Anybody has listen to horning speaker? well received by the high end crown at audioexotics.hk. Interesting usage of lowther driver only for midrange frequency and as a result do away with "shouting" issue with horn speakers and comes with 4 pairs of push pull bass drivers. Particularly keen in Horning eufrodite ultimate zigma version. Changing speaker means changing my amp ( CJ 350) since eufrodite is particularly sensitive at 97db
Anybody has listen to horning speaker? well received by the high end crown at audioexotics.hk. Interesting usage of lowther driver only for midrange frequency and as a result do away with "shouting" issue with horn speakers and comes with 4 pairs of push pull bass drivers. Particularly keen in Horning eufrodite ultimate zigma version. Changing speaker means changing my amp ( CJ 350) since eufrodite is particularly sensitive at 97db
Have only heard them at CES and not in quite some time. They've bounced around between distributors for a while. Not sure who's handling them now in the US.
As far as I know , Jeff catalano of Highendwater is representing Horning Hybrid.
Response by Tommy Horning to super high end group audioexotics.hk forum
Drivers used in the Eufrodite
This cone tweeter is better than any of the new fancy styled tweeters such as tweeter made of diamond and titanium. The Horning tweeter is free from the resonances at ultra high frequencies, which is a characteristic of diamond tweeters response over 20 khz. While the resonances occur at the non-audible frequency band as high as 100 khz, it will cause phase shift in the audible range from 10 khz onwards.
The Horning open cone tweeter has a very smooth roll of above 20 khz and completely free from resonances and phase shift under 20 khz. The application of an anti-resonance material to the tweeter sourced from mother-nature in the middle-east has enabled me to achieve uncharted high frequency quality hitherto. The cone tweeter is also far better than any dome tweeter which is handicapped by the big and heavy voice coil that hampers speedy response. Although it does not measure as impressive as other tweeters from the perspective of frequency extension, the horning tweeter can portray much better natural timbre characteristics than any other tweeters. It is a great contribution to the overall state of the art performance of the Eufrodite.
The Horning modified DX55 prolongs the merits of the tweeters to the most important mid-range area. The Lowther driver is responsible for the faithful reproduction of true-to-life human voices and instrumental timbre. The listener feels absolutely “you are there” with the artists on the recordings.
The Horning modified DX55 wideband driver which is powered by a 2.2 tesla magnet. In order to control this magnet is the DX55. A dust cab is applied in the centre to reinforce the strength of the paper voice coil to reduce stress at high passages, which explains the complete absence of shorting behaviour from the DX55, when you used them solely as one full range driver.
The DX55 has very smooth response up to 12kh where it starts rolling off acoustically. Also, there does not exist any filtering coils under 2khz. Through the horning modification it also gains superior musical realism free from any nasal character known from horn speakers either with or without front horns where the addition of the mid-range front horn often limits hinders the development of the soundstage.
Under 200 H, there are a total of eight 8 inch bass drivers working in push pull (compound) mode. Each driver has a 20 gram dynamic mass and working in the push pull fashion gives a superior bass performance over any traditional bass reflex and air chamber working with 8 to15 inch bass drivers. The traditional way is to produce a bass system with very long cone travelling time.
The longer the travel is the slower is the reactions and hence higher distortion and coloration. The less the bass driver has to move back and forth, the higher is the accuracy of low registers. What you get in return is natural bass motion.
The eight push pull working bass drivers are functioning in the patented Horning Hybrid loudspeaker cabinet which loads the drivers perfectly so that they do not have to travel more than +/- 1 mm under high sound pressure. This gives a superior high quality bass performance without compression.
I heard them at Axpona in FL. and thought they were the best sound at the show. They were being driven by Thoress (both 300b and 845) amplifiers and sound was great. It was Jeff that had them.
If I was going to make a speaker change, they would would be in my top 2-3. the ones heard only had the two pr. of 8" woofers per speaker. Cant remember the model though, but did visit the room three times and was impressed.
I have a friend a fellow audiophile in Australia who recently purchased a pair of hoernig alkibiades speakers they are 98db efficent .He likes them very much and raves about them.He drives them with low watt tube amps in a smallish listening room.The speakers are beautiful and very tall ,well made.
