Best horn speakers under $7500/pair

[tifune]

I'd really love to try a good horn speaker. I know a bit about the theory behind them but less about the consumer options and prices. Maybe $7500 / pair,?

What should I be considering? What models are pretty neutral?

Probably not exactly what you had in mind, but the Reflektor Audio Square2 meets all your criteria

 

[Audio Science Pal]

@Mort , are your Genelec speakers not loud enough?

 

[829]

[...]
Here's a completely different system with a JBL from the same cinema line:
View attachment 552798
[...]

I knew this looked familiar @mitchco.

 

[Flaesh]

I knew this looked familiar @mitchco.

Yeah, that's Mitch's system.
There was a large thread on the AVS forum about 4722, including installing other drivers.
I myself almost bought (but not (primarily) 'cause due local dealer logistics was to poor) a pair of 4622s many years ago. I do not recommend the similar looking 37(6)22 with 1" driver.

 

[Mort]

@Mort , are your Genelec speakers not loud enough?

Oh, they go loud enough. I'm more interested in the narrow directivity and if there is anything to the 'attack'. I'm just trying to learn.

 

[Flaesh]

There are different opinions and some useful information in the https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/horn-speakers-is-it-me-or.9633/page-51 thread.

 

[829]

Oh, they go loud enough. I'm more interested in the narrow directivity and if there is anything to the 'attack'. I'm just trying to learn.

Would the JBL 708P qualify? Horn + HF compression driver. However, I wouldn't say its horizontal directivity is narrow.

Why would you prefer a narrow(er) directivity and which Genelec speakers are we talking about?

 

[Rex Anderson]

A "horn" is a waveguide. "Horn" loudspeakers generally refer to ones that use compression drivers. JBL changed the way people think about horns when they designed the M2 waveguide in 2013. They have refined it and have used it for many of their speakers. JBL compression drivers are considered to be some of the best and are used in high end loudspeakers in recording control rooms, home theaters, and PA systems.

Check out the new JBL Synthesis SCL-10. List price is $3,500 each. The cabinets are not fancy, but the drivers and design are very good.

SCL-10 | 2 -way Dual 6 ½ -inch Built-In Loudspeaker

The SCL-10 is a custom in-room/built-in loudspeaker designed as a built-in solution as LCR behind a projection screen, or in-room in custom cabinetry vertically or horizontally. It features JBL’s patented 2409 1-inch (25mm) compression driver mated to a High-Definition Imaging (HDI™) horn. Dual...

www.jblsynthesis.com

 

[Tom C]

Ive got minimal experience of horns at home, but when i had the JBL Arrays, i bought them because of their in flat frequency response- at least in mids and treble.
I bought them unheard, i expected them to have some kind of obvious artifact to the sound, but they had none of that at all, they could conjure up a "being there" soundstage on certain live recordings and they had little compression, they sounded very colourful, getting the timbres right of instruments and voices, they made my HD650s sound bland and grey.
The Arrays were not low sensitivity, as the 14 inch woofer wasn't as sensitive as other JBL drivers, i'm not sure how the newer, more sensitive JBL's compare.

View attachment 552936

I was hoping someone would mention these. It’s my understanding they measure quite well and are one of the better speakers to ever come out of Harmon. As is often the case with JBL’s finest, they are not cheap. That’s a beautiful pair you have. Looks very fine in your space.

 

[829]

A "horn" is a waveguide. "Horn" loudspeakers generally refer to ones that use compression drivers. JBL changed the way people think about horns when they designed the M2 waveguide in 2013. They have refined it and have used it for many of their speakers. JBL compression drivers are considered to be some of the best and are used in high end loudspeakers in recording control rooms, home theaters, and PA systems.

Check out the new JBL Synthesis SCL-10. List price is $3,500 each. The cabinets are not fancy, but the drivers and design are very good.

SCL-10 | 2 -way Dual 6 ½ -inch Built-In Loudspeaker

The SCL-10 is a custom in-room/built-in loudspeaker designed as a built-in solution as LCR behind a projection screen, or in-room in custom cabinetry vertically or horizontally. It features JBL’s patented 2409 1-inch (25mm) compression driver mated to a High-Definition Imaging (HDI™) horn. Dual...

www.jblsynthesis.com

The HF compression driver: JBL 2409H is the same in the 708P and SCL-10. However the latter roll of quite early as they target applications where typically subwoofer(s) are being used.

Their design differences manifest in different directivities.

===
Edit: A horn is a waveguide, yes. But horns were mainly used to amplify the sound which nowadays is not necessary due to better drivers and much more power available in amplifiers at a lower cost. Also if the horn gets too big, it likely resonates and colours the sound.

 

[HiMu]

Oh, they go loud enough. I'm more interested in the narrow directivity and if there is anything to the 'attack'. I'm just trying to learn.

I used to own 8340 + 7360 setup and have heard the 8361 in Genelec Experience center in Helsinki, so I can give a subjective opinion compared to the Hinson MEH and 15" coaxial floorstanding speakers.
-Imaging is quite similar to the Ones, better than the 15" coaxials. The MEH's have a interesting sound in a way that they sound like wearing very high quality open back headphones, but still sound clearly like speakers in a room/space
-More pa-speaker "bite" but not fatiguing, 15" coaxials have more mid range energy due to the large cone area and -18dB L-pad on the MEH coaxial mid/high compression driver
-Not as polished and neutral as Genelecs
-More like mid field monitor but works as a near field
-Almost the same size and weight as 8361
-In room response goes quite cleanly to 30Hz

I'm trying not to sound like a fanboy, or "force feed" you, but the Hinson's are very good speakers. I listened to them for two evenings and decided to sell my Genelec setup.

