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RE: horns aren't necessarily directional

73.69.21.1

Bill Fitzmaurice

In Reply to: RE: horns aren't necessarily directional posted by cawson@onetel.com on August 26, 2024 at 12:47:52

Horns may be configured to project a tight polar pattern, but they don't have to project a tight polar pattern. As for their high sensitivity, it's because a horn is an impedance transformer. Moving coil loudspeaker drivers have an inherent flaw, in that they're high impedance devices operating into a low impedance load, that load being air. 8 ohms doesn't sound like it's high impedance, but it's huge compared to the impedance of air. When a high impedance device operates into a low impedance load the power conversion efficiency is low. Direct radiator speaker efficiency is very low, around 2% on average. A horn provides a driver with a higher impedance load, so the speaker works with far greater efficiency. Horns run with an average efficiency of 50%. That efficiency is at the heart of why horns are more sensitive. It's not directivity. Logically it would seem that directivity is a major part of the equation, but as is so often the case with audio in this case logic is incorrect.

Look at it this way. You're in a rowboat using a pair of pool cues for oars. You'll get where you're going eventually, but those pool cues can't grab enough water to do the job effectively, no matter how fast you row. That's a direct radiator. Switch to a good pair of oars and you go a lot faster, while doing less work, because they grab the water so much better. That's a horn.

On the subject of listening with your eyes:
http://seanolive.blogspot.com/2009/04/dishonesty-of-sighted- (Open in New Window)

Follow Ups:

A little more about listening with your eyes. - Tre' 12:14:20 08/30/24 (3)
View YouTube Video

Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"
- This makes lip reading a bitch - M3 lover 09:10:30 09/01/24 (0)
  Whether done for fun, as in the clip, or by necessity for those with hearing impairments.
  
  "The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho
- RE: A little more about listening with your eyes. - Bill Fitzmaurice 19:10:21 08/30/24 (1)
  That's a well known phenomenon in the acoustical engineering community. It happens because our primary sense is vision, so when the brain processes input from multiple senses it gives priority to what we see over what we hear. When you watch that video and he's saying 'faa' close your eyes and you'll clearly hear it as 'baa'.
  - RE: A little more about listening with your eyes. - Tre' 19:03:26 08/31/24 (0)
    " When you watch that video and he's saying 'faa' close your eyes and you'll clearly hear it as 'baa'. "
    
    Yes, that is the point. If we listen with our "eyes open" (allow outside things to influence our judgment) then our conclusions are invalid.
    
    It is not just vision that can severely cloud our judgment but looks, size, cost, a read review, something your friend said about the product, etc.
    
    Tre'
    Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
    "Still Working the Problem"

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