[A K-402-Based Full-Range Multiple-Entry Horn]

On 11/15/2016 at 11:03 AM, Chris A said:

If we're at a point where we can step back and look at the lay of the land...here's what I currently see from my knothole:

 

Basically all of the ongoing multiple entry horn (MEH) DIY work is on smaller horns that lose their pattern control around 500 Hz, e.g.,

 

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/285030-bookshelf-multi-way-point-source-horn.html

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/291160-my-synergy-corner-horn-bass-bins.html, and

http://www.hificircuit.com/community/threads/index-of-diy-synergy-and-unity-horns.23/.

 

Additionally, these efforts haven't discovered the benefits of using 2" output compression drivers: they all still use 1" drivers. Some are still trying to wedge in midrange drivers like DSL Synergies that are meant for outdoor stadium use (i.e., extremely high SPL that requires separate midrange drivers). 

 

But these are not the best choices that they can make.  There are remaining problems using direct-radiating woofers--and most are vented bass reflex designs (having their own issues sonically integrating with those smaller MEH horns).  Most of those small horn designs are completely ignoring those issues.  And the "small loudspeaker crowd" generally wants to believe that smaller loudspeakers are "just as good" and "a better fit for their rooms". 

 

In reality, however, the K-402-MEH performs better than any smaller loudspeaker array in very small rooms. Just like Roy mentioned elsewhere--small rooms actually require large mouth horns to keep the early reflections off the nearfield walls.  The sonic benefits of using a single horn full-range K-402-MEH in a cabinet that's about the size of a La Scala II are noteworthy.  They don't require a separate woofer or horn-loaded bass bin, and their bass extension is that of a Jubilee bass bin--and arguably cleaner than the Jub bass bin.

 

And those same K-402-MEHs can fill very large home theater rooms without breaking a sweat...

 

Chris

 

 

Over the past 5-10 years, I'm starting to see compression drivers that are (finally) pushing the performance envelope. Up until 2009 or so, you basically had two options:

1) a lot of compression drivers that can cover four octaves that cost about $150

 

2) a handful of beryllium compression drivers that can cover 4.5 octaves that cost about $1000

 

We're *finally* seeing some affordable compression drivers that can do 4.5 octaves, such as the Eminence N314T that's pictured above.

 

That IS compelling for a Unity horn, something similar to the SPL RUNT: an 8" woofer combined with a single compression driver. The original "RUNT" used a BMS 4550, and as I understand it, was one of the reasons that BMS became ubiquitous with the DSL speakers.