HELP Horns, Stats or Conventional Speakers

Punkuk,

Be careful what you wish for....

Most good high-efficiency setups(re: horns) can be ruthlessly revealing of other components and poorly recorded material - as most punk & rock is/was. They can be so revealing that much material will seem almost unlistenable until you learn to fully accept bad recordings.

The move from 90db, mid-efficency/mid-wattage, 3-way system to 97dB/6 watt system has left a large swath of my punk and rock recordings unused. They just plain sound horrible - too much compression, far too tinny, poor dynamics, etc. very wart is held under a microscope. I can only think it gets worse as efficiency goes up into the 100dB range.

The jump to horns isn't as simple as simply getting the speakers. Source components, amps/preamps, will also be held to the microscope. Previously unheard hum in components and your AC line will stand out like a sore thumb. So, you might also have to get a new amp and/or preamp plus some line filtration, too.

High-eff is awesome, but it comes at a premium. Not always in cost, but in attention to minute details many times not necessary with less efficient systems. The payoff is worth it to many of us, but do not underestimate the journey.

Many theaters use horns, HT is easy for a good loudspeaker to reproduce music is hard to do well.

I have decided on the Merlin’s VSM MM they have great reviews and seem a good safer bet than the disappointment (which would be boarding on suicide) if were to end up going with a stat or horn only to find the room was wrong.
The Talon Korus was just too much speaker and although it has rave reviews, there seems a consensus in the audio circle that it was overpriced.
The Innersounds were a real consideration but that 9’ ceiling!!! They would have been a real eyesore.

The Horns great for two channel but H/T I would need a center then I have to match it to the Horns, then if the room is too echoy (If that is a word) I would be devastated……….. and the wife “I told you so”, “Why didn’t you just buy the Bose from Circuit City” and “How much”? and “Are you insane” and “They look ridiculous”

Bobby at Merlin is so confident that I will like them he has offered to unload them if I don’t like them. Cant go wrong.

I will post how it all turns out.

Horns, Stats or Conventional Speakers?
There is at least one more option: omni-directional speakers like the MBL 101E.
Personally, I would never want another conventional or planar speaker. I'll either stick with my MBLs or go to horns.

Go for the Avantgarde Unos. I own a pair of Duos and they're the best upgrade I've made in thirty years of hi-fi. Just be prepared to be patient with set-up. Oh and they will be ruthless in exposing any shortcomings elsewhere in your system.

Charlie