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.

The waveguide is 3D-printed using PLA for indoor applications or PETG-HF for outdoor use. It arrives ready to prime and paint, with layers of spray putty already applied for a smooth finish, ready to receive your primer and then paint.

Below and including X25, horns are constructed as a single piece. Larger horns are made in two parts. We employ robust reinforcement to ensure structural rigidity and eliminate resonances.

Polar map with the response (SPL) without EQ

All measurements are real, performed with the ideal roundover return indicated for each horn, taken at 1/24 resolution in a half-space presentation (±90°), with the yellow line at -6dB highlighting the horn’s behavior.

X21 for 1":

X25 for 1":

X28 for 1":

X33 for 1":

X34 for 1.4":

X40 for 1.4"

Compression driver used for measurements: BMS 5530 for 1" FaitalPRO HF1440 1.4"

Comparing to a common OS waveguide the loading capacities is way improved, allowing low x-over and a constant uniform psyckoacoustic directivity behavior pushed very high.

On the RCF 350ND passive filter is even possible, but as this driver have a sooner THD increase comparing to others, a passive cross over at 1250hz is advised:

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:

X40 vertical:

X40 diagonal:

How we produce it and materials:

Finish

You can follow this process for paint on our spray putty traitement : How to Finish my Horn, as seen in this guide, artificially speed-up dryng painted horns or spreakers, even in wood (due to glue with beetwen each panel of the cabinet for example) is strongly not recommended.

Even if you ask a car body professional to paint it, he have to be aware of some particularities of horn/speaker painting, professional audio painter do not dry speakers as a car body part when they want to speed up the process.

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.

They can be glued, or fixed with M4 screw with PLA specifics threaded insert:

In the case you glued it 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.

Features

• No more High-Order Modes (HOMs) due to a gradual horn expansion.
• Respect ADAPT principle (Acoustic Constant Directivity Adapted to Psychoacoustic Technology)
• Constant directivity behavior on both angles, adapted to our listening distance
• Real loading capacity comparing to OS horn
• End of profile optimized for removing midrange narrowing/beaming
• Rectangular mouth allowing closer mid-woofer position avoiding lobing
• Throat 1", 1.4" and 1.5" (adapter on demand for 1.5")
• Frame round-over full return integration
• Free 4mm radius on rectangualr mouth if needed
• Free preparation for paint if needed

Versions and prices :

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

X-Shape X21 8" waveguide for 1" compression driver

• Specifications:
  • Width: 21cm
  • Height: 13cm
  • Deep: 13 cm
  • rebate depth 6.5mm and 10mm wide to accommodate a 10mm joint
  • Horizontal constant coverage: 85°
  • Vertical constant coverage: 60°
  • Recommended crossover: 1350/1500
  • Recommended round-over radius: 25mm
  • Round-over FEA width in integration kit: 16.5mm

• Prices:
  • Price in PLA:
    105€/U
  • FEA Integration kit:
    45€/U
  • 4mm radius embedding and prepared to paint
    : free

• Recommended compression driver:
  • 18Sound ND1TP-16 / 1095N / 1090
  • BMS 5530-16
• Recommended Woofer:
  • PURIFI PTT8.0X PTT10.0X (perfect directivity match at 1400/1500hz)
  • AudioTechnology 23I52
  • Wavecor WF223
  • 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:

X-Shape X25 8/9.5" waveguide for 1" compression driver

• Specifications:
  • Width: 25cm
  • Height: 15.6cm
  • Deep: 14.2 cm
  • rebate depth 6.5mm and 10mm wide to accommodate a 10mm joint
  • Horizontal constant coverage: 90° or 80°
  • Vertical constant coverage: 60°
  • Recommended crossover: 1200/1250
  • Recommended round-over radius: 25mm
  • Round-over FEA width in integration kit: 16.5mm

• Prices:
  • Price in PLA:
    125€/U
  • FEA Integration kit:
    55€/U
  • 4mm radius embedding and prepared to paint
    : free

• Recommended compression driver:
  • 18Sound ND1TP-16 / 1095N / 1090
  • BMS 5530-16
• Recommended Woofer:
  • PURIFI PTT8.0X PTT10.0X
  • AudioTechnology 23I52
  • Wavecor WF223
  • STX W.22.200.8.MCX_v3
  • SB Acoustics SB23NBAC/NAC
  • SB Acoustics WO24P and WO24TX
  • 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:

