Are horns and hi-eff designs becoming more popular

Mapman I have a friend who had a set of Khorns in a trailer and it is STILL the best system I have ever heard. His amp was 20k or so but still sounded great. I have had my Lascala's over the years in large and small rooms and say that is one good thing about Klipsch (horn style) is they sound so good at LOW volumes. I think people see those big speakers and think they need to be loud but I do not find that to be the case.

I think horns are becoming more popular because of the movement back to analog back to tubes. The eff. of horns makes them desireable. I have owned the big Klipsch for 25 years and every time I would go to hear the new non horn speakers that were supposed to be so much better I was always underwhelmed. Bass was better but that was it. Very boring and never felt real performance. Maybe I value that most, the illusion of being there and I have felt that I have BEEN there with the horns. All other speakers to me are just speakers. They can sound nice but not "alive".

I wish I could understand the anti-horn honkiness?

What do you think JohnK is the immediacy that we feel with horns is that what others feel is honky? I have owned the Klipsch for 25+ years and it is funny most of the time (for sure the 90's) I used to get a snicker from the store I deal at. Now all of the sudden they think horns have some benefits. This has only just changed in last 2 years. Maybe we have this "Man Cave" idea now and big speakers are Ok again. Another change I have noticed is a kind of debunking of the myth that "little" speakers can be just as good.

I do have some friends who own retail stores and I can see why they do not want horns or any large speaker. Floor space cost of selling is huge. They said the Plasma, LCD is very much about less space in the store and the storage room.

What you are saying about the wee dynamics is the reason after 25 years I still have the Klipsch. Regular speakers I always fell like I have to imagine what the performance is like. The big horns you don't have to imagine! Do you find on the modern horns you can listen at low volumes with excellent dynamics. That is the biggest draw to me on horns. The tower speakers need to reach a certain volume level to make it worth listening too. I can listen to the horns at a low volume level and be quite happy!

John the cost of modern horns though?? Much higher than the ample supply of old (Klipsch) horns? What is the better parts of new horns?

Shadorne I do agree with what you are saying to a point my Klipsch will NEVER get in the livingroom or I will be single! The Linn tower speakers are very attractive and look great just sitting there and yet I MISS the big horn sound. Yes they are butt ugly but if it was all about looks and convience how do you explain the resurgence of vinyl? The resurgence of tubes? Surely are hard drive with all your music on with the smallest most attractive speakers is what most women would want? Yet in some of these monster homes that are being built surely there is space for a room dedicated to just sound with little regard to "looks".

People did say vinyl was dead, tubes were dead, big speakers (horns for sure) were dead and yet that those seem to be the growth areas????

Don't laugh at this Mapman but have you thought about Khorns? If you have corners they do not take up much floor space. I am looking at Khorns (get this) to SAVE space. To me they are majestic looking as well! Cost might be a problem with the Khorns but the foot print is quite small. I have had my Lascala's in a room about the size of yours. That is where Lascala's (also Belle's and Khorns) shine! Small room low volume level dynamics, awesome. I can't imagine what could compete with the big Klipsch in a small room except maybe some new horn designs. I think common thought is big speakers need big room. That is not true of the big Klipsch but maybe true of the wife!

Mapman I see some of your other posts on Klipsh horns. I for one do not feel the other Klipsch are in the same league heritage. If you do go heritage go old. Mine are 1980 Lascala's and Grey can mids. Mine do not have the Alnico tweeter. They were being phased out by then. The cost of Alnico is $30 a pound and ceramic magnets are 50 cents to $5 per pound. So I bet you can imagine why they stopped using "the singing magnets". I never knew why Lascala's sounded better than friends with '80's and '90's horns.