He purchased them at a very reasonable price used.If I Had the chance I'd jump on them they are works of art.
So far feedback about the speaker has been positive. However with no opportunity to hear it in Malaysia and the fact that changing speaker means changing amplification, it makes my decision to change speaker more complicated. My friend and I felt that we should proceed with caution, for all we know we may not like the "Horning"sound.
Happy listening
This really is an old thread and thought best to post here instead of making a new one.
It appears there have been several refinements made to this Eufrodite model - the most resent being the 16 Brand New woofers being used which Tommy has conveyed saying have been his long term dream and goal.
I went to the RMAF Show last year and dropped in Jeff C room from High Water Sound, he had a version that did not have the most current new bass drivers, was being driven by low watt TW Acustic mono blocks and Tron pre and a TW phono and table etc. See pics - it sounded marvelous but was still lacking the energy and bass drive for me but intrigued me enough to pursue in getting a pair. Always wanted to try some efficient speakers.
This pic shows the difference of bass drivers - closes one has the new.
16 woofer differences: the new one has 1.7 t neodymium magnet with a 62 mm air gap - old one in comparison is a 1.1 tesla with 25 mm air gap.
Tommy conveys sums up the differences; the new bass drivers is the "heaven" and provide substantial improvements over the older design from the speakers top too bottom, the warmth and speed is wonderful and gives the system a much greater overall linearity.
I own Horning Eufrodites and have used them in my studio for 2 years. Bought them from Jeffrey at High Water sound. They are the closest midrange to Quad 57s I have heard. Gorgeous but very very fast and clear. My studio is small so bass has always been a problem but the Hornings do fine in it although I recently hooked them up with excellent subwoofers improving the bass and overall sound. For me they are a perfect combination of ultra clarity, speed, dynamics and tonality. They sound live and energetic aa does music. First speaker I've owned I could live with forever and am doing so along with my Quad 57s (in my living room).
I own Horning Eufrodites and have used them in my studio for 2 years. Bought them from Jeffrey at High Water sound. They are the closest midrange to Quad 57s I have heard. Gorgeous but very very fast and clear. My studio is small so bass has always been a problem but the Hornings do fine in it although I recently hooked them up with excellent subwoofers improving the bass and overall sound. For me they are a perfect combination of ultra clarity, speed, dynamics and tonality. They sound live and energetic aa does music. First speaker I've owned I could live with forever and am doing so along with my Quad 57s (in my living room).
Further on my Horning Eufrodites, the addition of large REL subwoofers improved bass and overall sound quality. Took me 6 months to get the subs dialed in but well worth it. I find the speaker the same as mentioned above; clear, fast, dynamic, alive yet somehow non-fatiguing. I never tire of them despite listening day and night in the studio during audio marathons (copying tape). I did hear a 211 tube based amp on them and it was gorgeous, but because I leave my equipment on day and night I use mainly solid state for playback for practical reasons. The Hornings are like horn speakers without any cupped hand effect or coloration. Had I all the money in the world, I would be scared to change to any other speaker. I like them that much as I value speed and a live dynamic response, while demanding uncolored mids. Hope this is useful.
Further on my Horning Eufrodites, the addition of large REL subwoofers improved bass and overall sound quality. Took me 6 months to get the subs dialed in but well worth it. I find the speaker the same as mentioned above; clear, fast, dynamic, alive yet somehow non-fatiguing. I never tire of them despite listening day and night in the studio during audio marathons (copying tape). I did hear a 211 tube based amp on them and it was gorgeous, but because I leave my equipment on day and night I use mainly solid state for playback for practical reasons. The Hornings are like horn speakers without any cupped hand effect or coloration. Had I all the money in the world, I would be scared to change to any other speaker. I like them that much as I value speed and a live dynamic response, while demanding uncolored mids. Hope this is useful.
I have used my ellipse with many different amps over the years. They are remarkably versatile. I have landed on a pair of VT25 driving 211 monos that are fully tube rectified and choke loaded, no resistors or capacitors in the signal path. These amps are made to my and a friends spec by a very talented/experienced builder in Vietnam. They put out 12 glorious watts. They play to all the Hornings strengths.
