Eminence H290 or Peavey CH-3.

I'd like to also make available the nice wood horns that Bill Martinelli is making, but for an entry level horn flare, I need to decide on one of the above.

Here's the deal. I can get Eminence H290 horn flares for thirty bucks and Peavey CH-3's for fourty-five. That's the price you'll find 'em at from places like Parts Express. I personally like the looks of the CH-3 better in large cabinets over about 6 cubic feet, but when crossed at 1.6Khz, there is very little difference acoustically. The CH-3 is an 800Hz horn and the H290 is a 1kHz horn, so they are really the same thing, and you can't tell them apart by listening to them. The difference is truly aesthetic only. Well, that and the price.

So two options I'm considering are to offer the horn specified in the existing plans, or change all models to use the H290. Right now, for example, the Theater Series four π Speaker plans specify the Peavey CH-3, and this is what many of you have built with and that I always use. But lots of you have built with the H290 too, and really, your speakers look great. There is no acoustic difference, so it boils down to a matter of looks.

If I put the price in inventory for a Theater Series four π Speaker kit having a Peavey CH-3, it will cost $241.91. The exact same kit, substituting an Eminence H290 is $225.45. Either way, a pair of Theater four π Speakers cost about five hundred bucks in kit form, but the pair having Peavey flares is a little over thirty dollars more, being $16.46 more a piece.

So what do you all think? Leave 'em as-is, providing the Peavey flares or switch to using all Eminence?

if there is no acoustic difference from the finished speaker with either horn, it's possible the DIY people buying kits would also like to save the additional 33 bucks for a pair.
just my opinion.

bmar

Get the H-290 from Image Communications for $23.50. Infact all of their eminence prices are good.

cheers,

george

G.

Kevin