I have a wonderful pair of bass bins and want to combine them with a pair a horn loaded speakers. Two or three way is still fine. I am looking for horn speakers that sound amazing on high quality music. I'm wanting to get as close to 100db efficiency as possible. But anything over 95 is probably okay. I am looking for that very dynamic live you are there sound, without the hiss and shouty sound some horn systems bring. I have tons of speaker building experience. So I can build from a kit or from just plans. Thank you for any help you can give me. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!
People will need to know what your bass bins are / how high they play and what frequency range you need your 'horn loaded speakers' to play.
Let people know how big your cabs can be as horns get very big very quickly.
Rob.
Let people know how big your cabs can be as horns get very big very quickly.
Rob.
My bass bins are 12" Kappalite drivers in 3 cup ft enclosures. I can change out the loading to ported, sealed, slotted, etc. They will play happy to 350 400, but I would prefer the tops to be capable of stand alone bass to say 50 or 60 at least. They are really efficient.
Whether I use two big horns, or a 10" midrange and a big horn is the question. More of like stacking a Klipsch Hersey 4 design on a bass bin, OR more like using two horns like the Titan LX does. And how to get the fidelity I'm after. Thank you!
Whether I use two big horns, or a 10" midrange and a big horn is the question. More of like stacking a Klipsch Hersey 4 design on a bass bin, OR more like using two horns like the Titan LX does. And how to get the fidelity I'm after. Thank you!
I have a fair amount of horn stuff. Sometimes I prefer Karlson tech.
For one approach to put horn loading where it should be useful for clarity vs direct radiator, consider John Inlow's 135Hz straight horn for B&C 8" midrange.
Top that with whatever fits for ease of blend (a directivity match would not hurt at xover). Use your Kappalite to support the 135Hz. horn.
Throwing big money at exotic loudspeaker drivers doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Have fun.
135 hz Mid Bass Horn - The Paper Horn by Inlow Sound
For one approach to put horn loading where it should be useful for clarity vs direct radiator, consider John Inlow's 135Hz straight horn for B&C 8" midrange.
Top that with whatever fits for ease of blend (a directivity match would not hurt at xover). Use your Kappalite to support the 135Hz. horn.
Throwing big money at exotic loudspeaker drivers doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Have fun.
135 hz Mid Bass Horn - The Paper Horn by Inlow Sound
Hi, Flaxxer
Before you step into the world of horn speakers, do LOTS of reading before you leap !! What size room, what size speakers are tolerable, budget, system expectations, etc.There are many directions you can go, which one is right for you ? You have to formulate a plan.
Since you are in California , Look up Steve Schell, he has lots of info on horn speakers. A poorly designed horn system will sound much worse the a properly designed box speaker.
Hope this video does not scare you away !!!
Meet Joe, and his amazing DIY horn speakers - YouTube
Best of luck,
Joe
Before you step into the world of horn speakers, do LOTS of reading before you leap !! What size room, what size speakers are tolerable, budget, system expectations, etc.There are many directions you can go, which one is right for you ? You have to formulate a plan.
Since you are in California , Look up Steve Schell, he has lots of info on horn speakers. A poorly designed horn system will sound much worse the a properly designed box speaker.
Hope this video does not scare you away !!!
Meet Joe, and his amazing DIY horn speakers - YouTube
Best of luck,
Joe
I take it that was for me lol? Superior HF response? Lack of material resonance? Wide band capability? When you say "doesn't make sense", maybe you mean it doesn't agree with your budget lol? Name any other compression drivers that will do midrange and 10-20khz as well....I'd say that it, is a winner as well.
I've had some interesting boxes, the JBL 5322s. A great set but they needed a much bigger room than my 13' by 18' y 7' room would work with. Hard to beat those midrange. Anyway I switched to an 15" three way with 6.5" mid and 30mm dome for a much better integration. YMMV
I am aware there is a ton to this. I have been working in this business for over 30 years. Sometimes professionally, mostly just as a hobby. The issue is, I do not know enough about horns to even recognize a lot of the names you guys will be suggesting, much less the varying Technologies. It might be better to just tell you what I'm after. I have fixer eight pairs of amazing speakers but none of them are horns or real high sensitivity. In the past 2 years for the first time ever I picked up a pair of high-efficiency speakers and fell in love with the positives of them. I'm constantly aware they are not as technically accurate as my Bordeaux, or Carreras. But it seems way more like musicians are in the room with me when I listen to them. So my goal here is to try and get the very best of that experience. It hit me that it was pro drivers that actually struck me that way. This threw me back to remembering a speaker that was so obviously flawed, yet always made me want to buy the stupid pairs when I heard them, even if I never did. That would be the ol Klipsch horn speakers. Horrible flaws, yet at low-level listening they had a magic I've never heard again. Getting a pair of 96 DB efficiency Pro speakers last year got me similar effects. Since I already own some of the better bass bins in existence in my opinion oh, I realize I am perfectly set to just add a nice mid and high section to get what I'm after. I just don't know what to buy to get me there. I could either build something from a plan using two big horns, or I could just build an existing design that has a 10-inch mid-range in a horn for the high-end. I was hoping something out there stood out as just what I needed to try to accomplish my goals. I guess technically I could always build something like the tops of the 615lx Titans, but came here to ask you guys because I figured you have all the experience if you've been in the horns. We can ignore things like my room and such, because I have different rooms they could be put in. I am set on equipment go with them
A 10" horn loaded mid with a 1" horn on top. Although depending on the mid, it might struggle to get down to the 50-60Hz you want. It would have no problem matching with 12s if you can cross a but higher.
