Horns for HT?


Hi all,

I'm starting to set up a second HT room in our 18'x32'x10'basement game room. I have a B&W HT/music system on the main floor featuring 800ds, HTM2D, Velodyne DD18. I would like to try something different in the basement. From what I've been told horns excel at impact\dynamics\punch. So would a HT system with horn speakers work well. Does anyone have any suggestions going this direction? I will be using Arcam AVR-600 for my processor.I'm not looking at going quite as high end as I have upstairs

Thanks, Mike
128x128mikeba316
I've been an audio/videophile for many years myself. I've owned some Klipschies in the past, and think, done properly, can indeed offer some dynamic, well focused, coherent sounding performance for good HT/music dubties! While I do like the klipsh's - historically - with tubes in the system, they offer some efficiency advantages over typical passive speaker systems, which usually ends up resulting in dynamic advantage to the higher sensitivity horn speakers. Basically, they amplify and reinforce the frequencies they cover, making a more potent, hard hitting, and dynamic pressentation there. Their higher sensitivity also makes for a more effortless, efficient system to drive, without difficulty. The horns - especially in your bassment - offer the advantage of limiting off-axis, and floor to ceiling acoustical reflections, which can smear the immaging and dynamic impact of a sound system.
Klipsch's tend on the bright/crispy side on the treble, wiht a foreward pressentation overall (this makes for a more involved pressentation with better "pressence" for movies, IMO), depending on models, so consider. I would go with tubes first, then more mellow, laid back electonics to match, for best tonaly balance (also, EQ's like the Audyssey will help here also, if needed).
I think you can rule out ubber-buck Avantgardes, and look also at Accutech's offerings offers, JBL's THX horns, and similar. Read your reviews here,and do some searching.
For the record, as a movie system, I've not heard much better with horn passive's than the Klipsch THX system refered to here, above, for movies! Sounded very dynamic, detailed, clear, and effortless for passive system. I'd use those if I had to NO PROBLEM! Very good, infact.

Good luck
Thanks for the responses everyone.

I'll start my due diligence on a Klipsch system!

Any thoughts on the KLipsch THX system compared to the Khorn/Belle center set up maybe with a couple of JL F113 subs?
there are 3 speaker lines that I have been reading about on avsforum, jtr triple 12's, mark seatons Catalysts and speakers from Tom Danley. These all have what you are looking for. I use horns for my home theater. Klipsch CF3's mains and a KLF C-7 center. All about 100dB efficient. These are smooth and dynamic with great slam.
KLIPSCH all the way!!!

The Arcam will be a great match with the Klipsch. If you didn't already have the Arcam, Sunfire is also a great match. Just don't try and pair up Adcom with Klipsch.
I run vintage Cornwalls and Heresy's in my HT and love it. If this is strictly HT I'd go with 6 Heresy's and that bad-ass JL Audio sub. I'm still supplying my mains with the tube magic though.