Primer on horns

Wow: Ezmaraldo, fascinating post (as always) and now onto the thread. Pete: Your space seems a bit small to optimize traditional horn systems unless you can place them near the short wall and be seated approx. 3', or so, from the opposing wall (most horn systems require a greater listening distance, than traditional dynamic speakers, in order to bring "things" such as coherency together). This is one of the reasons that "horns" have a modern love/hate persona as many people do not incorporate them properly into their systems/rooms (near field horns - gimme a break). This said, if you can accommodate 12' (or more) of distance between the listening position and the speakers, go for it, it will sound "OK" throughout the room, but the sweet spot will be sweet indeed. Instead of experimenting with this or that (as far as tube amps go) take the leap and work with "single ended" and/or "single ended triode" amps only which is what horn type speakers were originally used with in the beginning (instead of push/pull configurations). Screw distortion spec's, etc., (other than component matching specs) as they mean very little in this realm and the sound/realism is what "walks the walk". If your listening distance needs to be less "than the above" then maybe figure out efficient dynamic speakers in a "near field" configuration, again with a SE or SET amp. The amps (decent ones) start @ around $500, or so and go up (way up). I have used push/pull tube amps for over 30 years, but recently (a year or so ago) went with SET and there is no comparison when these amps are used properly within a system/room. You are definitely on the right track, so hang in there. Please, feel free to email me directly on this subject if you like. By the way, I am not an artist, but a collector (currently short on funds:-).

Ezmeralda, my comments were talking about AB amps that were "richly biased". I'm talking about amps that stay in Class A for at least several watts. You can typically tell these from other SS amps as they tend to run hot even at idle. Most amps that are labeled AB and don't get hot unless you're standing on the throttle are not biased very richly. As such, they operate more in Class B than they do in Class A mode.

Most efficient horn based systems under "dynamic" listening conditions will never leave the "first few watts" region of operation. As such, switching distortion is basically non-existent in a high bias AB or pure Class A design. Hopefully, the rest of the amplifier design is up to snuff also.

If one is trying to do a "wall of sound" approach, a higher level of bias ( an amp that stays in Class A longer before switching over to Class B ) or "pure" Class A operation would be more appropriate if worried about crossover distortion. All you have to worry about in that situation is how to dissipate all of the heat.

As to the general content of your post, i can't argue with most of it. One can find poorly constructed and designed products to use as examples regardless of how they are labeled and / or categorized and marketed. This includes, but is not limited to, amps that operate in ANY class of operation.

However, i would keep in mind that these comments come from ( or are at least attributed to ) someone trying to sell you something. Presenting "facts" that support one's own ideas, products or agenda is typically considered "marketing" and should be considered as such. Sean
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http://www.thehornshoppe.com/
sort of interesting and cheap speaker. i found this on audioreview.com.