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Any small Horn speaker? Horn speaker lovers. (Piano sound)

Hello, 

As I study about speakers, I develop great interest in horn speakers.

It’s not mainstream mass market, and honestly, I didn’t have any knowledge before.

Personally, for Classical / Jazz music that are mainly for instruments, horn speakers have its charm.
(Distinctive sonic character, Fast Speaker - that I recently understand, Amp efficent)
Especially I try to find the piano sound, closer to the real piano sound - better.

The limitation for me is, most of them are huge and heavy by its nature.

Do you know any small size horn speakers? (Also except Klipsch - personal preference)

So far, what I find is,


1) Avantgarde Uno Fino - 121lbs (55kg) per unit

2) Cessaro Wagner - 242lbs (110kg)... yes it’s too big... please just leave this one as the reference

3) Odeon Helix - 112 lbs (51kg) per unit

... And it doesn’t look like the conventional horn (hybrid? I don’t know)

4) Horning Aristotle - 88lbs (40kg) per unit
 

Is there any other small - under 125lbs (56kg) size? Indeed it’s for a room size 14ft x 14ft (4m x 4m), 
so, even smaller size would fit. (Later I might move this to 20ft x 15ft, but still not big.)

Problems are, all of them are very difficult to reach and get in my area.

For me living in SoCal USA (around LA), Odeon is completely unavailable.
This brand has really terrific speakers not just horn, and some history but somehow there are not many dealers.
It’s puzzling me when the brand like this doesn’t have many dealers, and no dealer in the US.
I heard this in Asia during my current business trip.

About Avantgarde, also I have no idea where I can find one. But I saw them in the US, so there should be a way.
Wish it could be a slightly smaller like Odeon Helix.

About Horning, I’m really curious, but can’t find one for audition.
There is a dealer in the US but not many. (So far two) There seems no way I can audition this.


In conclusion, Horn type speakers are hard to find. (Even in LA area... :( )

So far my speaker hunt starts from... (I could find most of major brands in Asian Hifi marketplace, major dealers are in the one place... Asian HiFi market is intriguing. Almost one stop shopping for almost all brands from $500-$500k.
Still no horn speakers...)

Focal/SF/B&W/Wilson/Revel and other mainstream brands

To -> Harbeth(30.1) / GrahamLS5/9 -> Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby/Brodmann(former Bosendorfer) VC2


Finding Piano sounds is a harder journey than I initially expect.


Cheers.  

’




sangbro

Showing 3 responses by audiokinesis

audiokinesis
2,763 posts
 
Sangbro, I share your opinion that horns done right can do a very good job on piano.  

I am commercially involved with a line of US-made horn loudspeakers, the lightest of which is 46 pounds.  Because of my affiliation I'll refrain from posting details unless you ask me to. 

Best of luck in your quest, 

Duke
audiokinesis
2,763 posts
 
Hi Sangbro, I replied to your private message. 

You mention piano a couple of times - imo that's an excellent test for any loudspeaker.  A horn speaker will typically get the dynamics right (the piano is a percussion instrument!), but getting the tonality right calls for attention to other details.  And of course we want to avoid any edginess, and we want to get the micro-harmonic details right. Those can be challenging for any system. 

If a loudspeaker can do piano and human voice well, imo it's doing a lot of things right.  Briefly, in my opinion that involves getting the direct sound right and getting the reverberant field right.  

Duke 
audiokinesis
2,763 posts
 
Duke just responded to the questions in your messages, sangbro.  The Audiogon notifications had been going into my Spam folder so I didn't see them.
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