@rauliruegas wrote:
In general I like the immediacy of the MUSIC reproduced sound that’s a main live MUSIC characteristic.
+1
One " but " on horns ( at least to me ) is that I don’t like its reproduced sound seated at near field position ( say 2m. ) I think we need at least no less than 3m. and obviously that depends of the room too.
It depends on the particular horns (and amps) too. Auditioning the popular JBL 4367 monitors (which are somewhat smaller than my mains + subs system) I’ve found them too "hot" sounding over longer durations in being more forward and incisive in their sonic nature than my own system. To by fair, in many ways the 4367’s are delightful speakers; exhilarating, energetic, honest, clean, extremely informative (I’d say a wee bit too "insisting") and - apart from the low octave shifting towards a warmer imprinting - fairly coherent.
The thing is though, to my ears and sensibilities they simply become too much over time, and moreover I find string instruments like violins to have a slightly "plastic"-like and/or nasal character to them (I prefer the M2’s and 4349’s here with their flatter waveguide), which is a dealbreaker to me. My EV main speakers by comparison with their large format horns + subs are sonically more akin to large panel speakers; more relaxed, less "beamy," fuller and more visceral/physical/dense. Where it becomes apparent they’re a larger package overall, apart from their more natural height of presentation, is at higher SPL’s (not least with movies) where the sheer unadulterated force and power is at full display.
It’s what I’ve been saying quite a few times by now: typically, the larger the horn the less it sounds like a horn. Somehow though it goes contrary to what people expect of smaller vs. larger horns in thinking the latter will be too much for its own good in domestic environments (and they may be in smaller spaces), but often it’s the other way ’round and smaller horns sounding more agitated and "aimed" at the listener. Visitors, upon listening to my setup, have often been surprised at the presentation and that it isn’t intrusive or in-your-face. There’s no way around though that horns are more present and in a way more direct sounding with less reflected sound being part of what hits the ears.
At near field position my ADS are way better than horns or electrostatics.
I would expect that too. I’m sitting about 11ft. from my mains, and here they cohere and sum very well. The TH subs, flanking the mains in the corners, are carefully dialed in delay-wise through the Xilica DSP.
Unfortunatelly I never had the opportunity to listen a true horn subwoofer ( at least that goes to 16hz. ) but I tend to beleive you.
It’s an experience that’s difficult to explain. Those who’ve heard horn subs often find them to sound more convincingly extended than smaller direct radiating subs, even though the latter may extend deeper on paper. For horns to go below 20Hz very large size is required. Mine roll off below 25Hz, and below 20Hz there’s no information whatsoever - both due to the specific design limitations and that they’re high-passed below 20Hz (36dB/octave BW).
