What's best in highly sensitive/efficient speakers.

[spiritofmusic]

AG Duo Mezzo XD.

 

[microstrip]

(...) Who are the top 3 horn speaker US manufacturers? What's the best horn speaker currently made in the US that goes for less than $75k and will fit in my 20'x16'x8' room?

Good question. I have started threads asking for speakers comparable to the XLF and cables to be used with Lamm ML3's and only got PMs from one of our members, and opinions on what I should not use!

 

[bonzo75]

SME, and Lamm, are existing companies. SME has been one of the best run companies and most professional for decades. Again, I am not debating some companies are better run than others. The established mags usually review the well established companies. This phase of the discussion actually covered all that, so again if you want to compare well established horn companies with well established cone companies as of today, cones are better. If you want to compare on sonic grounds, local companies, products that you can assemble more easily than an analog rig, it is a different matter. The discussion was also about why in the US horn companies were driven or rather than encouraged.

Additionally, to know which horn is better than XLF is like a digital only guy asking which analog rig is better than his dac. First, he has to go out and listen to appreciate analog. Then he can look at the hierarchy and differences. Otherwise the debate of that TT is not better than my digital can go on forever.

And of course, lest I forget, no horn systems have been recommended on this forum before

 

[tima]

AG Duo Mezzo XD.

Thanks for a suggestion. Those look reasonable in terms of size. I have not heard them. How do they compare with your speakers?

I thought they are made in Germany. I know the company has been around for a while which is a positive.

 

[microstrip]

SME, and Lamm, are existing companies. SME has been one of the best run companies and most professional for decades. Again, I am not debating some companies are better run than others. The established mags usually review the well established companies. This phase of the discussion actually covered all that, so again if you want to compare well established horn companies with well established cone companies as of today, cones are better. If you want to compare on sonic grounds, local companies, products that you can assemble more easily than an analog rig, it is a different matter. The discussion was also about why in the US horn companies were driven or rather than encouraged.

Additionally, to know which horn is better than XLF is like a digital only guy asking which analog rig is better than his dac. First, he has to go out and listen to appreciate analog. Then he can look at the hierarchy and differences. Otherwise the debate of that TT is not better than my digital can go on forever.

And of course, lest I forget, no horn systems have been recommended on this forum before

You fail to understand my point - I am not asking for "better" or "best" speaker - just in the same class . Digital - vinyl - tape all sound different. I appreciate them a lot, I also want a speaker that sounds great with all of them.

And yes, magazines review products that have reasonable distribution and are accessible to interested consumers, surely not the unobtainium.

BTW, we can assemble a top vinyl rig with very little knowledge and effort - the very praised SME 3012 R is a good example of it. Just follow the excellent instruction booklet steps.

 

[microstrip]

I didn't mean to knock Kenrick's speakers it's just that the vintage high end market are purists and they wont touch anything refurbished. Also JBLs are abundant so they don't have exclusivity despite sounding very good.

I have the M9500 and I really like it a lot but I also have many other horn speakers some of which I like more and some less than the JBLs. The beauty of the JBLs is that you can drive with solid state or tubes equally well but everything else I have is very picky with the electronics and sound absolutely disgusting even with the best solid state amplifiers.

david

David,
The imaginary question - suppose that ET's stole your Bionor's and took them to another galaxy. Can you tell us of two models of horn speakers you would place in your room to replace them?

 

[microstrip]

AG Duo Mezzo XD.

Intergral subwoofer with DSP control and 1000W class D amplifiers. Aren't you afraid of the purist horn brigade?

BTW, an old friend owns them and got Shindo electronics - I should visit him soon.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Why are people so derogatory over something as unimportant as the type of gear that you prefer??? Who cares if you like horns or boxes! Enjoy in good health what you love.

 

[bonzo75]

You fail to understand my point - I am not asking for "better" or "best" speaker - just in the same class . Digital - vinyl - tape all sound different. I appreciate them a lot, I also want a speaker that sounds great with all of them.

And yes, magazines review products that have reasonable distribution and are accessible to interested consumers, surely not the unobtainium.

BTW, we can assemble a top vinyl rig with very little knowledge and effort - the very praised SME 3012 R is a good example of it. Just follow the excellent instruction booklet steps.

I am talking about assembling an analog rig... sourcing One TT, one arm, one cart, one phono. Similarly, cabinet, horn, drivers, cross over. Don't build any of them for those who don't want to

 

[morricab]

You fail to understand my point - I am not asking for "better" or "best" speaker - just in the same class . Digital - vinyl - tape all sound different. I appreciate them a lot, I also want a speaker that sounds great with all of them.

And yes, magazines review products that have reasonable distribution and are accessible to interested consumers, surely not the unobtainium.