 

[DanielT]

Have you looked for used gear?

Here is what I found near me in Sweden. If I can find something like this, surely you— @Mort —could find something similar used in the US (where you live?)

According to the ad: Well-built 4530 horn copies.

No bass drivers included. $210 for both cabinets.

They probably score highest on the WAF scale, but I’ll leave that aside.

Jbl 4530 horn

Jbl 4530 horn — 2 000 SEK. 4530 Horn kopior välbyggda lånad bild

hifitorget.se

(Image on the right: Gemini AI)

Suitable bass drivers would obviously be JBLs, but I suspect that any good 15-inch bass drivers with the right Thiele-Small parameters—from brands like 18 Sound, B&C, LaVoce, Faital Pro, Eminence, etc. (i.e., pro PA drivers)—would work.

 

[Mort]

Used would be fine in the US! I'm not sure those would pass my own acceptance factor.

 

[DanielT]

Used would be fine in the US! I'm not sure those would pass my own acceptance factor.

They certainly aren't pretty to look at, but that can be fixed—with paint or something else. They are hardly small bookshelf speakers; that becomes clear from this video. I don't speak Italian, so I don't know what is being said, but you can watch the video to get a sense of the size. Incidentally, this applies not just to these, but to all horn speakers if they are to reach reasonably low frequencies. They end up being large—it’s simply in the nature of horn designs:

 

[829]

Have you looked for used gear?

Here is what I found near me in Sweden. If I can find something like this, surely you— @Mort —could find something similar used in the US (where you live?)

According to the ad: Well-built 4530 horn copies.

No bass drivers included. $210 for both cabinets.
View attachment 553150

They probably score highest on the WAF scale, but I’ll leave that aside.

Jbl 4530 horn

Jbl 4530 horn — 2 000 SEK. 4530 Horn kopior välbyggda lånad bild

hifitorget.se

View attachment 553151View attachment 553152
(Image on the right: Gemini AI)

Suitable bass drivers would obviously be JBLs, but I suspect that any good 15-inch bass drivers with the right Thiele-Small parameters—from brands like 18 Sound, B&C, LaVoce, Faital Pro, Eminence, etc. (i.e., pro PA drivers)—would work.

I wouldn't even want to think of their frequency response.

With a higher WAF maybe something like JBL HDI-3800. The smaller 3600 was reviewed by amirm.

amirm and Erin have tested quite a few JBL horn loudspeakers; so maybe also go through their databases.

 

[DanielT]

Regarding large speakers...

When it comes to a great stereo, you can't beat BIG SPEAKERS. I'm talking big speakers with big woofers. Like this... You could get this speaker with a little eight-inch woofer, or this one with a ten-inch woofer. OR even this one with a twelve-inch woofer. BUT I can see by the look on your face you want somethin' even bigger!"

 

[Space is the place]

I was hoping someone would mention these. It’s my understanding they measure quite well and are one of the better speakers to ever come out of Harmon. As is often the case with JBL’s finest, they are not cheap. That’s a beautiful pair you have. Looks very fine in your space.

Don't have them anymore, went back to using my NHT evo's and everyone brace themselves... using a three way PMC now.

 

[ElJaimito]

Apologies if this is a daft question, but is this a function of their sensitivity? I am aware that horns have high sensitivity, but am unclear on whether the benefits mentioned here are specifically because of this.

A horn is an acoustic transformer. Rather as an electrical transformer can transform the relation between current (analog: air movement) and voltage (analog: air pressure) on the two sides ideally giving the same product, an acoustic transformer changes the relationship between pressure and velocity. So, the driver can see a very high acoustic impedance and the mouth of the device has a very low one that matches to the room better. Hence the efficiency of radiation is increased for a given power input, and cone movement is very much reduced which can reduce distortion. You can also see it as a lever with the fulcrum mostly to one end if that's clearer. Small movement high force one end, big movement low force the other.

 

[Plcamp]

SB audience has a new circular horn that looks pretty good…tested by Joseph Crowe (but not on a baffle - causing disruption between 1.5 and 2 kHz). Looks like it could support a two way system and handle about 800 hz up with a sb 65cdnt compression driver. Would probably be (aside from attenuation) a drop in replacement in my PAP open baffle system.

I am hoping sb comes out with a lower frequency (500 hz) version of this horn in the not too distant future.

SB Audience XHYDE 290 Horn

The XHYDE 290 is a newly introduced cast aluminum horn by SB Audience. Mark from SB was kind enough to send me two samples for review and testing. I have the 65CDN-T compression driver for the testing, which is the most popular compression driver right now in the DIY world, able to provide a...

josephcrowe.com

 

[DanielT]

SB audience has a new circular horn that looks pretty good…tested by Joseph Crowe (but not on a baffle - causing disruption between 1.5 and 2 kHz). Looks like it could support a two way system and handle about 800 hz up with a sb 65cdnt compression driver. Would probably be (aside from attenuation) a drop in replacement in my PAP open baffle system.

I am hoping sb comes out with a lower frequency (500 hz) version of this horn in the not too distant future.

SB Audience XHYDE 290 Horn

The XHYDE 290 is a newly introduced cast aluminum horn by SB Audience. Mark from SB was kind enough to send me two samples for review and testing. I have the 65CDN-T compression driver for the testing, which is the most popular compression driver right now in the DIY world, able to provide a...

josephcrowe.com

Here are SB’s own measurements, taken on an IEC baffle: