What happened to folded horn cabs?

Luckie · #1 11-14-2010, 06:44 PM

I never see folded horn cabs anymore, and I don't know of anyone making them.
What's the reason?

JimmyM · #2 11-14-2010, 06:48 PM

www.billfitzmaurice.com

cybersnyder · #3 11-14-2010, 06:50 PM

I believe some of billfitzmaurice's designs use folded horns. But I'm not an expert on speaker design so I may be talking out my butt.

cybersnyder · #4 11-14-2010, 06:50 PM

JimmyM types faster. ;-)

Rockmusician · #5 11-14-2010, 06:54 PM

Folded horn cabinets are designed for a longer throw. If you stand close to them you usually can't hear the bass, but if you back away, say 20 to 30 feet, the bass becomes clearer. They are really not practical on stage or in club situations.

JimmyM · #6 11-14-2010, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockmusician

Folded horn cabinets are designed for a longer throw. If you stand close to them you usually can't hear the bass, but if you back away, say 20 to 30 feet, the bass becomes clearer. They are really not practical on stage or in club situations.

whoa? who told you that? don't get any more audio advice from him.

if the bass becomes clearer 30 ft out, that's because of room reflections, not the fact that it's a folded horn. it's a long disproven myth that bass audio waves need to develop to be heard.

Luckie · #7 11-14-2010, 06:58 PM

Thanks fellas!
But why don't bigger manufacturers make them?

GM60466 · #8 11-14-2010, 06:59 PM

Too Heavy!

rpsands · #9 11-14-2010, 07:00 PM

It's more a size than a weight thing.

dmusic148 · #10 11-14-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockmusician

Folded horn cabinets are designed for a longer throw.

Myth. There's no such thing as 'throw' in audio. You can't 'throw' sound. Unless we're talking electronics and surround sound tricks.

kesslari · #11 11-14-2010, 07:04 PM

Folded horn cabs are larger and more expensive to make.
They're very efficient (loud for the watts you put into them) but high power amps are pretty cheap nowadays.
They also look "different" and most consumers want something that looks familiar, which is why you see so many cabs that look like virtual copies of one another - many 410's are a familiar example. (For that matter it's why every Fender bass that wasn't a Jazz or a Precision didn't sell - people wanted the familiar).

So front loaded cabs are easier and cheaper to make, easier to sell, and consumers aren't demanding horn loading.

Sartori · #12 11-14-2010, 07:09 PM

They're huge and cumbersome. Also more expensive, also weird looking to many people. Additionally, modern speakers can get low and loud enough for most customers without needing such enormous, awkward boxes. You can't sell very many of what there isn't much demand for.

seamonkey · #13 11-14-2010, 07:14 PM

And as pointed out folded horns are more complicated to design and build.
Amplifiers got more powerful and cheap. Driver designs are better these days and inflation adjusted they are cheaper. If drivers become more expensive you'd see more folded horns again.

frisbieinstein · #14 11-14-2010, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckie

I never see folded horn cabs anymore, and I don't know of anyone making them.
What's the reason?

I don't know. I like them. Nothing else moves air like that: everything else is basswimpy.

The complaint was that you couldn't hear yourself on stage. They were also very heavy, but not more than an SVT cabinet and those sell.

I dunno how good they would be for slap.

JimmyM · #15 11-14-2010, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frisbieinstein

I don't know. I like them. Nothing else moves air like that: everything else is basswimpy.

The complaint was that you couldn't hear yourself on stage. They were also very heavy, but not more than an SVT cabinet and those sell.

I dunno how good they would be for slap.

they're great once you add a mid driver.

Sartori · #16 11-14-2010, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frisbieinstein

I don't know. I like them. Nothing else moves air like that: everything else is basswimpy.

The complaint was that you couldn't hear yourself on stage. They were also very heavy, but not more than an SVT cabinet and those sell.

I dunno how good they would be for slap.

To some extent, yes. However, for many people, a lot of low end isn't really required. I don't need that much of it, for instance.

guitar ed · #17 11-14-2010, 07:29 PM

Another issue with folded horn speakers is that they have to be placed a certain distance from the wall, in a 90 degree corner, etc. They are not real practical from that perspective.

edg

PS: The above applies to Klipsch Corner Horns, and I believe applies to all folded horn speakers.

MrDOS · #18 11-14-2010, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmusic148

Myth. There's no such thing as 'throw' in audio. You can't 'throw' sound. Unless we're talking electronics and surround sound tricks.

I have always used the term "throw" to describe my folded horn subs are not as loud up close as direct-radiating subs need to be to be the same volume in the middle of the room.

jnewmark · #19 11-14-2010, 07:49 PM

Wow. BFM is gonna have a heart attack when he reads this thread.

JimmyM · #20 11-14-2010, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrDOS

I have always used the term "throw" to describe my folded horn subs are not as loud up close as direct-radiating subs need to be to be the same volume in the middle of the room.

at the risk of repeating myself...

if the bass becomes clearer 30 ft out, that's because of room reflections, not the fact that it's a folded horn. it's a long disproven myth that bass audio waves need to develop to be heard.