How much of High End Audio is Horn Speakers?

Interesting topic, not unrelated to other recent threads on high sensitivity speakers. For me, the question comes down not only to how to pair these with various kinds of amps, nor the tonality, but the dimensionality of the sound. What is the imaging like in horns vs. planars vs. domes? How does the room feel?

In other words, in my understanding -- corrections appreciated -- it is possible to get tonality and pacing pretty close to perfect with the right match between amplifier and speaker, but that will still leave wide open the way the soundstage is presented by the speakers. And, here there is no "best," either, but the choice of which genre of soundstage become the decisive choice point.

I have always preferred high sensitivity speakers and built my own cabinets. That lead me to trying horn speakers. I acquired a pair of Klipsch La Scala AL5s this year. The La Scala’s paired with tubes are simply stunning. To me these are my final speakers (at least until I get bored and start building more 😂). 
 

There is zero wrong with Klipsch speakers. Their speakers can hold their own with any brand out there. In every hobby or interest there are people who are “snobs” when it comes to what you own. Ignore them and enjoy those fantastic horn speakers. 
 

The speakers your friend is building with the field coil drivers will be really cool. The next set of speakers I build will use field coil drivers. They won’t replace my La Scalas, but I want to pair them with tubes. 

Get what you like and enjoy it horns are great with the right amp and preamp.

I like horns. There is a lot more out there than people think. 90% of the people who own horns and all the other speakers don't post or care to post.

I think the 10% that do post 3 out of 10 do own horns, maybe not AG so much but there are a LOT of Klipsch, Altec, WE, Imperial, and DIY. The comment about the Horns and Japan, it was the same here. It's just who you hang out with. 

I was into making all these weird horns and loading them in a folded baffle, la-te-da. Way over 20 years tinkering, still do from time to time.

The simple answer is horn guys hang out with horn guys. Planar guys hang out with planar guys. Mcintosh guys hang out with Mac guys.. Maybe.. LOL

The common thing between all of us is suppose to be MUSIC, how we get there, that is a personal preference.

Regards

Klipsch is a top selling brand if not THE top selling brand. What models are considered the top end of audio, I'll leave to someone else. 

Minority is something I can live with.   I guess I could rationalize it as an exclusive club!

listening to Dick Hyman right now and I’m feeling pretty fortunate.

whart-  yes I have been a coach for several years, I have coached Football, Baseball, Soccer and Golf. Also a short stint as AD.. Thankless job. Trying to get out and retire in the next couple of years.

As to your reply, I am also fascinated with the history of Audio.

I have an acquaintance in Kansas who is working on a field coil system and one of these days I’ll make the drive to the middle of Kansas to have a listen. When people discuss horns it would be interesting what the market share is but I guess you would have to define exactly what would qualify as a horn and that would open up another can of worms.

And what would "the amount of money spent on horns vs other speakers" tell you, @coachpoconnor? Let's say you are in the distinct minority. Does that diminish the enjoyment of what you have? 

I also had a discussion with a brick and mortar audio dealer and he really did not want to reveal the fact that he owned a set of Cornwalls. I really do wish someone had some numbers about the amount of money spent on horns vs other speakers.

You’ve asked several different questions, @coachpoconnor> (Were you really a coach?)

Your title asks about what share horns comprise of the high-end, and I doubt there are any definite sales figures for market segment (and how much does your definition of what constitutes a horn frame the answer), but I think it is safe to say that some horn systems, new, can be at the very top of the price tier if that’s how one evaluates the "high end." As you know if you’ve been around, there is a flavor of the month, and today’s "must have" becomes yesterday’s cast-off.

Aside from what constitutes a horn-- I think even what I own does not qualify without the upper bass being horn-loaded, you can run the gamut: from million dollar plus assemblages that are still incomplete, to very "one-off" projects that may have been a bit of DIY plus antiquarian. The interesting thing to me is the period immediately after WE-- though those components (both speakers and amps) are treated reverentially today, at the time they were not regarded as sufficient. Thus, the quest for better motion picture sound which took us to Shearer, James Lansing, and eventually Altec in the early days. There are lots of interesting parts-- how one puts them together in a horn based system is almost alchemy-- I think ideally, one would want the individual drivers to run their full range without complex crossover networks. Horn loaded mid-bass takes space. As does a horn loaded woofer (or two).

As to Klipsch, I have no current impressions. I had a friend in the ’70s with a period pair of K-horns, Marantz tube gear from the very early ’60s and it was fine. I think the innovations that Paul Klipsch is known for have been improved upon, modified and recast but I’m certainly not in a position to diss the company, its products or legacy.

I will suggest that very high sensitivity speakers will allow you to use SET tube amps, which can bring a magic of its own. That’s why I switched to a horn based system circa 2006 or so.

Now, I’m fascinated by the history and what some of these older designs can do. For example, you will pay top dollar today for a field coil speaker. At one time, that’s how the magnets were energized. Things improved enormously, but there’s still something "extra" a well tuned horn system, utilizing complementary equipment upstream, can deliver that is special. A sort of immediacy, plus dynamics, and no harshness (or the commonly ascribed attribute), "squawk." Have fun and good hunting. :)

My recently purchased Forte 4s sound wonderful with my 12 yo Onkyo HT receiver. I bought them to use with low-powered SS and tube amps (which tend to be more affordable than hi-powered amps). Dying to drop them in my BAT/B&W reference system but the holidays have me feeling too mellow. Maybe after new year.

As for your friend, maybe he was disappointed that you used your own judgement instead of taking his advice. People can be a little weird. BTW, our friends, the Japanese, were way ahead of the curve regarding horns. This was a craze in Japan 30 years ago.

Coach,

Yes in a trade up situation they do.

Some Horns to hear:

JBL- $5-$10k range.

Altec Lansing- $1.5-$3.0

After that the prices get out of hand.

Good news is the Klipsch followers love them

and will take them off your hands in a hurry.