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SPL rating affected by horn? [message #94541]

Sat, 02 October 2021 09:51

tom-m
Messages: 56
Registered: December 2009
Location: Texas

Baron

Hi all,

Do different horns change the combined SPL of a compression driver horn combo?

More specifically, does a narrower horn, say a 60 degree horizontal horn versus a 90 degree horizontal horn change the 1 watt at 1 meter SPL? Same compression driver.
Since the narrower horn is concentrating the output energy, would it have a higher SPL measurement at 1 watt? If so, how much higher on average?

Thanks,
Tom

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Re: SPL rating affected by horn? [message #94542 is a reply to message #94541]

Sat, 02 October 2021 10:16

Wayne Parham
Messages: 18716
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

That's exactly right. Horns with narrower patterns deliver higher SPL, and for exactly the reason you describe: Directivity.

And horns that have non-uniform directivity change the response too. That's how horns with collapsing directivity increase on-axis SPL as frequency rises, partially or fully compensating for mass-rolloff. It's also why constant-directivity horns do not compensate for mass rolloff and need "CD equalization."

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