I’m a little late with this one, but TNT-Audio has reviewed the Opera M15 horn floorstanding speakers (EUR 8,000). These are large, retro-looking units (photo) with 3″ compression drivers and 15″ main drivers.
Reviewer Geoff Husband was impressed by their flawless finish, unfatiguing sound, and big presentation:
… the ‘Bigness’ comes from effortless dynamics and a completely uncompressed performance from the top to the bottom. That 15″ driver will obviously shift a hell of a lot of air … but the horn tweeter matches it punch-for-punch beyond threshold-of-pain.
He did think they lacked somewhat in imaging and detail:
Compared to the very best, my Loth-x Polaris for example, the M15’s do swallow ultra-fine details and lack some of the air beloved of some hi-fi fans, but if that’s the price for Technicolor wall-of-sound presentation, and a listen-all-night presentation then so be it.
In conclusion, Geoff notes:
Anyone looking for big-sounding and valve-friendly speakers that has that kind of money to spend and a suitable room should definitely give them an audition.
Read the entire review. I haven’t heard these, but based on my experience with lesser horn designs, I think they could be quite exciting–as long as the treble is uncolored. Hey, I can dream, right?