The beauty of those twin 15's FLH reproducing the midbass is you are not trying to cheat physics by using small drivers.
Very interesting comment, some speaker designers such as Troels Gravesen say that it takes quite a lot of surface area to achieve a full bodied, real sounding pair of speakers. IE: he uses 8' midranges down to 160hz + 15' woofer, 6.5' midranges never lower than 200hz, you get the point. Maybe is the huge surface area + high efficiency what makes the sound compelling and not the partial horn loading? With a huge Onken style cabinet and the right drivers (ie: 15' Supravox 400 EXC field coil or AE TD18H) and some room gain it should be possible to achieve a sensitivity around 100db, and you wouldn't need subs.
Btw this is just a random thought, I'm not knocking down the FLH, just regurgitating some ideas, of course the FLH would be more even more efficient, but would take some serious real state compared to the already huge (around 400l cabinet) Onken style speakers.
It is not as important to me. I don't think I am adamant on a type of solution there. It should roll over properly from the Midbass horn, and give sufficient weight, ambience, detail. I have heard good Midbass with a big front loaded horn, sealed subs, and there are also cheap horn loaded DIY alternatives the size of a small fridge to be kept in the corner. All could work.
How did you like the tapped horn sound?
Thanks for this video...which Beethoven 9th was that?
Solti, Decca
Listening to it now...very, very interesting. So far, for me this surpasses my earlier favorite the Karajan '63. (Actually, I prefer Furtwangler FAR more...but i can listen to only so much static/scratcy sound from the '40s) As a fan of Furtwangler, I have to say I like Solti's 9th a lot, and have rapidly warmed to his 1, 5 and 7th. Given that Solti named Toscanini and Furtwangler as his inspirations, i suppose that makes sense.
I have just picked up Ivan Fischer's 5th as well...
Thanks! Will check them out. Yes, some of the audio historical societies have done a lot of reviews of the various masterings of Furtwangler...i got a bunch, as good I think as today's tech can get them.Also try Szell, with Cleveland, but don't know how they sound on CD.
On YouTube I love Konwitcschny with Leipzig, check his YouTube we Eroica or 2nd movement of the 7th. 5th and 9th are brilliant as well. If you find it good on CD, strong reason enough to stay digital.
I also love the furtwangler good to know you can enjoy it on CD
It seems there is a misunderstanding in this topic about bass and mid-bass.
Leif's bass horns are tapped horns but I guess you are talking about his dual flh mid-bass horns.
Cessaro mid-bass is not a weak link for me, its bass integration and solutions are its weak link for some people like us. Tang uses without a bass at all and is still happy. I have a very similar mid-bass and I am happy with its performance...
my sub horns are NOT TAPPED
they are purely 4 mfrontloaded with a pressurecontrolled/ventilated rear chamber...