Are horns and hi-eff designs becoming more popular

Horns are costly for few reasons limited production, Hi-eff transducers use more costly materials large mags etc than other designs again this adds to cost. Molds for horns if plastic are very costly. Cabinets are large and complicated to constructed shipping such large systems is costly. some good horn designs Edgar horn, Avantgarde,Modern JBL,Oris, KCSloudspeakers,TAD, Goto, Ale in your price range maybe DIY or custom built would be best. You will not get horn bass in a small cabinet so your looking more at horn hybrid systems which most designs on the market are. Some of the old horns have problems with resonance and intergation of horns.Toss in old capacitors etc and I can see why when folks hear old horns they hear problems. Why judge modern designs by your experance with antiques. Like most all things tech horns have advanced.

Mlsstl, the 'honkiness' you refer to is real, -but- it is usually an artifact of using the wrong kind of amp on a horn. Amps with low output impedance can get strident and honky as the highly reactive horn driver can put an amp with lots of feedback into conniptions!

IOW to experience what horns are about is usually done with zero feedback amplifiers. All of a sudden its a different world: horns can and are every bit as extended, relaxed and detailed as the best ribbons.

Seems like I'm not in town when the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest visits my neighborhood, but maybe I'll search out a horn dealer if I can't make the next RMAF. I AM very curious, because I love easy, big, dynamic range. If I can get that uncolored with good imaging, then I'd be tempted to jump, even if it stretched my budget.

Dave

Yes, I think horns are becoming more popular. I have never heard a horn system that I could live with. That includes, the previously praised new and old versions, and yes with the supposedly correct amplifiers. I always hear that honky, nasal, shouty, sound. I always walk away from those systems shaking my head and muttering, "I just don't get it". Then again, many of the fans of those systems have publicly criticized the gear I prefer. To each his own, YMMV, etc..

Atmasphere, I certainly acknowledge that components can interact with each other and exacerbate certain conditions. It is always important to choose components that compliment each other.

That said, I'm still of the opinion that certain designs just inherently have certain traits. One can take those things into consideration to ameliorate an issue, but whether it eliminates the problem to the degree necessary for every situation is unlikely.

In my case, I've been at this for almost 40 years (including time on the professional sound side) and have yet to hear a magic combination where the amp alone fixes this particular issue for me. There comes a point where it is like a fellow who loves brussels sprouts trying to convince his friend who doesn't like them to try just one more recipe. That'll be the one that does it!

Now I've certainly heard a lot of horn systems that are very good, but as noted earlier, this distinct horn trait is apparently something that I and some others are more aware of than other people. I suspect we're just wired that way. I also know the things that impress me about a system may well leave you cold.

I happen to just think it is a good thing that plenty of excellent, but different, designs are out there. Just a matter of looking around to find what floats your boat.