X-Shape X28, 10" waveguide for 1" compression driver

• Specifications:
  • Width: 28cm
  • Height: 17.5cm
  • Deep: 15.3 cm
  • rebate depth 8mm and 12mm wide
  • Horizontal constant coverage: 90°
  • Vertical constant coverage: 60°
  • Recommended crossover: 1200/1250Hz
  • Recommended round-over radius: 25mm
  • Round-over FEA width in integration kit: 16.5mm

• Prices:
  • Price in PLA:
    185€/U
  • FEA Integration kit:
    65€/U
  • 4mm radius embedding and prepared to paint
    : free

• Recommended compression driver:
  • 18Sound ND1TP-16/ 1095N / 1090
  • BMS 5530-16
• Recommended Woofer:
  • Wavecor WF275
  • PURIFI PTT10.0X
  • AudioTechnology FlexUnit 10"
  • STX W.25.200.8.MC
  • STX W.27.400.8.MC
  • STX W.27.500.8.FCX
  • PA 10" like 18Sound 10NMBA520/10NDA610
  • 4 * Faital 5FE120 (not in MTM, 2 lines of 2 bellow it side to side, crossed at 1200hz)

SPL and Polar:

X-Shape X33, 12" waveguide for 1" compression driver

• Specifications:
  • Width: 33cm
  • Height: 20cm
  • Deep: 19.6 cm
  • rebate depth 8mm and 12mm wide to accommodate a 10mm joint
  • Horizontal constant coverage: 90°
  • Vertical constant coverage: 60°
  • Recommended crossover: 1000/1150Hz
  • Recommended round-over radius: 30mm
  • Round-over FEA width in integration kit: 20mm

• Prices:
  • Price in PLA:
    215€/U
  • FEA Integration kit:
    85€/U
  • 4mm radius embedding and prepared to paint
    : free

• Recommended compression driver:
  • 18Sound ND1TP-16/ 1095N / 1090
• Recommended Woofer:
  • 18Sound 12LW1400
  • Sb Audience NERO 12mwn700d
  • AudioTechnology FlexUnit 12"

SPL and Polar:

X-Shape X34, 12" waveguide for 1.4"/1.5" compression driver

• Specifications:
  • Width: 33.9cm
  • Height: 21.2cm
  • Deep: 20.7 cm
  • rebate depth 8mm and 12mm wide to accommodate a 10mm joint
  • Horizontal constant coverage: 85°
  • Vertical constant coverage: 60°
  • Recommended crossover: 750/800Hz
  • Recommended round-over radius: 30mm
  • Round-over FEA width in integration kit: 20mm

• Prices:
  • Price in PLA:
    275€/U
  • FEA Integration kit:
    85€/U
  • 4mm radius embedding and prepared to paint
    : free

• Recommended compression driver:
  • 18Sound ND3N 16ohms
  • FaitalPRO HF1440/1460
• Recommended Woofer:
  • 18Sound 12LW1400
  • Sb Audience NERO 12mwn700d
  • AudioTechnology FlexUnit 15"

SPL and Polar: The shift in SPL response around 13-14 kHz is a result of diaphragm breakup (driver membrane resonance), not the horn.

X-Shape X40, 15" waveguide for 1.4"/1.5" compression driver

• Specifications:
  • Size 1.4": W40.8cm H24.8 D23
  • Size 1.5": W41cm H25.25 D23
  • rebate depth 8mm and 10mm wide to accommodate a 12mm joint
  • Horizontal constant coverage: 85°
  • Vertical constant coverage: 60°
  • Recommended crossover: 700/750Hz
  • Recommended round-over radius: 40mm
  • Round-over FEA width in integration kit: 26.5mm

• Prices:
  • Price in PLA:
    365€/U
  • FEA Integration kit:
    115€/U
  • 4mm radius embedding and prepared to paint
    : free

• Recommended compression driver:
  • 18Sound ND3N 16ohms
  • FaitalPRO HF1440/1460
  • TAD 4002Z
  • JBL 2450SL
  • 18Sound 4015
• Recommended Woofer:
  • 18Sound 15NTLW3500
  • B&C 14NDL76
  • Sb Audience NERO 15mwn700d

SPL and Polar: The shift in SPL response around 13-14 kHz is a result of diaphragm breakup (driver membrane resonance), not the horn.

For bigger horn or very long range horn see M-Shape horns.