That was a combo that worked well for me for years. Very clean vocals. A good 8" pro driver would also work if you don't mind crossing at 200 Hz.
That was a combo that worked well for me for years. Very clean vocals. A good 8" pro driver would also work if you don't mind crossing at 200 Hz.
I forgot to say, these suggestions do not need to be just for a pure mid and tweeter. Any high efficiency 2 way design is just fine oh, and I plan to blend them with a bass bins with my active DSP setup. So if someone knows of a company that makes stay a 10 or 12 inch two way with a horn, in kit form, that will also work.
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Yes, these recommendations would work I would think. I just need to find the plans. I can build anything, but I'm not a crossover designer. As far as crossing over to the base bins, that is easy with my active DSP
If you don't need/want a horn loaded mid, then how about one of the Econowave designs?
Well documented builds and crossovers. Put that on top of your bass bins.
Well documented builds and crossovers. Put that on top of your bass bins.
as more old school - the Klipsch Super Heresy mod would be small and effective plus not much to do in its basic form if one already had the Heresy. The most basic mod would be to change the woofer then add a port to the rear panel.
OP - join the Klipsch community, look around, ask questions.
Super Heresy 1 (Baby Cornwalls Mod.) By ClaudeJ1,
Super Heresy 1 (Baby Cornwalls Mod.) - Technical/Modifications - The Klipsch Audio Community
The update to that mod includes tweeter and other improvements
Super Heresy 2.0 (Baby Cornwall II mod.) - Technical/Modifications - The Klipsch Audio Community
I have a custom front loaded design from Bill Woods which will hit 70Hz and occupies about 7 cubic feet of bulk. The surplus Community 12 used ran up to around 400Hz. Its about 26"H by 20"D by 21" W. I could provide details if Bill doesn't mind - but you may wish to explore other routes. (my interest runs to Karlson as one of the best compromises when horns aren't "huge")
I don't know if 70Hz stand alone is a deal breaker or not - that would cover the lower string of a cello, bass voice.
Some folks just do not like to fold a horn which carries the vocal range.
OP - join the Klipsch community, look around, ask questions.
Super Heresy 1 (Baby Cornwalls Mod.) By ClaudeJ1,
Super Heresy 1 (Baby Cornwalls Mod.) - Technical/Modifications - The Klipsch Audio Community
The update to that mod includes tweeter and other improvements
Super Heresy 2.0 (Baby Cornwall II mod.) - Technical/Modifications - The Klipsch Audio Community
I have a custom front loaded design from Bill Woods which will hit 70Hz and occupies about 7 cubic feet of bulk. The surplus Community 12 used ran up to around 400Hz. Its about 26"H by 20"D by 21" W. I could provide details if Bill doesn't mind - but you may wish to explore other routes. (my interest runs to Karlson as one of the best compromises when horns aren't "huge")
I don't know if 70Hz stand alone is a deal breaker or not - that would cover the lower string of a cello, bass voice.
Some folks just do not like to fold a horn which carries the vocal range.
i used inlow 135hz on my own set 135-400hz. it really enjoys to be on the floor and needs minimum 3.5meters.
if lifted from floor it could be used 200-700hz easily.
pair of these pretty much limitless output, fast and transparent.
Smallest footprint to reach 100dB with 1 watt at 1 meter.
This simple front loaded horn: https://www.ddshorns.com/BassMid DVB 15H.pdf
combined with this amazing driver:
http://www.precision-devices.com/file-downloads/PD158-DATASHEET-310114.pdf (Sim attached with other high end Pro drivers for comparison)
The PD 158 is the best I have ever heard over the critical 80Hz to 800 Hz band with genuine 100 dB @ 1m from 1 watt efficiency and accurate, low distortion... It sounds sublime, and all from a 20 litre sealed box and simple front loaded shallow horn.
You can easily crossover around 700Hz to any compression driver/horn combo of your choice.
Merry Christmas and happy building in 2021!
A.
This simple front loaded horn: https://www.ddshorns.com/BassMid DVB 15H.pdf
combined with this amazing driver:
http://www.precision-devices.com/file-downloads/PD158-DATASHEET-310114.pdf (Sim attached with other high end Pro drivers for comparison)
The PD 158 is the best I have ever heard over the critical 80Hz to 800 Hz band with genuine 100 dB @ 1m from 1 watt efficiency and accurate, low distortion... It sounds sublime, and all from a 20 litre sealed box and simple front loaded shallow horn.
You can easily crossover around 700Hz to any compression driver/horn combo of your choice.
Merry Christmas and happy building in 2021!
A.
PS The PD 158/DDS horn are good for a genuine AES rated 121dB continuous 127 dB peaks from 80Hz up.
If possible, I'd love to know. I'm researching new FLH midbasses for when I move back toy my house mid year and have a huge room again.
I'm also looking at a metric Show Horn and another 15" based C horn. Unity on top and subs below.
Don't forget to browse through this thread for ideas and inspiration: Acoustic Horn Design – The Easy Way (Ath4)
And the accompanying build thread: Acoustic Horn Design - The Practical Way
And the accompanying build thread: Acoustic Horn Design - The Practical Way