Horn based loudspeakers why the controversy?

atmasphere

I run an LP mastering operation and we do CDs too. As far as dynamic range goes, these days typically the LP is less compressed than the CD. This is because there is no expectation it will be played in a car ...  this simple fact is you can take any digital recording and master it to LP without any processing, so long as you don't run into an out-of-phase bass problem (which can usually be solved without processing if you spend enough engineering time with the project). Due to the generalized nature of your comment, I'm saying that its false. LP has dynamic range (ideally) that is nearly that of Redbook.

I agree ... mostly. CD does have a better potential dynamic range but with actual music, it's very rarely utilized. And the way recordings are mastered, a modern LP almost always beats the comparable CD - because of how the two are mastered. It's really ironic.

 Just regarding the OP's a post I think Horns are really polarizing because they are like a microscope on the entire chain that lies before them. So if there's anything bad in the chain it really really highlights it. But if everything is good and the horns are good it's really good. 

 Also just regarding atmospheres comments about SET amps and distortion. It's true that they have higher distortion when they are run at anywhere near the rated power but they also have vanishing low distortion if they are run at about 10% of full power. So when you hear them coupled with  horns usually you're not hearing the amps distort.   Solid-state is the opposite at about 10% of its full power it will have quite a bit higher distortion  then the SET amp at 10%. And many people have bass their opinion on horns from the 70s and 80s with crappy higher powered solid-state amps. I don't know why anybody would use that combo but unfortunately lots of people did.

The best system I’ve heard Austin Acoustic system they are using Horns....made by Austin Acoustic as well... Dynamic is out of this world? $750k, they were in Chicago Axpona 2017