What are the Top Horn Speakers in the World Today? Vox Olympian vs Avantgarde Trio vs ???

[Hear Here]

Here is a very interesting new horn product from Korea I'm hoping to evaluate when at HE Munich 2023. They are showing at the smaller "off campus" venue at HiFi Deluxe at the Marriott.

I'd not been aware of that brand until now. Their rather limited Specification doesn't mention crossover frequencies. With a 2" mid driver fitted with a 16" horn and 8" non-horn bass drivers, the crossover must be pretty high. This leaves a much smaller section of the frequency range handled by the horn section compared with say Avantgarde. At 94 dB, a rather low sensitivity for a horn system and interesting that the imprdence is 4 ohm, while AG has moved from 8 to 18 ohm, presumably to make the load more suitable for fussy amps.

 

[gleeds]

I'd not been aware of that brand until now. Their rather limited Specification doesn't mention crossover frequencies. With a 2" mid driver fitted with a 16" horn and 8" non-horn bass drivers, the crossover must be pretty high. This leaves a much smaller section of the frequency range handled by the horn section compared with say Avantgarde. At 94 dB, a rather low sensitivity for a horn system and interesting that the imprdence is 4 ohm, while AG has moved from 8 to 18 ohm, presumably to make the load more suitable for fussy amps.

I am really impressed with Avantgarde these days and will have the chance to listen to them at Munich. The points on Seawave are well taken and I will report back, as perhaps will others who hear them while in Munich. My favorite horns remain Destination Audio Vista's "classic" horns. I'm keen to hear them with the field coil upgrade with their 45 amplifiers when they are available in the US. That is going to be something!

 

[caesar]

Gentlemen,
Anyone have any experience with Cessaro speakers to post an informed opinion?

At the latest Axpona, the NA distributor, from High Water Sound, was able to get a very enjoyable sound at the show. Truly outstanding considering a small, compromised hotel room.

The guy just played records he bought at various record stores, not the mofile fidelity crap audiophiles and "audio journalists" go gaga for (while being misled).

One could just sit in his room for hours and enjoy

 

[bonzo75]

Gentlemen,
Anyone have any experience with Cessaro speakers to post an informed opinion?

At the latest Axpona, the NA distributor, from High Water Sound, was able to get a very enjoyable sound at the show. Truly outstanding considering a small, compromised hotel room.

The guy just played records he bought at various record stores, not the mofile fidelity crap audiophiles and "audio journalists" go gaga for (while being misled).

One could just sit in his room for hours and enjoy

tang’s thread ran here for 4 years with videos. Those are the Gamma 2. Audioquattr has the Zeta. There are others with the smaller ones. Cessaros have been discussed endlessly on this forum. They were even part of the DaveyF thread title to sell off

 

[caesar]

tang’s thread ran here for 4 years with videos. Those are the Gamma 2. Audioquattr has the Zeta. There are others with the smaller ones. Cessaros have been discussed endlessly on this forum. They were even part of the DaveyF thread title to sell off

Thanks. I have been so damned busy the last few years, that there is a treasure trove of good threads for me to explore. thank you for the heads up

 

[adrianywu]

In Munich, I was most impressed by the Silbatone WE system, the enormous ESD Acoustics full horn set up, the Aries Cerat Aurora and the Acapella Hyperion, to name just the horn systems. They were playing the music too loudly at the Seawave room, and I had to leave after two minutes as my ears were ringing. Would love to have a fully horn loaded system such as the VOX Olympian, but the space required makes this impractical, at least for my home. The ESD Crane speakers on static display look very interesting, if they are as good as their Dragon big brother. http://www.esdacoustics.com/index.php/product/info_classic/42/8.html
All field coil drivers, beryllium diaphragm for the tweeter and mid, titanium sandwich for the bass. Active bass with adjustable crossover. Sensitivity of 116dB/1W/1m for the midrange. I also loved the Acapella. Their plasma tweeter (which I am using) is legendary, and they managed to fit four 15" bass drivers into each side and yet still has a footprint of just 17" x 33". Their hyperspherical horn has the least amount of rim diffraction and sounds very natural and uncolored. I was most impressed when they played the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor. The 32 foot pipes were reproduced in all their glory.

 

[LL21]

In Munich, I was most impressed by the Silbatone WE system, the enormous ESD Acoustics full horn set up, the Aries Cerat Aurora and the Acapella Hyperion, to name just the horn systems.... I also loved the Acapella. Their plasma tweeter (which I am using) is legendary, and they managed to fit four 15" bass drivers into each side and yet still has a footprint of just 17" x 33". Their hyperspherical horn has the least amount of rim diffraction and sounds very natural and uncolored. I was most impressed when they played the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor. The 32 foot pipes were reproduced in all their glory.

Very very interesting...just came across this speaker. I like the footprint, and the theoretical capability here of scale. I have read a little about rim diffraction as well...very interesting indeed.

