Why Audiophiles Love Vintage Horn Speakers
In the early days of audio recording, speakers were built to get the most out of relatively low-powered amplifiers, which usually meant they used horns to project sound. While many consumers are content with modern sound systems, horn speakers remain popular among audiophiles for several reason
How Horn Speakers Differ From Modern Speakers
Horn speakers are much larger than their modern counterparts. For example, some vintage Altec Lansing speakers stand four feet high and three feet wide with an imposing multicellular horn perched on top. Because they were designed to run on low-power amplifiers, they are energy-efficient despite their size.
Horn speakers come in different designs. For example, Altec offered several different cabinets, including the A5 and the A7. The main difference between the two is the horn placement. On the A5, the horn is inside the cabinet, whereas on the A7, it's on top. There are also multicellular horns, which are even more efficient at projecting sound.
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Sound Quality From Horn Speakers
Old horn speakers sound surprisingly similar to modern sound systems. While some models underperform in the top octave of treble, everything below that sounds remarkably uncolored and natural. That's because the low-frequency response of the horn allows the crossover to the woofer to be shifted down to 500 Hz or so, where any sonic artifacts are much less noticeable than they are at the usual woofer/tweeter crossover point of about 2.5 to 3 kHz.
Some classic horn speakers can even produce sound that modern speakers can't—if they set up the right room acoustics and dimensions.
Restored Horn Speakers
Several vintage audio dealers specialize in restored horn speaker systems. In addition to aesthetic repairs on the cabinet itself, restoration usually entails replacing the diaphragm on the compression driver attached to the horn and any nonfunctional crossover parts. Otherwise, the goal is to keep as many of the original parts as possible.
Optional add-ons may include:
- A plinth to lift the speakers off the floor slightly
- A teak base for the horn
- A fabric grill for the open area below the woofer.
Some restored horn speaker systems even use multiple amps for different sound frequencies.
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