Horn based loudspeakers why the controversy?

@phusis 
 The old Klipsch stuff is exactly why people have the opinions they do today about horns and I think denying that is simply intellectually dishonest. I'm sure I'll get crucified for pointing this out, but there isn't even consensus in the horn camp about what good horns and bad horns are. If you read over this thread you see some saying horn hybrids suck, but others love them. Some say the vintage ones are good. Others say good horns require advanced engineering and exceptional materials. And at some point somebody has said some horn is great so many times here practically every horn ever made has been named. I'll bet I could take this crowd and put them in a room and see debates about just horns become as heated as horns vs dynamic drivers. 

@kosst_amojan

The old Klipsch stuff is exactly why people have the opinions they do today about horns and I think denying that is simply intellectually dishonest.

I hope the intent with my reply above to poster @soundsrealaudio was absolutely clear. As you point out the older Klipsch horns are particularly "memorable" for their sonic behavior, so much indeed as to be used continuously as a case in a contemporary debate for the proposed failings of horn speakers. Surely there’s an anachronism at play here, right? My gripe with the aim at the older Klipsch stuff by named poster were the exact areas pointed out by him; not some others for which they’re so disliked - depending though on the context.

I’m sure I’ll get crucified for pointing this out, but there isn’t even consensus in the horn camp about what good horns and bad horns are. If you read over this thread you see some saying horn hybrids suck, but others love them. Some say the vintage ones are good. Others say good horns require advanced engineering and exceptional materials. And at some point somebody has said some horn is great so many times here practically every horn ever made has been named. I’ll bet I could take this crowd and put them in a room and see debates about just horns become as heated as horns vs dynamic drivers.

No arguing here, I believe you are right in pointing this out, but as you can see the diversity of opinion and actual representation (of horn speakers) in such a discussion hardly justifies calling all horn/-hybrids under the same banner as in "all horns suck," just as well as claiming that "all horns are great" would seem dubious. I don’t see a consensus in this thread where a differentiated approach to horn sound is argued, but rather that a one-sided bashing is severely, and rightfully opposed. I have also seen proponents (i.e.: makers) of horns go on to claim that only their specific approach to horns is what produces the right sound, but you have to wonder whether this isn’t truly and solely in the interest of their own business, rather than attempting an objective take on the potential of a variety of viable horn approaches (as a marketing ploy it’s certainly easier to claim the proficiency of a single approach rather than several). Navigating in all this dispute even, which is also a condition among other speakers principles, shouldn’t detract from the fact that there are people liking horn speakers for "sound" reasons, one way or the other, and using, say, appeal to the masses arguments won’t carve in stone tablets what’s inherently right or (typically accused) wrong with horn sound.

You have to ask yourself the difference of context for people to make their claims; what’s the true observation here going by the same premise or set of conditions, apart from what’s merely taste? Hardly a realistic outlook, and as such much of the source for the wild debate. It’s a complicated matter indeed, but one that with effort(!) is still manageable to (hopefully) be a little wiser about.

@mrdecibel ,

311 posts12-05-2017 12:40pmI find the Heresy to be a puzzle. A slow, air suspension, 12 in. woofer, mated to a midrange and tweeter horn.

I never understood this quandary regarding hybrid designs.

Why in theory should a dynamic cone woofer not work well with a horn midrange and tweeter. Klipsch is far from the only manufacturer that uses such designs. I realize PWK was staunch in his belief that all drivers should be horn loaded (hence the Heresy name), but other than lower bass response and ultimate sensitivity, the horn loaded woofer doesn't offer any advantages that I'm aware of.

Also, an air suspension helps to create fast bass, nothing slow about it.

helomech, I did say the Heresy worked, in the next sentence. Believe what you want, but, IMO, the Lascala, the Belle, and even the Vittori and Simon Mears, have a bass that is more musical, and coherent, between the bass and mid horn, than many. I love hybrids, and there are many I could probably live with. This is just my opinion. Enjoy your Heresys, as they are IMO, the best out there, at the price, and size ( I have owned many Heresys, mostly series 1, and some series 2. I have heard the series 3. If you PM me, I can give you a pointer or two on how to bring them to the next level ( however, if you bought them new, I would not want you to void the warranty ). Enjoy !  MrD 

P.S. You should join the Klipsch community, as, they are all Klipsch fanatics.