 

[morricab]

Very very interesting...just came across this speaker. I like the footprint, and the theoretical capability here of scale. I have read a little about rim diffraction as well...very interesting indeed.

The big Acapella was very good…one of my favourite at the show. Of course the AC system sounded the most like live .

i too was very interested in the ESD Crane…sadly only static display.

 

[LL21]

The big Acapella was very good…one of my favourite at the show. Of course the AC system sounded the most like live .

i too was very interested in the ESD Crane…sadly only static display.

Thanks...at 96db they are sensitive but not 100-105db like some horns. Wonder what would happen with the Robert Koda K160s.

 

[morricab]

Thanks...at 96db they are sensitive but not 100-105db like some horns. Wonder what would happen with the Robert Koda K160s.

Effortless

 

[andromedaaudio]

The big Acapella was very good…one of my favourite at the show. Of course the AC system sounded the most like live .

i too was very interested in the ESD Crane…sadly only static display.

ESD the main system

 

[morricab]

ESD the main system

Yes, I was there and heard it a few times…

 

[LL21]

Effortless

Yes, that was my thinking too. What I cannot guess is where they sit in the scale spectrum...between the big Wilsons/Focals, etc which I know...the massive Genesis 1s on the other end...and in between the Avant Garde Trios with dual-bass horns which I have now heard. Any thoughts on this?

 

[Ron Resnick]

Yes, that was my thinking too. What I cannot guess is where they sit in the scale spectrum...between the big Wilsons/Focals, etc which I know...the massive Genesis 1s on the other end...and in between the Avant Garde Trios with dual-bass horns which I have now heard. Any thoughts on this?

Hi Lloyd!

I know where you're coming from on this question, because, as you know, we think alike on the "scale" and "grandeur" questions.

I wonder if the different ways that box speakers and horn speakers and dipoles project sound makes the question difficult to answer across different speaker topologies?

On the dipole side it might help if you just come visit me!

 

[Lagonda]

ESD the main system

And then there is the "Androhorn" coming into production next year ! Here is a prototype ! Dutch audio when it is best !

 

[LL21]

Hi Lloyd!

I know where you're coming from on this question, because, as you know, we think alike on the "scale" and "grandeur" questions.

I wonder if the different ways that box speakers and horn speakers and dipoles project sound makes the question difficult to answer across different speaker topologies?

On the dipole side it might help if you just come visit me!

Hi Ron,

Thank you. I think your point is 'fair'ish'. The topologies do things differently obviously...and generally where I admire cones is that they are very space efficient for the power and scale of what they deliver. They also deliver propulsive air movement very well for major impact as well.

Horns tend to be huge in the ways that make domestic difficult to accommodate, and bass horns while pretty sensational are massive all on their own.

On the 4-tower panel, I have heard the Genesis Ones which share DNA of design with your own...in fact, I think you said Flemming took inspiration from the IRS V which was its predecessor in designing your Pendragons. The Genesis Ones are amazing...and HUGE.

That is why I was intrigued by how the Acapella Hyperion is basically the same footprint of an XLF (17 x 33 inches vs 20" x 28")...though much taller by 2 feet! By contrast the AG Trio is massive when including the bass horns. They could well be closing in on the 4-tower category without actually being 4 towers.

 

[andromedaaudio]

And then there is the "Androhorn" coming into production next year ! Here is a prototype ! Dutch audio when it is best ! View attachment 116706

People use these to be able to find any qualities while listening to MBL radial Strahlers .
Word on the street is that even using these magnifiers they havent heard any qualities to speak of

 

[morricab]

And then there is the "Androhorn" coming into production next year ! Here is a prototype ! Dutch audio when it is best ! View attachment 116706

Just hope no one shouts near you or those won’t help anymore

 

[bonzo75]

Not difficult to better these on grandeur and scale

What I cannot guess is where they sit in the scale spectrum...between the big Wilsons/Focals, etc

 

[morricab]

Yes, that was my thinking too. What I cannot guess is where they sit in the scale spectrum...between the big Wilsons/Focals, etc which I know...the massive Genesis 1s on the other end...and in between the Avant Garde Trios with dual-bass horns which I have now heard. Any thoughts on this?

Hi Lloyd,
I would say that bass is probably closer to what you are used to rather than a big active tower like Genesis. It is a big box woofer setup after all.
As to the rest, first let me state that I have a lot of experience with big planar speakers (Infinity IRS Beta, Apogee, Audiostatic, Acoustat, Stax and DIY BG design) and always appreciated the coherence and transparency. The big Acapella is more like a planar in terms of clarity and coherence and just the realism of window removal.
In terms of dynamics, I think again it is closer to Genesis type speakers but surpasses them…it surpasses all box speakers I have heard.

For sheer realism, I think I have only heard a few that can equal or surpass the Hyperion.