Sonus Aeterna

WHY HORNS

We are all familiarized with the operation of an output transformer of a tube amplifier. This transformer matches the high load of the output tubes to the speaker’s load. The significance of the output transformer and the matching necessity, is theoretically and practically proved many years now. The necessity of matching different loads, is obvious to many other electrical applications too

One more major proof about the necessity of a matching transformer (and this is the closest analog to the horn speakers), is our ears, the nature’s horn device. Our ear is a horn device which couples our inner diaphragm into the air. We are all hear through two directional horns.

Horn loading can be thought as the acoustic analog, matching the driver’s diaphragm load to the air. The acoustic analog of the output tube is the driver (speaker). The analog of the speaker’s load is the air and the acoustic analog of the output transformer is the horn device. The equivalent function of the horn is to work as an acoustic transformer, matching the driver’s high density diaphragm to the air’s low density mass. Horn loading gives the best coupling between the driver’s diaphragm and the air. It transforms small air movement- minimal diaphragm excursion at the throat of the horn and large air movement at the mouth of the horn. That means higher efficiency, reduced strain, with huge gains in dynamics ,lifelike presentation, transients, image size and lower distortion. All these are well known benefits of the horn speakers.

In the past days horns were popular, because efficiency was important. The ‘’transistor age’’ knock down the loudspeaker horn sovereignty. Transistor ‘’mega’’ power amplifiers and non horn speakers were the cheapest way to the commercial marketing. Although horns survived in professional applications, where their benefits (efficiency, low distortions), out weighted their drawbacks (large horns, cost). The evolution ( shape and materials technology) of the horn, realized according PA standards and not audiophile demands.

A modern horn loudspeaker utilizing recent horn shapes and modern technology of materials, driving by a single ended tube amplifier, can give low distortions, lifelike presentation with excellent transient behavior, wide dynamic range, in an emotional way, being the closest approach to the live music.