Volleyguy,
Call me crazy or a romantic or whatever, but I still retain my visions of proudly owning Klipschorns someday!
Thanks. |
pauly,
The Cardersound dual loaded horns have caught my eye here on a'gon of late.
They appear well made and reasonably affordable and the point source design with the high/low double horn loading is a design that, having never actually heard, makes a lot of sense to me.
I'd love to hear them just for the sake of hearing them. Unfortunately, the big speaker effect discussed in this thread impacts me...there is nowhere in my home I could place them and do them justice even if I were inclined to. |
Why is it that not many dealers that cater to the higher end market show horn designs in their showrooms along with all the other popular designs?
You would think that if horns were really popular that you would see and hear them around more (other than the latest Klipsch). |
Well, they certainly do have a following.
Horns + tubes offer a different kind of listening experience from SS and conventional box design speakers, so I personally do find some appeal there. Not necessarily better or worse..but different, that's the key.
Also, I have an old fashioned streak in me and I find there is a special romantic appeal with horns...they are a throwback technology of sorts and beckon back to the "olden days" when things were simpler, kind of like a techni-color movie from the golden age of Hollywood on TCM. Nipper and the "His Master's Voice" RCA logo just makes me feel good, for some reason (see my system pics).
I haven't taken the horn plunge yet to date, but have spent time seriously studying the options. I may pick up a pair of inexpensive, small modern Klipsch reference series speakers at some point just to test the waters in my two channel A/V system. |
One thing I must say is, other than mass market Klipsch speakers targeting the A/V market mainly in Best Buy and Tweeter, I has never seen any horn designs on display for audition at any high end shop I've been in in the last few years that I recall, and I've been in many along the DC/NY corridor.
Horns may be more trendy or popular on this site lately, but if this was a larger trend, I would expect that most high end audio shops would demo some good horn designs alongside all the other designs which you do see/hear.
AM I reading into this too much or is it possible that horns just do not sell well if stacked up side by side against other designs? |
YEs, I've looked quite a bit at the Klipsch Heritage line.
If I were to take the plunge, it would probably initially be with something like a Heresy due to size and placement concerns, though the Fortes have also caught my interest based on user reviews I've seen. |
Height and WAF.
The only room I could even think about putting those in is my office (not a fully dedicated listening room) which is only 12X12 and they would stick out like a sore thumb even in there currently. I'd also probably have to consider changing my amplification.
At this point, I'm curious about horns but not likely to make a big investment in them. I may test the waters somewhat soon with a smaller pair of Klipsch reference which would give me a flavor at modest cost.
Believe me if I could, the Cardersounds would get their due share of consideration! Maybe some day when I retire or something I may have the time and inclination to re-arrange my life just for a pair of speakers. Yes, I can be that crazy when it comes to this stuff! |
Yes, Khorns or cornerhorns in general would work and be the other (ultimate?) way to go for me given my constraints if a local pair came up, but obviously they are a much larger investment.
If I decided to go with Klipschorns, they would probably go in a small 12X12 room where my Dynaudios are currently. Also, I'm not in a rush to part with the Dynaudios, but that's a different though related issue. |
JohnK,
Yes, I know my 12X12 room is less than ideal, in particular for larger speaker designs.
It is very much a nearfield listening environment, I would say.
That's why I have a pair of small (Dynaudio Contour 1.3mkII) monitors in there currently. They have some needed room to breathe as set up and perform very well in there though certainly more room would be better.
Khorns would work physically. Sonically? Maybe. Almost certainly not the BEST environment to bring out the best.
I've also had a pair of B&W P6s, Magnepan MG 1.3c's, and Triangle Titus in there in the past. The Titus' did well but the B&Ws and Maggies did much better in other, larger rooms. I consider the (much more expensive) Dynaudio monitors an upgrade over the Triangle monitors mostly in terms of satisfying bottom end, though the sound of each otherwise is still quite distinctive.
Meanwhile I'll see if I can convince my wife to move so I can have a better room for a pair of Khorns but will not hold my breath...... |
I do have visions of adding an additional optimally designed (for sound) room to my house someday.
In the meantime, I've learned to become pretty adept at experimentation and adapting my equipment to the rooms I have to work with.
I'm very lucky these days in that I can go into any of 5 rooms and also out on my deck on a beautiful day, and be very satisfied with each of the various listening experiences. |
