X-Shape, next generation waveguide

X-Shape horns represent a breakthrough in horn design, achieved through advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulation, this innovative technology unlocks a new level of acoustic performance:

Wide and Consistent Soundstage: X-Shape horns deliver consistent sound pressure across the entire listening area with constant directivity on both axis and without midrange narrowing or beaming. This ensures a uniform and natural listening experience for everyone in the room, eliminating the “sweet spot” effect.
Vertical constant directivity make the horn unsensitive to our vertical position, maintains consistent sound quality regardless of our vertical listening position
True Loading Capacity: X-Shape horns excel in loading capacities allowing both a lower crossover point without distortion and a sound radiation control pushed lower in frequency, resulting in a more defined and cohesive soundstage response.
Fidelity, elimination of Cross Syndrome: X-Shape horns meticulously address the issue of Cross Wavefront Syndrome, a phenomenon that can cause unnatural sound coloration and power response inconsistencies, removing the “floating image” feeling. The diagonal measurement of the X-shape is as perfect as the horizontal one.
Optimal Mid-Woofer Integration: The rectangular mouth enables a closer horn and mid-woofer center-to-center distance, eliminating the lobing effect. This is crucial for achieving seamless acoustic phase coherence between the mid-woofer and the horn, leading to a more natural and cohesive midrange sound.
Suppressed High-Order Modes (HOMs): Our gradual horn expansion prevents abrupt geometry changes, minimizing excitation of HOMs that cause coloration and distortion, for cleaner and more accurate sound across the entire frequency range.
Flexible usage: X-Shape can be printed without screw holes and glued to the roundover integration kit. This kit can be useful if your router cannot make a large enough roundover. It can be used as-is in free air or glued to a regular cabinet. You can check our showcase for some examples.

: To order you can discover our horn versions and prices bellow then contact us here to proceed to payment and worldwide shipment.

All measurements are real ones, performed with the ideal roundover return indicated for each horn, taken at 1/24 resolution in a half-space presentation (±90°).

Select Horn:

X-Shape 21 for 1" compression driver and 7.5"/8" woofer

Specifications:
- Width: 21cm
- Height: 13cm
- Deep: 13 cm
- rebate depth 8.5mm and 10mm wide to accommodate a 10mm joint
- Horizontal constant coverage: 85°
- Vertical constant coverage: 60°
- Recommended crossover: 1200/1400 hz
- Recommended round-over radius: 25mm

Prices:
- Price in PLA:
  105€/U
- Options:
  - Preparation to paint with spray putty : +70€/U
  - PETG-CF printing: +60€/U
  - Black Printed round-over kit for integration (raw): +45€/U

Recommended compression driver:
- 18Sound ND1TP-16 / 1095N / 1090
- BMS 5530-16
Recommended Woofer:
- PURIFI PTT8.0X (perfect directivity match at 1400/1500hz)
- AudioTechnology 23I52
- Wavecor WF223
- SbAcoustics MW19TX
- STX W.22.200.8.MCX_v3
- All 8" medium like BMS 8S219, B&C 8MBX51, B&C 8PE21
- 4 * Faital 5FE120 (not in MTM, 2 lines of 2 bellow it side to side, crossed at 1250hz)

SPL and Polar:

Vertical and Diagonal Polar Plot

The vertical constant directivity make also the horn not sensitive to your vertical listening position, here the response of X-Shape X25 and X40 horns:

X25 vertical:

X34 vertical:

X40 vertical:

X40 diagonal:

SPL

1" version with 18Sound ND1090 without EQ:

1.4" version with 18Sound ND1460 without EQ:

Update 14/10/2025: Corrected SPL curve with the proper microphone calibration file applied.

More compression test can be found on our 1" compression driver test (X33) and 1.4" compression driver test (X34 v1).

How we produce it and materials:

The waveguide is 3D-printed using PLA for indoor applications or PETG-CF for outdoor use. If you have chosen the ready-to-paint option, it arrives pre-coated with layers of spray putty for a smooth surface, ready to receive your primer and paint.

Except X40, horns are constructed as a single piece, we employ robust 6mm walls to ensure structural rigidity and eliminate resonances.

Finish

You can follow this process for painting over our spray putty treatment: see How to Finish my Horn.

Artificially speeding up the drying of painted horns or speakers — even wooden ones (due to glue for example) — is strongly discouraged, as is drying in direct sunlight, as explained in our dedicated article.

Even if you hire a professional car body painter, they need to be aware of some particularities when painting horns or speakers. Professional audio painters do not speed up drying of speakers the same way car body parts are treated.

Wood horns

Plywood horn versions have 3 (in-box version) or 4 (free-air version) full returns as described in “The round-over return and round-over face” upper.
They have the “throat section like” in black matt PLA, that can be paint by us as an paid option, wich the color you wish.

Wood horn are done by batch for allowing the best price, generaly one session by month.

FEA Integration Round-Over Kit:

We strongly recommand to read the midrange narrowing and beaming page for understand how this aspect is important for every horn integration for every brand.

We provide full 4 or 3 returns for free air usage, it can be the regular round over or the FEA simulated one that allow 33% less space occupied by roundover:

This FEA return has another advantage, it create a more progressive loose of directivity in the horn low-end control, allowing to be closer to woofer radiation and to have, thanks to this, a better woofer/horn directivity match.

You can completely paint it:

Or with a 3 returns, integrate is easily with in the cabinet:

We can also see that it’s very easy to transit from a tinier radius like 12mm to the 25mm of an X25.

Of course you can also do it like this yourself in the front baffle:

In this last case you may can appreciate a 4mm face roundover for easier embedding, we can print it with this radius for a perfect feet in your baffle :

The full round-over fluid return is the most important point of midrange narrowing and beaming removing, the horn allow it by a direct ending at 180°. Each recommended round-over return radius by horn is the ideal one simulated in FEA.