KeithR's "Dream Speaker" Search

morricab

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Anima is more dramatic sounding but I think Universum is better balanced tonally. Resolution on both is really good but Animas definitely "project" more towards the listener and Universums sit back a bit more...still quite alive sounding but not as in-yer-face. The work well with most music I have heard them with but perhaps classical is better than most horns while Jazz and Rock a bit less than some other horns...a bit what Bonzo was saying but not as extreme as he put it, IMO. That said, I am not sure if I would choose them over Odeon 33s or 38s...I know Christoph would disagree (he had both in the same room and with same electronics) but his room is special (huge and with a lot of glass behind the speakers) and probably the Odeons cope better in a smaller room (they sound awesome in other setups). Both are worth a serious audition but I would lean towards the Universums...

Compared to Animas that is...
 

Exlibris

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Anima is more dramatic sounding but I think Universum is better balanced tonally. Resolution on both is really good but Animas definitely "project" more towards the listener and Universums sit back a bit more...still quite alive sounding but not as in-yer-face. The work well with most music I have heard them with but perhaps classical is better than most horns while Jazz and Rock a bit less than some other horns...a bit what Bonzo was saying but not as extreme as he put it, IMO. That said, I am not sure if I would choose them over Odeon 33s or 38s...I know Christoph would disagree (he had both in the same room and with same electronics) but his room is special (huge and with a lot of glass behind the speakers) and probably the Odeons cope better in a smaller room (they sound awesome in other setups). Both are worth a serious audition but I would lean towards the Universums...
Thanks to all for the comparisons; much appreciated.
 

morricab

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Thanks to all for the comparisons; much appreciated.
Just looked at a reivew of the Horns Universum III and the midrange driver is a 2" Radian Be with Nd magnet (model 950 I think). This is a very nice driver!
 
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KeithR

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They're THAT similar huh? Interesting.

I said a few sentences about them on my THE Show writeup impressions. I didn't feel any upgrade or "had to hear again" items from my half hour with them and Horning competes with Zu, Devore, etc. Also only represented in NYC by the Cessaro importer.
 

bonzo75

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I'm guessing the Universum would be better on vocals because it is more nuanced?

Universums are excellent on vocals because they have highs and transparency like stats and easier to show SET flow than stats. However I don't think your Mayer will run them. I did hear a universum biamped by a 300b with a SS amp into the bass. Similar might work for you, I cannot say. But unless you are willing to change amps, both horns with their downward firing woofers are too much of a risk for you.
 

Exlibris

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Universums are excellent on vocals because they have highs and transparency like stats and easier to show SET flow than stats. However I don't think your Mayer will run them. I did hear a universum biamped by a 300b with a SS amp into the bass. Similar might work for you, I cannot say. But unless you are willing to change amps, both horns with their downward firing woofers are too much of a risk for you.
Are you saying that a 45 SET can't drive the upper two horns in a bi-amped configuration? I think these have a sensitivity of 100db.
I know that my amp won't drive the downward firing woofers on either the Universum or the Anima.
 
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Folsom

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Universums are excellent on vocals because they have highs and transparency like stats and easier to show SET flow than stats. However I don't think your Mayer will run them. I did hear a universum biamped by a 300b with a SS amp into the bass. Similar might work for you, I cannot say. But unless you are willing to change amps, both horns with their downward firing woofers are too much of a risk for you.

They are fairly shallow, which is likely the reason because there isn't as much reflection from the walls of the horn (shout sound). But they're 100db sensitive so I suspect some Mayers can run them, even if their efficiency isn't that great. (Mayer has several different wattages available for different amps)

Having the shallower horns does mean the likelihood of needing more current is possible as the drivers are assisted a lot less with gain. It'd be nice to know if they putter out entirely at loud volumes.

Are the woofers not 100db? If they woofers are 100db I don't see the problem if you got a higher wattage Mayer.
 

Folsom

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I said a few sentences about them on my THE Show writeup impressions. I didn't feel any upgrade or "had to hear again" items from my half hour with them and Horning competes with Zu, Devore, etc. Also only represented in NYC by the Cessaro importer.

Well that could be related to the electronics. It'd be nice if there was good FR plot from Horning. They may not have the suckout that Devores have. I guess it's complicated because wasn't that the dealer who ghosted you?
 
