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There were plenty it of them made: Techniques 9500, Excusive 2301, Iwatas, JBL 2350 and JBL 2345, Vitavox (narrow) and few others … They kind of very strange horns and I always was suspicions about them. Though my suspicions are purely theoretical: as I had only once JBL 2345 in my room - in the end of 2000 - and I did not spend a lot of efforts or brains to work with them. I heard of course them in a few installations of other people. But I hard to say anything in context of other installations as whatever I head in those installation had many other problems and the “wide dispersion horns” was be the least of the problem. So, my suspicion feeling about “wide dispersion horns” are purely imaginary and is based upon decisions of mind instead of the applied experience.
I have to preface with a comment, that any horns of none-counterparty horns profiles suck, bit time. The LF horn under some conditions might be hyperbolic, conical or exponential but MF horns must be terminated contemporary, means perpendicular (Tratrix or Le Cleach profile). The “wide dispersion horns” are never the horn of the “right” profile. They have very strange and different profile as each different point. Horizontally they are in fact not horn-loaded at all but rather direct radiators (imaging-wise). In convention spherical horn, we know that any given frequency range has own optimum size of the torn. We also know, using for instance a contemporary spherical Tratrix and can predicts what will get at 10 degree off or 30 degree or, in horizontal of vertical plane. With “wide dispersion horns” it is way much complex and hardly predictable.
In a case of a two way installation with bass corner-loaded and a “wide dispersion horn” sits atop of bass and fires from a far distance 90 degree everything is OK and in fact in this scenario the “wide dispersion horns” do quite fine. However, as soon we go for nearfiled and multiple horns then everything become complex imaging wise-and integration-wise. Probably if to pile up 3-4 “wide dispersion horns” vertically and to spend some time to play with them, learning what kind crossovers and what kid integration techniques they would like) then it might be possible to make it work. I never went there and I never heard any playback that tool the idea far and at serious level. I have seen that that French guy - Jean-Yves Kerbrat - used to have a mid-room array of the “semi-wide dispersion horns” - it would be interesting to hear how it works but I never visited him.
In other words I do not know. Any topology if taken seriously and might be pushed and stressed up to the point where I might serve more or less acceptable unlit it tits the limitation of topology. I personally never look in the “wide dispersion horns” because I do not see any advantages in the effect of the dispersion. Those horns have ultra wide horizontal opening and in order to keep the driver “see” the loading volume they vertically squished. I always ask myself why would be necessary? If pro applications where they have a channel sitting on stage, firing in front and 100 Jewish dentists dance around the speaker the wide dispersion is good. How necessary it is in context of home installations? I do not see any rational. I might come up with many hypothetical disadvantages. What would be interesting if some one who has successfully implemented the “wide dispersion horns” would voice the advantages of the “wide dispersion horns”. Rgs, Romy the Cat
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