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How much of High End Audio is Horn Speakers?

An audio friend of mine had been discussing my future speaker purchase. We discussed, Harbeth, Devore, Spendor, Audio Note and other more traditional speaker brands. A week or two later he called an asked me what speakers I had purchased. When I told him Klipsch, there was a little silence on the other end of the line. Our call probably ended a little sooner then usual. I could tell he was disappointed in my purchase. Is it the Klipsch name that illicits this type of response or is it Horn speakers in general? After thinking about some of the other Audiophiles in town, a good deal of them are on the low power high efficiency speaker route and more than a few I know are using Horns. Does anyone know how the high end market share is divided? Is there a stigma associated with certain lower cost Horn speakers? Or is this just Klipsch? I now own a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls and am enjoying the journey associated with tweaking the sound to my taste. Is there an unwritten rule that friends don’t let friends buy Klipsch?

128x128coachpoconnor
cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 

Here is your answer:

If you do not think they are good, then horn speakers are not for you :-)

 

coachpoconnor's avatar
coachpoconnor OP
376 posts
 

Thanks everyone…I didn’t come at this change blind… I had some Epos speakers that were very bright and I sure didn’t want that again. When I worked as a Audio Salesmen in the 70’s I sold JBL speakers and I hated them. To be fair our showroom was horrible, so they probably didnt get a fair shake. So I did have some anxiety about Horns. I just finished Room treatment reorganization. The added/ rearranged absorption has helped the Bass response. Change some cables back to Zu Event.., and that has been good. I also purchased a Coincident Statement Linestage to hopefully go along with some future Frankenstein 300b monoblocks. So far I’m impressed how well they sound with the Pass XA25. Thanks for everyone’s comments.

coachpoconnor's avatar
coachpoconnor OP
376 posts
 

I’d gladly take a pair of the JBL if you’d buy them for me.,, look awesome

cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 

I wish....... :-)

wolf_garcia
6,609 posts
 

I've had lots of speakers over the years and currently am firmly in the single ended tube powered Klipsch Heresy III camp. Just fabulous speakers if paired with good stuff in front of them (and I prefer the IIIs over the IVs after owning both as the IIIs mid horn sounds better to me).  

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