Legacy Hornlets
Please call 773.489.4830 or email info@specimenproducts.com to discuss details and make arrangements for your commission.
Specimen Legacy Hornlet speakers offer superior audio quality with an organic beauty in form and finish.
Form, function and hand work coalesce into a package of beauty and performance.
Call for details on Hornlets in stock or to order your custom Hornlets .
Custom horn speakers require 3 – 6 month production time.
- Dimensions
19" tall overall
9 1/4" horn diameter
5" cube base
6-1/2" minimum shelf depth - Driver
Fostex FE83En 3" full-range driver or Fountek 3" full-range for musical instrument application (specs listed below are for Fostex driver)
- Impedance
8 ohms
- Sensitivity
1 W/1m 88 dB
- Frequency Response
fs - 30kHz
Legacy Horn Speakers are so called because these are speakers that are no longer in regular production.
The original Liederhorn, Hornling, Hornlet, XL Horn, and Janus horn speakers were created for the Sonic Arboretum, a sculpture and sound installation by Ian Schneller and composer/violinist Andrew Bird.
These speakers comprised the sculptural element of the Sonic Arboretum, which debuted at the Guggenheim, New York in 2010. Sonic Arboretum Legacy horns speakers were produced again for the shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago in 2011 and for the ICA Boston International Contemporary Art Museum in 2015.
All of our museum speakers and tube amplifiers have subsequently sold out.
Design & Construction
These horn speakers are entirely handmade at my shop in Chicago, IL.
Each horn is unique and bears a variety of markings that result from the construction and finishing process. This mottled organic finish lends a unique patina to each horn.
The natural patina of the horn exterior is contrasted with bold saturated color in the bell interior.
The bases are made of premium quality Baltic birch plywood. The horns are made from recycled newsprint, dryer lint, and shellac, making them by far the most eco-friendly Specimens to date. Dryer lint is one of earth’s greatest squandered resources and we are now putting it to use. It has incredible strength from all the interlocking fibers.
Considering these for the Sonic Arboretum, it seemed logical to have the horns integrate well with nature. These materials accomplish this as they create their own foliage-like effect. They actually work exceedingly well in any botanical setting. They almost look as if they have grown in place.
Custom orders are available upon request.
Compatibility and Placement
Pair these with one of my hi-fi tube amplifiers finished in a matching or a contrasting color for a complete ensemble and beautiful sonic symbiosis.
All Specimen Horn Speakers can be used with virtually any system and achieve excellent results.
You can drive Specimen Horn speakers with a Bluetooth device, CD player, Turntable, Cassette Deck, Reel to Reel, or any other sound source.
Specimen Horns are designed to work well elevated as a typical bookshelf speaker, out in the open, or even placed on the ground to achieve a more spatially expansive installation, as in the Sonic Arboretum exhibitions.
