Has anyone used the Stereo Lab 400hz tractrix horns???

[djn]

Hi all, I have been in and out of this site for years. I am changing around my system and wanted to know if anyone is using the StereoLab 400hz tractrix horns? I have JBL 4530 scoops with 2225 drivers, JBL 2441 CD drivers, and Heil tweeters. I will use the StereoLabs with the 2441s. Has anyone done that? What are you impressions? Cheers

[jzagaja]

They are very good in terms of a finish and dense material (non resonating). Throat circularity and holes angular tolerance is a bit worse. I used them with dome tweeter. Now making horns myself up to 2 meters diameter.

[Nelson Bass]

Very nice horn then you get them painted with a very good and smooth paint for automobiles as the original paint on my pair of StereoLab horns was rough.
My experience was the 400 Hz horn together with 2" Radian PB950/16 Ohm
This clearly is the best driver I've heard in any horn.

A friend used various Altec drivers together with StereoLab Horn (some with adapters) and none of them was as good as the Radian driver he had too.

I did not experience any wrong signature from the StereoLab Horn it self. I believe that you find bigger problems in the response from the room it self... ;-)

[hasselbaink]

I second Nelson - these horns are very good and at the price point they are a steal.

The 400 Hz horn that I use is mounted on a Coral m-100 1" driver crossed at 800 Hz. It has zero honk unlike many other commerially available horn. On a 2" driver I would try to go lower like a 250 Hz horn and cross at 500 Hz.

Stick your JBL driver on a tractrix and forget about horns. Keep the granular painted surface. It works.

Kris

[jeanvigo]

Originally Posted by djn

Hi all, I have been in and out of this site for years. I am changing around my system and wanted to know if anyone is using the StereoLab 400hz tractrix horns? I have JBL 4530 scoops with 2225 drivers, JBL 2441 CD drivers, and Heil tweeters. I will use the StereoLabs with the 2441s. Has anyone done that? What are you impressions? Cheers

I am currently using those exact horns with JBL LE85 and throat adaptors. They sound excellent enough that I'm gonna buy some myself. (they're 20% off right now!)

The salient point, though, is that I heard these horns at my friend's house where he'd paired them with 2441s. The rig sounded really good, smoother and more natural than any of the many nice set-ups I'd previously heard at his place.

Moreover, the only reason I was able to pry the StereoLabs from him is that he switched to a slightly bigger horn. Otherwise, I'm sure he'd still be enjoying them.

Now my problem is to decide whether to go with the 400s or switch to the 600hz model. I roll them in above 1200hz because I use the 123A woofer driver running wide open in a 4311 cabinet. The 4311's two other drivers are disconnected and I use 2405 slot tweeters resting next to the horns. Both horn drivers rest on the 4311 cabinet, which lie on their side in order to group all three together.

Sound is awesome, by the way. Three-way's powered by a triode-strapped Citation II.

Anyway, the StereoLab horns are a steal at the asking price. Twenty-percent off, they're a no-brainer. Take a look at shootout conducted at the Euro Triode Fest. Some good descriptions in there. I'd love to try measure-meister Mr. Le cleac'h's horns with the LE85s but the StereoLab price is too good to pass up.

If anyone has thoughts or comments about whether I should go with the 400 or 600hz horns on the LE85s (same as JBL 2420) in the rig I outlined, I'm all ears. : )

[hasselbaink]

Originally Posted by jeanvigo

I am currently using those exact horns with JBL LE85 and throat adaptors. They sound excellent enough that I'm gonna buy some myself. (they're 20% off right now!)

The salient point, though, is that I heard these horns at my friend's house where he'd paired them with 2441s. The rig sounded really good, smoother and more natural than any of the many nice set-ups I'd previously heard at his place.

Moreover, the only reason I was able to pry the StereoLabs from him is that he switched to a slightly bigger horn. Otherwise, I'm sure he'd still be enjoying them.

Now my problem is to decide whether to go with the 400s or switch to the 600hz model. I roll them in above 1200hz because I use the 123A woofer driver running wide open in a 4311 cabinet. The 4311's two other drivers are disconnected and I use 2405 slot tweeters resting next to the horns. Both horn drivers rest on the 4311 cabinet, which lie on their side in order to group all three together.

Sound is awesome, by the way. Three-way's powered by a triode-strapped Citation II.

Anyway, the StereoLab horns are a steal at the asking price. Twenty-percent off, they're a no-brainer. Take a look at shootout conducted at the Euro Triode Fest. Some good descriptions in there. I'd love to try measure-meister Mr. Le cleac'h's horns with the LE85s but the StereoLab price is too good to pass up.

If anyone has thoughts or comments about whether I should go with the 400 or 600hz horns on the LE85s (same as JBL 2420) in the rig I outlined, I'm all ears. : )

My experience indicates that the 400 hz tractrix horn has soft or shall we say subdued high frequency sound. I cross my Coral M-100 and 18Sound 12" midrange at 800 hz and leave the 6 kHz and up register to a BMS 4540nd in a 1000hz trac horn. This gives a more detailed and fleshed out performance.

You mentioned using a tweeter next to the horn - that is a poor implementation. I suggest placing the tweeter above or below the midrange horn on the same vertical axis. The improvement is noticable right away.

I dont think there is anything inherently wrong with using a 400 hz horn at 1200 hz.

Best
Kris

[revintage]

I would rather go for for jzagaja´s/Autotech´s horns. We have bought the 4pairs of the200T´s LeCleach and the finish is sensational, precision could never be better and they measure superbly from 350Hz and upwards. I will never more go for Tractrix after having listened to these. Pricing is also very good. The 1500Hz(useful from there)horns we bought seems to be of the same quality.

[hahayan]

Originally Posted by jeanvigo

I am currently using those exact horns with JBL LE85 and throat adaptors. They sound excellent enough that I'm gonna buy some myself. (they're 20% off right now!)

The salient point, though, is that I heard these horns at my friend's house where he'd paired them with 2441s. The rig sounded really good, smoother and more natural than any of the many nice set-ups I'd previously heard at his place.

Moreover, the only reason I was able to pry the StereoLabs from him is that he switched to a slightly bigger horn. Otherwise, I'm sure he'd still be enjoying them.

Now my problem is to decide whether to go with the 400s or switch to the 600hz model. I roll them in above 1200hz because I use the 123A woofer driver running wide open in a 4311 cabinet. The 4311's two other drivers are disconnected and I use 2405 slot tweeters resting next to the horns. Both horn drivers rest on the 4311 cabinet, which lie on their side in order to group all three together.

Sound is awesome, by the way. Three-way's powered by a triode-strapped Citation II.

Anyway, the StereoLab horns are a steal at the asking price. Twenty-percent off, they're a no-brainer. Take a look at shootout conducted at the Euro Triode Fest. Some good descriptions in there. I'd love to try measure-meister Mr. Le cleac'h's horns with the LE85s but the StereoLab price is too good to pass up.

If anyone has thoughts or comments about whether I should go with the 400 or 600hz horns on the LE85s (same as JBL 2420) in the rig I outlined, I'm all ears. : )

" the StereoLab horns are a steal at the asking price. Twenty-percent off, they're a no-braine"

oh..where i can get them for 20% off?

i wonder..should i go for BMS Coaxial from 600hz..with it..

wonder how;s is the paint quality from Stereolab Custom Color?