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Exlibris

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They are fairly shallow, which is likely the reason because there isn't as much reflection from the walls of the horn (shout sound). But they're 100db sensitive so I suspect some Mayers can run them, even if their efficiency isn't that great. (Mayer has several different wattages available for different amps)

Having the shallower horns does mean the likelihood of needing more current is possible as the drivers are assisted a lot less with gain. It'd be nice to know if they putter out entirely at loud volumes.

Are the woofers not 100db? If they woofers are 100db I don't see the problem if you got a higher wattage Mayer.
I have the Mayer 45 amp. It's 2 watts (probably less). The woofers of the Universum aren't 100db efficient. The entire Anima is rated at 109db but I can't imagine my amp being able to drive that bass horn.
 

Folsom

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Well the manufacturer recommends 3W or more, so you're probably right. (But not because of the physical size)
 

jeff1225

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Well that could be related to the electronics. It'd be nice if there was good FR plot from Horning. They may not have the suckout that Devores have. I guess it's complicated because wasn't that the dealer who ghosted you?

Jeff's rooms always sound excellent. Tron electronics, TW Acoustic turntables, miyajima labs cartridges and killer original pressings of jazz and rock records. I personally like the Cessero speakers that Jeff has brought to the shows over the Hornings, they are a little too laid back for my listening preferences.
 
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Folsom

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Jeff's rooms always sound excellent. Tron electronics, TW Acoustic turntables, miyajima labs cartridges and killer original pressings of jazz and rock records. I personally like the Cessero speakers that Jeff has brought to the shows over the Hornings, they are a little too laid back for my listening preferences.

Knowing your system, the Hornings must put one to sleep...
 
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morricab

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I've heard Horning - I consider it quite similar to my DeVore and therefore a substitute.
But from a design perspective Hornings are not similar at all. Also, I believe you hear the smaller Aristotles not the bigger Eufrodite.

Both are high sensitivity (96 and 98db), with a widebander for a midrange, a paper cone tweeter and 2 or 4 woofers loading a TQWT bass loading...couldn't be much more of a difference other than going to a completely different tech (like planars).
 

morricab

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Are you saying that a 45 SET can't drive the upper two horns in a bi-amped configuration? I think these have a sensitivity of 100db.
I know that my amp won't drive the downward firing woofers on either the Universum or the Anima.
That might work...and then some bigger on the bass :cool:.
 

morricab

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Jeff's rooms always sound excellent. Tron electronics, TW Acoustic turntables, miyajima labs cartridges and killer original pressings of jazz and rock records. I personally like the Cessero speakers that Jeff has brought to the shows over the Hornings, they are a little too laid back for my listening preferences.
While I haven't heard the latest Hornings, I did get a good long listen to the Horning Agathon Ultimates many years ago and didn't find them particularly laid back...they had a huge soundstage and were quite lively I felt (at that time...opinions can change with time). The Agathon Ultimate was pretty big though, more like Eufrodite than the one you guys heard...maybe that matters or maybe not. I still remember how good that sounded though and think this speaker is an interesting bridge between the cone/dome world and the horn world.

I still haven't heard the Cessaro Chopin (now Wagner), which would be about the max size I would be willing to accommodate but heard the bigger ones many times. Only the Alpha with KR Audio sounded really good...and then only after show hours...when the power got clean...
 

jeff1225

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While I haven't heard the latest Hornings, I did get a good long listen to the Horning Agathon Ultimates many years ago and didn't find them particularly laid back...they had a huge soundstage and were quite lively I felt (at that time...opinions can change with time). The Agathon Ultimate was pretty big though, more like Eufrodite than the one you guys heard...maybe that matters or maybe not. I still remember how good that sounded though and think this speaker is an interesting bridge between the cone/dome world and the horn world.

I still haven't heard the Cessaro Chopin (now Wagner), which would be about the max size I would be willing to accommodate but heard the bigger ones many times. Only the Alpha with KR Audio sounded really good...and then only after show hours...when the power got clean...

I also heard the Ultimates,, which were fantastic. I find the newest Hornings to be too laid back for my tastes. When Jeff brought the Cessaro Chopin to shows, matched with the Tron gear, it was consistently my favorite room.
 

KeithR

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But from a design perspective Hornings are not similar at all. Also, I believe you hear the smaller Aristotles not the bigger Eufrodite.

Never said they were. I've heard the bigger Eufrodite before, too. Very well could be show conditions and all that.
 

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