Ok, wow. Lol!

Just buy any horn system then I suppose, there all good!

I think we may have a small miss-understanding over my position on this. I am under the impression Inner space has just read my last comment and reacted without reading my earlier ones, and I think you have possibly read his and my last comment and done similar. I could be wrong of course.

 

[amirm]

"Forward" is what the consensus seems to be.

It's probably the direct opposite of my current speakers (Dynaudio Contour 20).

I think the first thing you should do is let me measure your Dynaudio so we know what we are talking about.

 

[Lbstyling]

I think the first thing you should do is let me measure your Dynaudio so we know what we are talking about.

If I remember right, there were links between Dynaudio and Scan Speak..... that is promising on the distortion measurements.

Also, FYI: On that topic, None of the Revel speakers use SB drivers anymore! They moved over to their own version 2 years ago.

 

[Absolute]

Not gone but it's been a while since he posted
Why do you ask?

To me that's gone
I ask because I miss his contributions on different topics.

 

[mhardy6647]

"old school" Klipsch LaScala and K-horn (i.e., not the current morphs) vs. Altec A7-500 VOT. Not sure if the "A-7 woofer" [sic] is a 416 or EDIT 515B.
source: https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/139766-lascala-vs-a-7/

PS The 511B treble horn was not one of Altec's best efforts (at least in many folks' assessment).

Current LaScala test:
https://www.hifinews.com/content/klipsch-la-scala-al5-loudspeaker

EDIT^2: Stereophile tested the current K-horn in 2019, as well:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/klipsch-klipschorn-ak6-loudspeaker-measurements

 

[watchnerd]

I think the first thing you should do is let me measure your Dynaudio so we know what we are talking about.

How long does that take? Do I need to bring the stands?

Do I get a loaner?

 

[DonH56]

How long does that take? Do I need to bring the stands?

Do I get a loaner?

There's an idea, ask Amir to loan you his Salon2's for the duration...

 

[watchnerd]

There's an idea, ask Amir to loan you his Salon2's for the duration...

I'd settle for some 4367's from the store....

Or even an L100.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

PS The 511B treble horn was not one of Altec's best efforts (at least in many folks' assessment).

Could you elaborate on what was wrong with the 511 horn? Just curious because that's the horns I have. I know they have issues with the walls of the horn "ringing" if not damped (which is what I have done). They were made light because, if heavier, they would be more difficult to move and rig in a typical commercial installation. With the 1/2" Aquaplas / Bondo coating on mine, they are damn heavy.