Well, I wrote this page (the bottom part) over 7 years ago. What I said below is just as valid today, nothing has changed. After 7 years I think I’d best remind people reading this page and those of you who have been following The Horn Shoppe why things are as they are.

 For some back ground….the Horns were not the start of a journey for me. They were the end. I had been on a 10 year or so quest to have the sound of the many single driver speakers I’d built and the ability to play very loud. This is very difficult to pull of in a small pkg. I was not and had no intentions at the time to ever sell a speaker. I’d been building them for 25 years, mostly TL’s, and sealed. I never cared for most other types, horns included, but that’s another story. This is not about design it’s about “explaining things”.

As soon as Mac and I heard the first one I knew I had done exactly what I’d been searching for. No need to explain it but just accept I was happy and had achieved a 10 year goal. I’m not writing a history of the Horns here so try and think “concepts”. From day one I experimented to tweak them to be as good as I thought they could be. I changed drivers to the 108 and was among the first in the US to get them. I was forced to use the108 E when the original 108 was discontinued. I switched from the 108E to the 126E and made the decision 10 seconds after I heard the first one. I had been unaware of its existence.  I liked it MUCH better than the 108E, regardless of the fact it cost 1/3 the 108E

Now, in 7 years many may wonder why I have not come up with anything else or “better”. Well the M2 is “better” in that they are more efficient and are still practically sized. They sound like the Horns. The Hornline is a good augmenter and the Cube is a fraction of the size with almost identical sound and integration. Both  augmenters deal with the bottom end only.

The Horns on the other hand are EXACTLY what I want them to be. I am always on the lookout for tweaks but the thing is there is nothing in the response or design that I feel needs addressing. While some are modifying this and that and treating cones and using all the other tricks, I feel that the 126 E in my speaker is just fine as it is. I damp the basket and that is all I feel the need to do. I am not saying that modifying the driver is “wrong”, I’m saying for me, in my application  I don’t see the need. I am no stranger to modifying drivers and many of you have the proof but I believe it should be done on an application by application basis. There is no free lunch and changing one thing affects others.

This is why the Horns do not or will not change significantly ….its also why I don’t constantly look for “new and improved” drivers made from exotic and un-exotic materials. All I care about is the sound. Sure I could change them any way I want…….more bass? no problem, but you’ll have to do with less output. Want them “smoother”? No problem but then they will not be as dynamic. There is no free lunch. I am happy with them exactly how they are. and since they meet all of my goals, exactly how am I going to justify 6 different models with 6 different type and size cones? If I had that I’d like to think that one was the best all around compromise  and that’s what every speaker is, a collection of compromises. I don’t believe in different speakers for different “types of music” or amplifiers. A good speaker should sound good on any good amp with any type music. But that’s another whole page of explaining!

For me, I am completely happy….they have been a success and they always will be. In the last 7 years they have evolved and gotten steadily better sounding. Where they are now is once again, the end. At this point they probably can’t “get better”. There simply can’t be a “better” driver because you see….they are exactly what I had in mind 7 years ago (today is June ’07).

What I said then...and still say today.....