Horn loudspeakers Horn (acoustic)

a patent horn loudspeaker

loudspeakers built horn-shaped enclosures or use horns. higher-frequency elements (tweeters , midranges) use horns, acoustic diffraction lenses spread sound waves in horizontal pattern @ ear-level , limit vertical pattern. audio driver (e.g., speaker cone or dome) mounted @ small, inner end. horn loudspeakers efficient, have sharp cutoff frequency, depending on size, little sound output below. bass sounds produced conventional speaker cones, since (straight or folded) horn sufficient reproduce 20 hz have 12 ft. (4 meters) long, except when building, ground surface, or room considered part of horn.

use of surroundings part of horn

large bass speakers take advantage of surroundings part of horn. example, can put in corners of room, walls act part of horn. outdoors, ground can form part of horn surface, , partial horn can provide impedance match ground, or 1 or more walls, @ low frequencies.