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More news on the remarkable new Australian- designed HORNET acoustic bass horns.
Following many years of research into the design and manufacture of internal folded horns, with the unique Lowther full- range drive units always in mind, the Hornet series of acoustic horns is the result.
Very few music lovers have had a chance to listen to a "well sorted" horn loudspeaker. Those who have often comment on the speed and realism of the horn loudspeaker. Lowther has a long history of manufacturing drivers specifically for horn loading, and the latest models are at the pinnacle of this development.
Those who have heard a Lowther driver in a horn- loaded cabinet will testify to the clarity and speed of the reproduction. The bass is tight and fast with good distinction between different bass lines, while the mids bring clarity to voice and the treble is natural and undistorted. And, of course, imaging from the single driver is outstanding, there being no crossover to disturb phase, and no separation of the sound spectrum into discrete sources.
Unfortunately horn cabinets have been almost unobtainable in Australia and most examples have been very large cabinets hand built by enthusiasts. Now however, for the first time, there is a high quality compact horn that is made in Australia for the Lowther driver. The Hornet is the result of several years of design, construction and critical listening by LOWTHER IN AUSTRALIA. Adapting a classic Lowther design, we have used advanced CAD/CAM technology to manufacture our patented "horn block" component, free of the compromises necessary in normal construction. The difference is audible. Listening tests immediately confirm that bass is generous and detailed, easily supporting the forthright mids and highs that have made Lowther a favourite with lovers of vocal music.
The Hornet is available in two designs, both utilizing our patented horn block concept. The standard Hornet HD is compact and unobtrusive while the Hornet Maestro is a taller speaker with extended bass and additional acoustic output. Both models share the same "footprint" and are supplied with selected Lowther drivers. These drivers use the latest Neodyminium magnet structures for outstanding detail recovery and efficiency. These speakers mate perfectly with high quality valve and Class A solid state amplifiers, and just a few Watts provide ample listening levels.
Special attention was paid to the design of the speaker grille to minimize reflections and diffraction effects. Speaker-protective grille cloth has been sourced directly from Lowther, who currently supply some of the world's most acoustically transparent material. For those who prefer to listen to music directly from the driver to enjoy that "extra breath of sonic fresh air", the panel is readily removeable..
Are you weary of your enormously powerful multi-way speakers that measure perfectly but sound dull and lifeless? We suggest you audition the Hornets. Music will once again engage your senses and become a delight to you ...As so many listeners over the years have commented :-
"It is as though a curtain has been lifted"..."Amazing realism"..."A joy to hear"!
John Stevens,
LOWTHER IN AUSTRALIA.
For information and enquiries about the new Hornets please contact by email... lowther.inforep@bigpond.com
"A HIGH FIDELITY LOUDSPEAKER TO BE CHERISHED AND A NEW "CLASSIC" IN HORN SOUND REPRODUCTION!"
EXTRACT FROM AN EARLY LOWTHER BROCHURE..Circa 1960.
"When we say that a musical instrument has a beautiful tone, we mean that the fundamental pitch of a note, together with its rich harmonic content is very pleasing to one's ear.
To maintain such quality, Lowther design the most sophisticated transducer magnetic system in the world, providing maximum control of the voice coil/diaphragm assembly so that each and every part of a complex sound wave created by an instrument or human voice is clearly discernable when electro-acoustically reproduced.
These superb structures of high efficiency would not manifest their qualities without their counterpart; the folded horn.
Here we have a fundamental design dating back thousands of years, handed down through the ages, bringing with them that same beautiful quality of sound as heard by the Pharaohs and other great peoples of the past.
The special design of the Lowther drive units with their high flux magnets and high compliance diaphragms provides optimum efficiency over the entire audio frequency range. These features permit the use of a single drive unit in each enclosure thereby obviating the problems of cross-over matching inherent in multi-speaker systems.
The high efficiency of the Lowther system enables the volume to be set at any desired level, without impairing the balance of high and low frequency response.
The technique of incorporating a pressure-driven folded exponential horn in an enclosure ensures free and spacious representation of the lower frequencies with complete identification of stopped and unstopped strings in the lower register. This unrestricted free-flowing quality of Lowther sound is further enhanced by the special stabilizer fitted to the drive unit which disperses the higher frequencies over a broad front, thereby obviating the listening fatigue caused by the directional effect of normal loudspeaker systems".
It is well known that bass loaded horns can produce sounds of "astonishing realism". The horn is a natural phenomenon and when used with a Lowther drive unit it produces a depth and quality of sound second to none. Correctly positioned, the stereophonic sound stage seems to come from behind the speakers, leaving the listener free to sit back and enjoy the music, which is really what it is all about!
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