GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Horn-Loaded Speakers
In the Thread: Rakeshorns

Post Subject: Le Horn - really Upper bass 115Hz HornsPosted by oxric on: 8/26/2011

Hi everyone,

It is quite ironic that the day I hear from Fane telling me that the Fane 8Ms are finally ready, I should receive this update from my horn maker maestro. Russ Collinson of Layers of Beauty. Russ, if you ever read this here, please take a deep bow. Russ has been a real tower of strength not only putting up with one million questions, slight changes to the original designs, thinking about future requirements and ready to accomodate my most far-fetched notions with never a single complaint but a very welcome dose of reality where required.

This is obviously part of a bigger picture. The midrange 200Hz, 250Hz, 400Hz and 550Hz horns have been made in Germany and will be delivered shortly. In my room, I cannot accomodate the 200 Hz horns, and will need to choose between the 400Hz and 550Hz horns eventually, but at least now I have the possibility of trying different configurations in different locations instead of dreaming what they sound like. All these horns named above are tractrix but I also have a 322Hz Le Cleach which is however 55cm in diameter to play with.

The room for Le Horn is now ready except for lighting and storage for my LP/CD book collection which I would have commissioned from Russ if distance was not an issue. I normally try to keep equipment outside of the room and I have an adjoining cellar that can be used to this effect but I am not convinced this is the right solution given the use of tube amplification. The room itself acoustically is superb being part of a 5 centuries townhouse with 70cm thick exposed stone walls which present not a single pair of parallel sides.

There are issues, complications that I am already aware of and a host of other imponderables that will come to haunt this project but I am fortunate to have found help in sometimes the most unlikely of places. I have also had to accept disillusionment. I hoped somehow against all odds that a 50Hz horn would be a possibility but I must honestly say that in this room this will not work.

So what about the Upper bass horns? They are 96cm in diameter, the mouth opening given a very slight rollover and approximately 110cm in length including back chamber. They are designed to be accomodated in a frame that is infinitely adaptable to accept pretty much any horn of any size at any height that I can throw at it and which has provision to grow in height when I move to a room with higher ceilings eventually.

The aesthetics are chosen to suit the room and nobody's personal taste including mine. I would have had the horns all in black but my wife decided that the room which has dark pink mortar and stones would accomodate it better with dark red that would match a feature wall and the spirit of the region - we are after all in the heart of the 'Route des Vins' in one of the prettiest parts of France.

I should say thank you but it is too early for that and the end is still a long way off. As Bilbo said when he set off from home after the 13 dwarfs, " we do not know where the road outside our front door will lead ."

Best wishes from Ribeauville
Rakesh

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