Considering a move to vintage horn type speakers

[jp11801]

I've got a great pair of speakers in the Alon Lotus SE's. They do so much right and are untouchable (IMHO) in the used under $2k category but I have been chasing the horn dragon since attending VSAC a few years back.

Best sound at the show for me was a toss up between the GoTo horns and the modded Altec Voice of the Theaters that Exemplar was running. The presence was downright scary and they were super fast. Well I've owned the Klipsch Heresy speakers and they did not do much for me. They were fun but showed their age with lack of extension and detail. This was after a cap upgrade and tweeter upgrade. They were good for the $$$ but not keepers.

So I am pondering a move to Altec Model 19s or Khorns. I am probably more serious about the 19s simply because they are slightly smaller. Both are crazy at 143 lbs and 180 lbs and both are about 40 inches wide by 24 inches plus deep but the Khorns are a foot and a half taller (not sure that even would matter).

Anyway anybody here have experience with these beasts? I know David loves the 19s but I am looking for second opinions. This is for a second speaker rig as my living arrangements today lend themself to a second system.

[Wmcmanus]

John, I don't have any direct experience with either, but found this discussion interesting: <meta name="description" content="Klipsch audio systems provide the true audio/video lover a wide variety of high performance loudspeakers and loudspeaker systems for music and home theater entertainment centers, including iPod speakers, multimedia s It seems that the main concern with the 19s is the bass response (or lack thereof) below 40 or so.

[swt61]

I spent a lot of time with the Klipsch back in the day.

IMO the most noticeable differences are going to be a bit better top end extension with the Altecs, and a bit better low end grunt with the Khorns. That's from memory though, so keep that in mind. Either would be a great choice with the right amplification IMO.

[kevin gilmore]

If you can tolerate the size, what you want is a pair of Belle Klipsh, or the all horn Bozaks. Both of which are on the kind of large size.

If you don't have a perfectly symetrical room, then khorns are not going to work. (and 2 perfect corners)

[Dusty Chalk]

Headphones?[/inebriated response]

[recstar24]

The heresy is shite compared to the Cornwall. The cornwall has real bass down to the 30s, and nothing kicks like a 15". Only issue was the freaking size. Best speaker I ever had with my moth, very special combo. The altec horns are even bigger and crazier.

[jp11801]

these were pretty amazing sounding when I heard them

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/exemplar/studio.jpg

[guzziguy]

JP, why not email John Tucker for recommendations?

[mrarroyo]

The heresy is shite compared to the Cornwall. The cornwall has real bass down to the 30s, and nothing kicks like a 15". Only issue was the freaking size. Best speaker I ever had with my moth, very special combo. The altec horns are even bigger and crazier.

Something like: Klipsch Heresy For Sale | AudiogoN versus http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1286327630&/Klipsch-Cornwalls-1981-Walnut-

Edited August 8, 2010 by mrarroyo
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[Jon L]

I don't think one can expect to achieve the sound quality of Exemplar's highly modded horns to stock units or consumer-modded ones. Dual Karlson subs with SS amplification also helps, but obviously, one must have the room for this sort of setup!

[luvdunhill]

I don't think one can expect to achieve the sound quality of Exemplar's highly modded horns to stock units or consumer-modded ones.

I've personally heard the Exemplar's being embarrassed by some rather modest DIY horn projects

[crappyjones123]

id like to throw in a suggestion for something from here...

Woden Design

above are commercial plans that are tweaked from the free diy plans available here...

The Spawn Family of Double Horns

there are plenty of other diy horn designs available on there.

having heard a dallas 2, hedlund, bib, curvy chang and a big ben, i would suggest looking into a dallas cabinet. but as others have mentioned, the room needs to be pretty big for the speakers to integrate. from what little i have read, the bass is hard to get clean from these large bimouthed horns in a medium/small room. i have however read about a dallas 2 being used in a modest room previously and the owner was very happy with them.

