Short horns for LE 85

[Bill Shenefelt]

I have a spare pair of LE 85 drivers. Original diaphragms not likely. I am buying a pair of JBL 3677's (15"bass with compression driver&horn Cinema series) to use as side surround channels in a home theater with my three 4333 home built cabinet front speakers. Might mate well with the front (at least better than the Klipsch center and sides I had --fingers crossed). JBL designed them as minimal depth speakers to use behind small theater screens. At least I had a guy on one of the many forums who liked JBL sound and uses 3 of the3677's in front with wall hung 8340 sides and loves his setup. The 11 1/2 inch depth fills my side needs.

I do have a pair of 2345 horns but do not have enough side room to point them inward from the side walls and still have access to my seats! I figure I got the 3677's for less than I would need to spend on 15 inch JBL bass drivers and crossovers much less building a decent cabinet. Besides that, imagine one of those 2345 horns almost against your ear! The room is 13.5 ' wide and the couch 9' wide. That leaves about 24 inches on each side including that for an "isle-way" to get into the theater seats. It might be possible but not convenient or ideal to sort of hang them near the ceiling with horns tilted slightly forward toward the seating. I also have a single (feels aluminum) horn that arrived with on one of the LE85's I bought on ebay. It has a 14 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch throat opening, flat, flush mount front, flat sides and radial top and bottom and is 8 1/2 inches long. I never saw one but maybe a Hartfield horn shape but no lens. I intend to put the 3677's (about 11 1/2 inches deep versus over 20 inches for the LE85's with 2345 horns!) on each side, and maybe a foot or two forward of the side seats but do not have them yet so do not know if their mid range is compatible with the 4333's. If not, maybe I could use my LE85's with shorter horns like that 8 1/2 inch one if I could find a mate (no markings) instead of the internal compression drivers of the 3677's if they do not sound good with the front 4333s? I know I'm nuts but any thoughts? (Retired but obviously too much time on my hands I guess.)

[speakerdave]

The Emilar 1210 gets high marks when mentioned, though minimum crossover would be 1200Hz.

The JBL 2370 with LE85's gets you in under 11" total depth, but it is longer than the 3677 horn, and you may need to move the ports.

An 8-inch horn puts you at nearly 12" total depth. I have a pair that I think are Renkus, but they have the Altec pattern two-bolt mount. They would be really cheap, but the necessary adapter plate would push the depth to over 12 inches. I don't think they would hold up well down to 800Hz.

Personally I don't think I would want any of these options shouting in my ear, and I would consider direct driver systems. I pair of L212 towers would be almost out of the way, and some inwalls could be more ideally located than anything surface mounted.

I have a pair of 2370's I will be selling, but I want to sell them with the 2425's attached.

[Bill Shenefelt]

The Emilar 1210 gets high marks when mentioned, though minimum crossover would be 1200Hz.

The JBL 2370 with LE85's gets you in under 11" total depth, but it is longer than the 3677 horn, and you may need to move the ports.

An 8-inch horn puts you at nearly 12" total depth. I have a pair that I think are Renkus, but they have the Altec pattern two-bolt mount. They would be really cheap, but the necessary adapter plate would push the depth to over 12 inches. I don't think they would hold up well down to 800Hz.

Personally I don't think I would want any of these options shouting in my ear, and I would consider direct driver systems. I pair of L212 towers would be almost out of the way, and some inwalls could be more ideally located than anything surface mounted.

I have a pair of 2370's I will be selling, but I want to sell them with the 2425's attached.

Sorry for the delay in response but for some reason I never got an email notifying me of your response. The horns I have (2345) are monsters and take the length with the LE85 to over 20 inches. With the LE85's attached they weigh in at close to 23 pounds each. I am probably going to put the 3677's cabinets about 5 or 6 foot forward with the horn location around 1 ft below ear level when seated at the ends of the couch. Angle from head to horn center would be around 45 degrees so I really am not blasting into ears, just kind of restricted for room. I have a pair of Klipsch surround double 6 1/2 inch cone with little treble horns at ceiling level now and wanted a better mate for my JBL tonal quality. Not sure how soon the 3677's will arrive. Hopefully they will sound good "as is" with the front JBL's. I just like to mess around and maybe have a fair way of trying the LE 85's. I am not sure what the 3677's cross at to just use their crossovers or what their bolt pattern or even horn opening is. Just thought maybe the LE85's might be a little better match for my front LE85 horns. Hecdk, I do not even know what the diaphram in them is like, quality wise. The 12 to 13 inch length with the emilar you mention would not be a big deal 20 inches though is a lot. It is likely better to let the 3677's alone but I just thought maybe worth a try for use of the LE85's. What would you sell the pair of LE85 with 2370's for? Might I also need a pair of crossovers needed to put them in place of the existing 3677 crossovers?

[speakerdave]

I didn't mean to be offensive with my 'shouting" comment, so my apologies for that.

I use LSR32's powered by a Bryston 5BST for watching movies and find them very satisfactory. It is one of their characteristics that they are quite capable dynamically without changing timbre. The midrange runs from 250 to 2.2K, and I believe that makes dialogue quite understandable at reasonable volume. Anyway, my point is, I think modern direct radiator speaker systems my work well for side channels.

I don't have a full HT setup, because I just don't have a place for it. I have at times used a Revel C32 for a center channel, but found it was not really necessary.

I have 2425's on my 2370's, not LE85's.

I think it's likely you'll find the 3677's satisfactory if you can solve the space and aiming difficulties. The drivers are 1" exit with titanium diaphragms.

Get back to me if you think you need to check out the 2370/2425J's.

[Bill Shenefelt]

I didn't mean to be offensive with my 'shouting" comment, so my apologies for that.
I think it's likely you'll find the 3677's satisfactory if you can solve the space and aiming difficulties.


No offense taken. I was just jokingly emphasizing how little side room I have. I am looking at putting them a foot or so off of the floor and a couple of feet forward of my listening position on the couch. I do not want to go a lot more forward since they will be at the same distance from the couch as the front atmos speakers. I got word that my 3677's are to ship on or about the 14th (next Friday)and arrive within a few days after that.

I know I'm crazy but I just need to keep myself occupied. I never in my life of 73 years lived alone. First at home with parents then thru college, also at home, then in the army Reserves active duty, then married and with my wife for another 50 years. Now no one! Need to keep busy. Over the next week I need to open up the "L-300's" to go over the wiring. The sides (played in 2 channel stereo mode) seem muffled compared to the front center. I cannot see that big a difference due to the sealed box for the 12 inch JBL. I used the LX80 crossover for the 136A and built the Nelson Pass for the horn and the slot radiator but something seems wrong. My target is to have at least all but the 4 atmos voicing very similar.