High Efficiency Speaker Asylum

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RE: Horns and high efficiency . what effect ?

Posted by Paul Eizik on March 31, 2017 at 10:39:38:
C

Horns and electrostatics (including planers like the Magnipans) have more in common with each other than they do with direct radiators. R.H. Small commented back in 1969 on the problem of integrating horns or electrostats with direct radiators, and he observed that there would be a 90 degree phase difference between the transfer characteristics of the horns or electrostats verses the mass dominated direct radiators. I've heard Quads a number of times, both re-built originals plus the newer versions at hi-fi shows. They do have horn like dynamics at low to medium volume, but they can't play loud, and they are limited at the bass end too. If you add a direct radiator to supplement the bass you encounter the problem Small talked about. As electrostats are low efficiency and rather difficult to drive (someone once commented that they were like the amp having to drive a capacitor) your amplifier selection becomes limited, and low powered triodes are not going to get the job done. So if your musical tastes allow you to live with these limitations they may be ideal. I've also heard the Avantgardes, and though they sounded good, there is really no contest against the Edgarhorn Titans which are horn loaded all the way down, and this is just my opinion of course. Comparing the Edgarhorns to Quads as to which is "faster", there may be a contest at low levels, but at a loud peak in a classical recording it's really no contest, it takes a horn to catch a horn there. This having been said, I understand your comments as to the Quads compared with the Avantgardes, and I would probably agree if I heard them together at a demonstration.

Paul