Giant Custom Horn Systems - How they sound and issues with sonics

I definitely dream of one day building the ultimate system and room. I see what some of these crazy guys do with truly giant custom horn installations and they make me drool, but (like most of us) I've never had an opportunity to hear one of these crazy systems (see pics).

But I'm guessing at least a few of you have and others probably possess some theoretical engineering knowledge around the issues these giant horn systems might create, but I've never seen a thread that discusses the sonic pro's and con's of these systems.

Would love to hear some thoughts (even if it is just some pontificating on theory) regarding these types of installations. Let's discuss.

 

Screen Shot 2016-08-21 at 7.43.39 PM by jdza

, on Flickriwatainvolvojpg3jb by jdza, on Flickr
Screen Shot 2016-08-21 at 7.42.24 PM by jdza, on FlickrScreen Shot 2016-08-21 at 2.25.41 PM by jdza, on FlickrDSCN5514 by jdza, on FlickrIMG_0302 by jdza, on Flickr

 

Hi Johan,
That's (high) "top" .... (& very higher).
Congrats ... Hoedje af.
Karel.

(I lost more Horn DIM picture by double Mac-crash)

 

Hi Johan,
That's (high) "top" .... (& very higher).
Congrats ... Hoedje af.
Karel.

(I lost more Horn DIM picture by double Mac-crash)

Thanks to you Karel. 13 Years of unimagined musical enjoyment all thanks to you and this photo you sent me. Mit innige dank altijd of baie,baie dankie.

50 by jdza, on Flickr

 

I've seen this Horn already many times but still I don't understand the expo curve of it

 

Thanks for joining and posting your hornsystems Swen, Karel, jdza and anyone I missed!

Very inspirational!

 

Very cool
Im starting to get my "ideas" (which could cost me lots of money)

 

Thanks for joining and posting your hornsystems Swen, Karel, jdza and anyone I missed!

Very inspirational!

... a endlessly history ..... addicts to (full) "horn" concept ....
Welcome in the horn-paradise-club .... first row seat ....
Karel

 

Very cool
Im starting to get my "ideas" (which could cost me lots of money)

Hi
Do it in DIY .... but go first to discover different "full-horn-concept" .... & found your perso musical signature ....
It's music ....
Karel

 

I've seen this Horn already many times but still I don't understand the expo curve of it

Sven,
It's (very) easy.
Take the basic Iwata curve (experimental ... no formula ... etc).
Redesign (scale 1/1) the mean exp.-section in function your multiplis-pannel (18mm or higher)
Cut all panels ...
Etc.
Allez, salukes.
Karel
Btw, I can give you a practical seminar ....

 

Thanks for joining and posting your hornsystems Swen, Karel, jdza and anyone I missed!

Very inspirational!

Yes, it is fascinating; it makes us feel better . . . grounded. The music passion.
Beautiful designs, by artists. Thank you for sharing from across the Atlantic.


This is the apotheosis ^ just gorgeous.

 

I've seen this Horn already many times but still I don't understand the expo curve of it

The Iwata as published in l'Audiophile all those years ago remains the most natural sounding horn I have ever encountered. Build it from a combo of ply and solid wood,hold it to your ear and listen. Then give it to your wife(provided she is a competitive swimmer- even the midhorn is mega heavy) and let her talk through it. All colouration you will hear is a slight addition of air-not a bad thing in general.

I have posted this elsewhere but I have to ask to please listen on headphones. It was recorded ambisonically and will sound like absolute rubbish on speakers. Also bear in mind it has been compressed and not only i-phonized but you- tubefied as well

 

This morning I saw magic, and I heard a glimpse of musical magic in an audio forum from a homemade YouTube music video.

 

Awesome post, very elegant horns in a pleasant room decor; simple without distraction. I like the color tones too.

Many thanks I was happy in this room

for a few years. Now it's time for a little upgrade.

 

Wow Karel, that looks like many hours of sawing and glueing. I guess, you started by laminating the overall horn profile and later added the small pieces of thicker ply for structural integrity (against resonances)?
Do you also have images from the construction of the smaller horns?

Hi,
Yes, you start with:
1°) glue inner double layer 2x3mm triplex
2°) glue center layer 18mm multilayer
3°) glue (one) outer layer 1x3mm triplex
4°) glue side flare 1x3mm triplex
5°) glue side center lath-work layer 18mm with screws
6°) glue final outer layer 3mm triplex (waf-factor)

About the "resonances" ...
yes, every horn, genre WE15/WE66A/Sato ..... & other, are subject to resonances.
In my "home" configuration (& other horn heavy addicts) .... it's not a issue (only a little with "heavy metal music" .... but no problem @ home)
About the other images smaller horns ... I search in my Mac (after two HD-disk crashes) ...
In the mean time see Johan's his duo Iwata concept in slices .... completely "amorph" ... easy to build & efficient ....

Some "amuse bouche":

 

Jdza : I know the Iwata. I have still one Pair here. I was talking about the expo curve of the Basshorn.

Best Regards Swen

 

Jdza : I know the Iwata. I have still one Pair here. I was talking about the expo curve of the Basshorn.

Best Regards Swen

Hypex Q 0.707 f 21 Hz . Roof slopes at 5 degrees to avoid standing waves . Apart from this but taking it into account the flare is mainly in the horizontal plane. Uneq response curve elsewhere on this forum. Throat and mouthsizes. i cannot recall

 

Thanks for you answer. So this one is yours. Seen it already a few times. Good job. Thumbs up

 

The moment I saw an Iwata horn, many years ago, it felt like........ .... .. first sight


jdza, Thank you for the link to your flicker account. You have uploaded some pages from L'Audiophile magazine, if Iam not mistaken?

Karel, Stunning work! Chapeau! Thanks for posting the images and your comments on the construction.

 

In the mean time see Johan's his duo Iwata concept in slices .... completely "amorph" ... easy to build & efficient ....

Johan = jdza?

 

Johan = jdza?

Yes