Multicell horns

[Ro808]

Shearer ?!?

It says Shearer, but it's not the real deal. More a composition of Shearer-like components.
The multicells are RCA equivalents of Altec 1503s.
The bass horns are actually a Klangfilm design, one is original and the other one a copy.
There's a 70 cm woofer inside. One of the cones separated from the chassis, so the owner made new drivers himself!

I feel I have seen these before. Are they in Europe (France?) in some guys multi million mansion who inherited his parents' (fabric or paper?) factory and managed it against the wall but still came out pretty well for him self? With very good room acoustics?

The owner runs a small specialized foundry.
He made his own tweeters and it seems the mid drivers are also modified (or custom-made) 594As (clones).
I believe he's cooperating with Lamar Engineering.

 

[GM]

How many Cells does one want/need?

Can't have too many, just a point of diminishing returns. Custom or Jensen quad cell or ?

GM

 

[Ro808]

Back to Multicells.
There are ways to overcome the shortcomings of the exponential cells.
In the 1970s / 80s, Community released a couple of next-gen multicellular horns that supposedly were developed using computer techniques.

The cells consist of a round tube to which a square-mouth section with mumbs is attached. In modern horns - like the Klipsch K510 - mumbs are used to minimize waist-banding amongst other things. Community may have succeeded in reducing/eliminating the midrange beaming and combing.

 

[Ro808]

Can't have too many, just a point of diminishing returns. Custom or Jensen quad cell or ?

GM

That's my thought as well.

The 42-cell horn is a custom job by a Japanese guy who's a true metalwork artisan, but I'm afraid he lacks some basic knowledge about horn technology.
It seems his throat adapters are square to rectangular, instead of round to rectangular.
Apart from that, the horns themselves are masterpieces in the tradition of WE / Altec.

A few more pics.