Why not horns?

Ah, there is another interesting issue with horns. The question of whether or not to do digital xovers. Digital xovers do make it possible to time align even when the horns themselves are not. However, I am on of those who prefers vinyl source to CD. Naturally I am against ANY digital device in the chain so I chose not to use a digital crossover.

Instead I have the voice coils of the drivers, except the bass horns, physically aligned. (There is a bit more to it, but that is basically how they stack.) So I have a little more work to do with regards to reflections off of the other horns, but there is no digital xover I have found that sounds like I want.

"the throat may need to be like 35 feet long"

I can see the converts lining up now.....

Dan - I can hardly fault you for being an analogue purist but please keep in mind that everything in audio demands compromise. To my way of thinking the benefits and convenience introduced by digital processing outweigh the theoretical advantages held in place by analog austerity. Two equally valid approaches. Everybody is happy; nobody is wrong.
Mapman- Your cynical asides are not helping me any. Do they enhance your situation in some way? Do you suppose 32 foot organ pipes are used where a 3 footer would do just as well? Yes, bass horns must be that long if the frequency you strive to reproduce is low enough to require that length. Sometimes this is accomplished by folding the horn. Whatever you are using is a poor substitute for horn bass because you don't know the difference or because you can't accommodate the real deal. I don't have the room or the budget either. The photo link you provided is an example of someone who has the knowledge, dedication and wherewithal to do it right. Do you admire his system or not?

"Do you admire his system or not?"

Yes.

I just think it it a bit ironic to ask the question "why not horns" and then assert that a 35 foot throat is needed for full range bass. It may well be true but that fact does not support an argument that people should go the horn route.

Also I applaud those who strive to do anything right, but frankly this thread is scaring me further away from horns personally than when I started. Sorry.

You've been told repeatedly in this thread that true bass horns are unwieldy and that most of us have some sort of hybrid with bass reflex cabinet and midrange horn. The irony may lie in you insisting that horns are not for you over and over and over again. We got it and that's fine.
If more people take an interest in horns, better and cheaper horn systems will appear eventually. In a thread like this, we can become aware of each other and you can become aware of us. Perhaps this is the start of something that could benefit all of us in time. However, unless we start talking nothing will happen.