[aerius]

I've personally heard the Exemplar's being embarrassed by some rather modest DIY horn projects

I haven't heard the Exemplars yet, but I can't say I'm all that surprised. I've heard a DIY system based on Azurahorns with a ribbon tweeter and large bass cabinet which absolutely murdered the Avantgarde Duo Primo system.

[recstar24]

Fucking duos, shite is terrible.

[FrankCooter]

Just discovered this thread. For what it's worth, I spent most of the '90's experimenting, designing, and building horn, and other high efficiency speakers. I went through Klipsch Heresy's, Cornwalls, and LaScala's, a number of Bruce Edgar designs, and a lot of Altec gear. In the end, I wound up with dual 515 bass horn enclosures with large format compression drivers driving 1005 multicell horns. If you've got the room, nothing beats an Altec system. For the past 3 or 4 years I've been seeking this sound in headphones. Unfortunately, nothing I've heard to date comes close. Big "thumbs up" on the Altec gear. If you do it right, it's not a bad investment either.

[spritzer]

If you want something truly insane I'd recommend DIY'ing the ESL horn system Stax were working on in the early 90's.

[crappyjones123]

If you want something truly insane I'd recommend DIY'ing the ESL horn system Stax were working on in the early 90's.

wut?

link pls staxmeister

[Salt Peanuts]

wut?

link pls staxmeister

I think this is it - sorry, it's in Japanese.

http://earsp.web.fc2.com/kakosp/els-d1/els-d1.htm

[909]

John, get those 19s!

[Jon L]

Just discovered this thread. For what it's worth, I spent most of the '90's experimenting, designing, and building horn, and other high efficiency speakers. I went through Klipsch Heresy's, Cornwalls, and LaScala's, a number of Bruce Edgar designs, and a lot of Altec gear. In the end, I wound up with dual 515 bass horn enclosures with large format compression drivers driving 1005 multicell horns. If you've got the room, nothing beats an Altec system. For the past 3 or 4 years I've been seeking this sound in headphones. Unfortunately, nothing I've heard to date comes close. Big "thumbs up" on the Altec gear. If you do it right, it's not a bad investment either.

I once heard a direct comparison of a multicell horn vs. Edgar salad bowl horn with same driver/setup, and that midrange was so much cleaner, purer, with much better imaging via the round salad bowl. What made you abandon the Edgar stuff? I haven't heard any older stuff before Titan, though.

[spritzer]

wut?

link pls staxmeister

It was indeed never a production item as Stax went bust and all R&D not involved with the earspeaker line was dropped. There are small nuggets of info all over the place which hint at what they were trying to do.

[FrankCooter]

I once heard a direct comparison of a multicell horn vs. Edgar salad bowl horn with same driver/setup, and that midrange was so much cleaner, purer, with much better imaging via the round salad bowl. What made you abandon the Edgar stuff? I haven't heard any older stuff before Titan, though.

I've heard the Titan and totally agree with you. One of the best speakers I've ever heard. If I had that kind of money, I'd seriously consider owning a pair. All my experiance with Dr. Edgar's ( a great guy!) work was with the older DIY designs originally published in "Speaker Builder" magazine, usually using inexpensive Emminence drivers. No surprise that equipment using professional grade Altec drivers sounded superior. No surprise either that Dr. Edgar's commercial designs employing TAD drivers beats vintage Altec. Love the TAD stuff! If only I was rich enough to play at that level!

[Jon L]

I've heard the Titan and totally agree with you. One of the best speakers I've ever heard. If I had that kind of money, I'd seriously consider owning a pair.

That's how I feel also. The Titans require a pretty large room, so that's another thing holding me back. Dr. Edgar's shop is within one-hour driving distance from me, so when I win the lottery, buy a bigger house with a large listening room, I'll drive down there and demand a pair.

[jp11801]

Ended up bailing on the Altecs after my help was not able to make it. These are now marked down to $1500 but i'm going to pass as the Alon speakers I have rock and RMAF is right around the corner.

[recstar24]

Good bet the alons are really a nice speaker.