How do you properly set up a horn speaker


Hi- I have a set of Classic audio T1.4 horns that I am setting up - Do horns get set up the same way as regular speakers- I was going to use the cardas method but want to be sure that is fine- Also my room is 15x28 but at the point where the speakers are is a bay window(treated) that jets out to 17 feet so when using the calculator from cardas do I use the 17 feet where the speakers sit or the 15 feet which is the rest of the room- Thanks for the input-
fluffers

Showing 6 responses by atmasphere

Atmasphere, I know a few people who do not like horns, period.
I do too. But not all horns are created equal- like all tech, there are good examples and bad examples. As we all know rooms at shows are not always the best place to do an audition. I'm really hoping we get better sound at the new RMAF; we've always struggled with false ceilings and false walls at the old venue.

And I've met people that wouldn't take horns seriously without even having listened to them. I remember Harry Pearson saying in TAS 'horns ain't high end'. Boy was he wrong!
I am thinking the " honking thing " batman mentioned was because he listened to them nearer field than normal.
He was trolling. The horns on the T-1 per the OP have very smooth response, nearfield or not. When people hear them, they often remark that they have the speed and clarity of ESLs.
So if my room is 17' wide( do to a bay window and 15'5" the rest of the room by 28 deep- How far apart should I start to place the speakers - Again I truly appreciate the guidance from someone who does not have the knowledge you have but want to get it right-
Get them as far apart as you can- you get a bigger wider more realistic soundstage and they have no worries doing center fill. If this means there is a wall near them left of the left speaker and right of the right speaker you will have to toe them in to take advantage of the controlled dispersion of the midrange unit and to minimize reflections- all per Duke's excellent post above.
So for more of a 3d sound would closer to the rear wall or further out in the room be better- according to cardas- I should have the speakers almost 7 feet out into the room????
Like I said, I've had good success with my T-3s only 6 inches from the wall behind them. I don't think you need to worry about Cardas. The horns are helping you out here.
I have Classic Audio T3.3s, very similar and have good results with them only a few inches from the wall behind them. I find it helps to have them toed in to the listening position.

I recently moved, in my old room I had the speakers close to the rear wall there as well and imaging was spectacular. At shows John Wolff and I have often set them up fairly close to the rear wall if the room was small. I think the best sound we ever got was at the Munich show three years ago; in that room Purist Audio had a program that did the speaker placement and despite very little in the way of room treatment, it worked quite well.

In a nutshell they don’t seem to be picky.