Free add-on "horns"

Tonto Yoder · « **on:** 12 Jun 2003, 11:38 am »

http://mihorn.com/index2.htm

This site is offering free 1" add-on horns to first 5000 to navigate through site and send them an e-mail. The site's interesting--each time you scroll over a before pic of speakers, the site shifts to the "horny" speakers, reminding me of Jim Carey's eyes bugging out in "The Mask."

Of course, a 1" horn would only be good for a tweeter, but thought some might be interested.

BradJudy · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 01:18 pm »

Free is just the right price for me to try a weird tweak. I jumped through the hoops and sent in an e-mail to get a free pair. I'll report back once I have them.

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 03:49 pm »

Yep, I felt sorta like I was playing "Where's Waldo" trying to find the free horn. You go to the "Installation" page and click all three yellow colored links before you win the Holy Grail (or The Horny Grail, in this case).

One thing I thought was nice about the site was the rather complete details on installing the horns: I wish Nottingham turntables (and some other high-end companies) had such specific instructions.

Haoleb · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 04:29 pm »

I sent in for my Mihorns a couple weeks ago, if you want to read my review go to this thread.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7020

hmen · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 04:49 pm »

I'm just wondering what happens after you drill a bunch of holes in your speakers and you decide the mihorns suck

Haoleb · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 05:00 pm »

you dont drill any holes. they attach with velcro stickers. i just peeled the sticker things off after i decided i didnt like them and they didnt leave a mark or anything.

byteme · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 05:05 pm »

I got a pair too. I put them on and listened. Very forward sounding. Soundstage shrinkage (like a frightened turtle

). Perhaps, if you were to invest in the mid horns that would help, but if your speakers were supposed to be horns - wouldn't they be? I mean, no speaker is designed to sound good only in an anechoic chamber is it? Aren't room reflections part of the gig? I know Dr. Bose thinks so!!

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #7 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 05:54 pm »

Quote from: hmen

I'm just wondering what happens after you drill a bunch of holes in your speakers and you decide the mihorns suck

Another way of attaching the horns is with what they call "spades"--unscrew your existing screws, slip the spades on and retighten screws. The spades then accept the Mihorns without any damage to the existing drivers.

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #8 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 05:56 pm »

Quote from: byteme

I got a pair too. I put them on and listened. Very forward sounding. Soundstage shrinkage (like a frightened turtle ).

Didn't you KNOW about shrinkage?? I thought everyone knew about shrinkage!

Tonto Yoder
BTW, that's a cute nickname--turtle. I always call it "Little Tonto" or "The Barn Raiser."

John Casler · « **Reply #9 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 07:48 pm »

Interesting idea but it is still a horn and creates harshness.

I just developed a tweak for my VMPS speakers which does all of the positive things this one claimed, but without the negs.

As soon as my supplier sends me the materials, I'll post pictures of how to make it, or I might even sell them to my customers for whatever it costs to make them.

My prototype blew me away.

byteme · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 07:59 pm »

Quote from: Tonto Yoder

BTW, that's a cute nickname--turtle. I always call it "Little Tonto" or "The Barn Raiser."

Uh, thanks for sharing

But I was referring to the Seinfeld episode where they go out to the Hamptons for the weekend and George goes swimming in the ocean, in the COLD ocean water - and then Jerry's girlfriend see's him changing and then they ask Elaine if she knows about the "shrinkage".

JohnR · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 08:34 pm »

Hm, fellas, I think what someone really needs to be trying is making a big conical horn out of cardboard, and putting his head in the pointy end (cut a hole first). Kinda like those things they put on cats to stop them licking their bits after... err... surgery or something.

This tweak has the advantage that it will work equally well with all of your speakers. Unless you put them behind you of course, in which case you might want to turn around.

Where's nathanm? He's always ready to try something new...

nathanm · « **Reply #12 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 09:33 pm »

Byteme\Tonto -I think you both were correctly referencing Seinfeld.

I heard that JohnR! I'll have you know one time I went searching all over tarnation for a cheap horn-shaped gizmo to affix to a speaker. Didn't really find one though. Closest thing I found was made of thick glass. You can almost predict the type of sound you will get with these things, just cup your ears with your hands or any reflective object. Not exactly very natural sounding IMO. You basically get more treble bouncing back at you. Personally I think the less stuff you have around the baffle the more "open" it's gonna sound. But I suppose increased directionality may have it's merits.

Prosthetic ear attachments are the next step in audiophildom I think. Then of course laser eardrum surgery for the real enthusiasts. Of course if we get that far we may be able to cure deafness in the process!

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 09:41 pm »

Quote from: JohnR

Hm, fellas, I think what someone really needs to be trying is making a big conical horn out of cardboard, and putting his head in the pointy end (cut a hole first). .

John,
you're kinda describing "Serious Listeners," the ear extensions that used to appear in the back pages of audio mags. They tried to replicate the effect of cupping your hands behind your ears to catch more sound.

Haoleb · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 Jun 2003, 09:53 pm »

they have those stupid things in the back of stereophile called sound wings. ridiculus looking things.

JohnR · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Jun 2003, 03:08 pm »

Hah. Serious Listeners eh

But seriously, I assume that one effect these will have is increasing the overall efficiency of the driver. So if you only put one on the tweeter then no wonder it sounds bright.

The larger one wouldn't work anyway, it's too small.

There's a whole art and science to horn design, as far as I can tell --somehow I don't think this is it