BTW, we can assemble a top vinyl rig with very little knowledge and effort - the very praised SME 3012 R is a good example of it. Just follow the excellent instruction booklet steps.

Same class as XLF? You mean in price or performance (of course that can of worms is hotly debated), build quality, all of the above, none of the above??

I would put the Aries Cerat Symphonia with new Erebus horn subs at about the same price, same build quality and IMO superior performance (or at least in your terminology comparable performance).

Give that a try.

 

[morricab]

Thanks for a suggestion. Those look reasonable in terms of size. I have not heard them. How do they compare with your speakers?

I thought they are made in Germany. I know the company has been around for a while which is a positive.

They are German. There isn’t really a mainstream horn maker in the US anymore other than Klipsch. Several very small companies ...

 

[morricab]

Why are people so derogatory over something as unimportant as the type of gear that you prefer??? Who cares if you like horns or boxes! Enjoy in good health what you love.

Because we evolved as a very aggressive, yet social , species of ape...it’s in our DNA so to speak...

 

[microstrip]

Why are people so derogatory over something as unimportant as the type of gear that you prefer??? Who cares if you like horns or boxes! Enjoy in good health what you love.

No one really cares, but we can discuss in a civilized way the properties of each ... I think it is part of WBF intents.

 

[marslo]

Intergral subwoofer with DSP control and 1000W class D amplifiers. Aren't you afraid of the purist horn brigade?

BTW, an old friend owns them and got Shindo electronics - I should visit him soon.

Pls do and share your thoughts.

 

[microstrip]

Same class as XLF? You mean in price or performance (of course that can of worms is hotly debated), build quality, all of the above, none of the above??

I would put the Aries Cerat Symphonia with new Erebus horn subs at about the same price, same build quality and IMO superior performance (or at least in your terminology comparable performance).

Give that a try.

Unfortunately Aries Cerat is not distributed in my country, otherwise I should have listened to it. Avantgarde are the unique horns with adequate local distribution.

 

[marslo]

Thanks for a suggestion. Those look reasonable in terms of size. I have not heard them. How do they compare with your speakers?

I thought they are made in Germany. I know the company has been around for a while which is a positive.

I understand you are in US, is that correct? There is a very good AG dealer - Mike, the owner of Audioshark forum.
I am sure he will find the solution to make a home demo for you.
I like best my Duo Mezzo XD in classical and jazz vocals, BTW.

 

[KeithR]

It’s your opinion there are damn good SS amps out there, not mine...I don’t think there is one that is truly good...some hybrids can be ok if one is not being too picky...

So now live, unamplified music as a reference is a doctrine? It just sounds like commonsense to me.

You do realize that being a musician and being an observer are not the same? One can be good at both but more often one is good at making music and the other is better at listening to it.

all of audio is an "opinion" which unfortunately you just don't get. you have a "my way or the highway" view of audio that just doesn't jive with reality.

my view of live, unamplified music isn't like yours (and I played clarinet growing up and the piano more recently). the boston group on this forum attends concerts, chamber music in houses, etc - none of them own SET amps. what does that mean? absolutely nothing to me - we all like what we like and move on.

i'd also add that if SET/horns were the only true purveyor of sound, there would be many more manufacturers of such equipment. its a niche, just like panels and stats. for some its amazing, for others its not.

 

[marslo]

Unfortunately Aries Cerat is not distributed in my country, otherwise I should have listened to it. Avantgarde are the unique horns with adequate local distribution.

This is also a Polish case, but Cessaro has a distributor and we have in the eastern part of Poland ( Lublin) Lukasz Lewandowski with his Universum III horns but the audition at home is more complicated than the AG speakers, he sells mostly abroad.

 

[microstrip]

I am talking about assembling an analog rig... sourcing One TT, one arm, one cart, one phono. Similarly, cabinet, horn, drivers, cross over. Don't build any of them for those who don't want to

It was my dream during many years - going into DIY audio. But as years passed I understood better my limitations and the quality of other people work, consequently my interest is going down ...

 

[KeithR]

Who are the top 3 horn speaker US manufacturers? What's the best horn speaker currently made in the US that goes for less than $75k and will fit in my 20'x16'x8' room?

Tim, unlike others, I've searched out horns far and wide in the US. Its a very difficult thing to do. None of them are made in the US.

You can hear:

Avantgarde- Sunnys in CA, Suncoast in FL
Cessaro- Jeff Catalano, NYC
Acapella- Audio Federation, Palo Alto
JBL- guy in Colorado has the Everests and K2s
Tune Audio- LA distributor's studio

Avantgarde is the best known by far and probably the best resale imo. I would start there.