Want to go high efficiency... need some horn advice

[nobody special]

I would like to build a high efficiency speaker using some PA drivers I have for the bass/mids and some horns for the high mid / treble.
I have no idea what sounds good with horns. I'm also on a budget, so I'm looking for something preferably on the cheap side (doesn't have to be dirt cheap, but not much more than $100 a driver). Looking to handle a range of 1.8K and up. I've been considering using some of the parts express wave guides instead of a horn... hoping to get away from the "honking" sound.
I'm looking to get around 97db efficiency or better.
Let me hear some ideas!
Thanks in advance.
Steve

[AndrewT]

Hi,
1.8kHz and up should be in the range of 97db/W without a horn.
>=105db/W should be your target for PA horn
I believe the Tannoy pepper pot loaded compression horn in the dual concentric is a basic 125db/W before applying equalisation for the rising response and attenuating the 3kHz peak. And that is designed for domestic duty.

[nobody special]

Thanks for the reply...
Yeah, I'm a horn dummy. I know very little about them. When I stated 97db, I was looking at the amplifier power and SPL I wanted to have. I know a horn can belt out >100db, but what mid-bass can keep up with that?

[Cal Weldon]

What are the drivers you are trying to match to?

[Russell Dawkins]

Originally posted by AndrewT
Hi,

I believe the Tannoy pepper pot loaded compression horn in the dual concentric is a basic 125db/W before applying equalisation for the rising response and attenuating the 3kHz peak. And that is designed for domestic duty.

125 dB/W? Is this correct?

[Evenharmonics]

Originally posted by nobody special
I would like to build a high efficiency speaker using some PA drivers I have for the bass/mids and some horns for the high mid / treble.
I have no idea what sounds good with horns. I'm also on a budget, so I'm looking for something preferably on the cheap side (doesn't have to be dirt cheap, but not much more than $100 a driver). Looking to handle a range of 1.8K and up. I've been considering using some of the parts express wave guides instead of a horn... hoping to get away from the "honking" sound.
I'm looking to get around 97db efficiency or better.
Let me hear some ideas!
Thanks in advance.
Steve

Altec Lansing or JBL compression driver with exponential horn would be my recommendation. Decent sounding drivers are not cheap though. Some are no longer made but used ones like Altec Lansing 802D or 802-8D drivers are found on ebay. Along with horns like 511B or 811B will provide 105 db efficiency.

[Magnetar]

Originally posted by nobody special
I would like to build a high efficiency speaker using some PA drivers I have for the bass/mids and some horns for the high mid / treble.
I have no idea what sounds good with horns. I'm also on a budget, \

Steve

Steve,

The way I read this you already have the drivers. What are they?

[timbarnes]

His site is at www.pispeakers.com . He has a number of designs for high efficiency front horns that use PA speakers from Eminence and JBL. Some are two way and might work with the drivers you have.

Wayne is also very generous with his advice and has a bulletin board you can reach from his site - I'm sure he'll give you some useful pointers.

I'm in the process of building his Pi Seven horns - still hacking away on the cabinets, so I can't yet tell you how they sound, but there are lots of reports and discussions of the various designs on his bulletin board.

tim

[AndrewT]

I think I meant to type 105db/W for the Tannoy treble horn.