Horn speakers are really bright?

I would agree that the classic Klipsch speakers sound very different with different amplifiers. The phasing issues between drivers may contribute, as does refraction in the horn enclosures themselves in the sound I hear, and can be exacerbated by a bright solid state amp, for example. I used the Crown amp as it was grainy and not a good match. My C-J MV75A-1 would be a much better match. But I really did hear an unnatural edge to the horn systems I heard at the show.

and I really meant it when I say that Deja Vu’s horns can sound pretty great, but the cost is astronomical. 

I have Heritage IVs.  When running a Parasound SS amp and preamp they could be somewhat harsh and fatiguing.   With my Raven Nighthawk integrated tube they sound great.  Still detailed but not fatiguing.  I realize this is always subjective but I feel the tubes made a real difference with the Klipsch.

So, I am NOT trying to be rude here, but horns belong on the top of poles at high school football stadiums because of their great dispersion characteristics.

No matter what you do, a horn has a sound characteristic that distorts the music. While Klipsch and others have done a remarkable job trying to "tame" these issues, when you listen to them next to any Magneplaner, you hear the issues with your own ears.

To the poster who said Maggies are "bright," my suggestion is to find an installation that was properly done and you will not have that same opinion. Maggies put out what you put in. SO, if your source is "bright," that is what you will hear. This is why Magnepan and Audio Research were marketing together in the beginning. That paring was MAGIC, and remains so.

Maggies can be difficult to set up properly, and you must have top quality hardware driving them, so I get it that some find them "off" in some ways. AND, as we all know, your ROOM is the most important element of any sound system, so...

HOWEVER, thousands of customers have them and LOVE them from all across the listening spectrum, so they must be doing something right.

Cheers!

Of course horn speaker are bright, when paired with Mc.

Hahahahaha.

Jallan,

I agree that the Deja Vu custom builds are fantastic, albeit expensive.  But, some of the builds are much less expensive than what has been brought to Capital Audiofest  and they deliver much of the same sound as those you have heard.  In any case, those builds do demonstrate that sharp and unpleasant peaks are NOT INHERENT to horn/compression driver speakers. 

Even the Klipsch speakers that a lot of people have heard and don't like can be made to sound quite decent with the right setup and associated gear; I've yet to see a commercial setting where the proper electronics were used.