High Efficiency Speaker Asylum

Posted by Eric@Beauhorn (i) on November 11, 2000 at 05:20:35:

In Reply to: Re: Save BIG $$$ on Beauhorn Virtuoso Ref... sort of. posted by Steven R. Rochlin on November 10, 2000 at 10:47:56:

Oh, woe! Sackcloth and ashes time. I didn't read the rules, I didn't register; my posting hit the trashcan. (I'm not quite sure that I've got it right now, but I tried, Oh, God, how I tried). Let's try again?

Steven,

I don't want to make a meal of this, but, yes, the passage I quoted from Thorsten did relate to the use of the Virtuosos and a Visaton sub and also a Visaton horn supertweeter. (Incidentally, I suspect that you're confusing Beauhorn with Carfrae when you talk about sideways firing, must-have subs - the Beauhorns are illustrated here). But this isn't the point. With a longer horn you can get more bass extension. Of course you can. You have to be careful to avoid coloration, is all. But it's not all about bass extension, is it?

Read Thorsten (again):

"However, anyone who has ever heard Lowther based Speakers cannot but admit that almost all Lowther based speakers have some serious Problems soundwise. At the same time Lowthers have a certain something that is hard to describe or explain, but which is extremely attractive.
Lowthers seem to bring you closer to the music. MUCH closer. The price to pay is an often tinny balance with often significant peaks in the upper Midrange that can be VERY irritating." [TNT Audio - loudspeakers tests]

I had an email the other day:

"I ... have heard endless praise of your speakers. But I have never heard a Lowther driver that I could stand. As one reviewer said, "I do not know how they got the Lowther driver to sound so good, but they did." I am willing to go with the fact that you did. I have many European friends that dismiss the Lowthers, especially the DX4..."

I suggest that this is not an uncommon view. On the other hand:

"There are no nasty cabinet colourations and none of the peaky response irregularities which so many conventional designs exhibit to one degree or another.

"The Beauhorns' midrange is crystal clear, and sounds remarkably balanced and natural. The upper reaches, including the treble range, are beautifully sweet and clear, too." Chris Beeching, Listener Magazine, July/August 2000][For a copy of the full review, follow the link below].

This is the really significant difference between the Beauhorns and DIY cabinets, not the bass extension. Much development effort went into achieving this natural, sweet sounding treble. The mythology of horn speakers is extensive, and much of it is derogatory and misguided and I'm afraid that extolling the DIY designs and raising peoples' expectations too high will just lead to disatisfaction and reinforcement of the widely-held negative opinions.

By all means get out into the workshop and build those cabinets. Do it for fun, do it to save money, or whatever, but don't think that you're building Beauhorns (or Carfaes).

Whether you're listening, or building, have fun,

Eric@Beauhorn

• Ask for Chris Beechings review