Horn based loudspeakers why the controversy?


As just another way to build a loudspeaker system why such disputes in forums when horns are mentioned?    They can solve many issues that plague standard designs but with all things have there own.  So why such hate?  As a loudspeaker designer I work with and can appreciate all transducer and loudspeaker types and I understand that we all have different needs budgets experiences tastes biases.  But if you dare suggest horns so many have a problem with that suggestion..why?
128x128johnk
Obviously horn loaded speakers are used commonly in larger public venues.    Many of those sound really bad as well compared to a good home system, but in many cases it is due to poor or echo-prone acoustics commonly found in those places.  Still tends to give horns a bad rap.

My gym is a good example.    High efficiency horn loaded pro speakers are used in the various exercise rooms that are all basically big echo boxes.   Pretty hopeless to want better sound quality there.  
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"I'm not sure 130 dB of dynamic range reflects reality very often. I don't believe that should be the goal of an audio system at the cost of other virtues."

That's true, but some horn systems have high dynamic range as well as those other virtues.

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