Greetings,
It is my understanding that listening to horn-loaded compression-loaded transducers in even the most delicately thought-out commercial multichannel horn systems is very risky psychologically to the persons involved, so caveat emptor, choose your whisky wisely. Is the Celestion Axi2050 approved by the Biofeedback Society of America?
What I am about to discuss is not common nuts and bolts information for the masses of horn-centric audiophiles, but rather the essential essence of the risks involved in listening to horn loaded speakers (or any class of audiophile equipment for that matter). Its just that with horns, the whole signal chain is magnified.
Lets say an understandably underinformed audiophile has settled into marriage with [Any particular compression driver plus horns at Any price level].
The problem from my perspective is that the audiophile consumer has not been informed by the mainstream and horn-centric audiophile public regarding what the subtle engineering feature sets in compression drivers create within the mind of the listener as a precisely remembered Neurological, Cognitive and Psychological Gestalt. Whatever combination of audiophile equipment you choose to listen to long term will reify any particular Gestalt within your moldable and reprogrammable delicate psychophysiological apparatus. Including your consciousness and personality growth possibilities (ref. Freud).
After physically and economically testing various compression drivers, crossover designs and horn geometry combinations in the multiway FLH context, is the audiophile prepared to settle down for a stint in Marriage to the Equipment before having cultivated sufficient intelligences about how any given piece of equipment in 'his' signal chain was [unintentionally or intentionally] designed to 'transform' the listener into being psychophysiologically and psychologically Married to these 'Gestalts'...? For better or for worse....unintentionally, yet psychophysiologically enmeshed..? Does the audiophile have the skillset to identify what a piece of equipment does and how it effects him psychoanalytically long term. This hobby is not just about simplistically doing approximately what other men do and then resting upon their laurels as the noblest reference points as processed by the practical user of that knowledge. This audiophile hobby of self perception and environmental perception can be more intellectually sophisticated in both breadth and depth, depending upon the person.
By way of introduction, this is what my former 4-way FLH system consisted of:
* TAD TD-2001 on 1000Hz Tractrix crossed passively at 6db@6KHz-20KHz
* (Various compression drivers) on 350Hz and 250Hz Edgarhorns crossed at 6db@250Hz-500Hz.
* JBL E145 on Edgarhorn 3/16 80Hz straight exponential (much better in pairs or in quad array); Plan was for Titan 75Hz Hypex 75Hz on 12".
* JBL E145 on Edgarhorn Seismic stereophonic channels crossed actively at 24db@40Hz
Whilst getting into active crossovers and multiamping, I started to run out of money and space. I was using stock BIDAT with John Wright plans. I was using Cardas Neutral Reference IC and happenstance Kimber Monocle XL speaker cable connected to Cyrus Brenneman Cavalier type amps. And then the preamplifier knowledge hassles and challenges came. It was the best I could slowly piece together and yet I was still falling short of where I was really going. Really I needed a bigger room. Being a Buddhist, I responded to God's call when the guy came and I personally acquiesced to go on a McGyver type operation involving periodic interactions with clandestine plainclothes personnel (some of them "ex"-military). Now THAT is a million dollar once in a lifetime Calling. An adventure. I am used to that. On the side, he gives me all of the best insider audiophile equipment trading information not without some efforts upon my part ^with^ my Leader.
N.B.C.
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