More with Devon: The journey from idea to finished horn speaker design

[@DismasM]

"...the presentation of a labored-over, recorded, mixed and mastered album IS the masterpiece." That is a brilliant description, deeper than it seems, and not many think of it that way. It sums up what I seek from hifi: I don't need an record to sound like a live performance--I want a record to sound as good as it possibly can.

[@russellharvey7096]

If it were only true 100% of the time!

[@roccobruno8027]

I'm so happy that horn reproduction is being carried forward. Also extremely happy to see Great Plains Audio keeping the Altec name alive.

[@weatheranddarkness]

Didn't they have a big hiccup not that long ago?

[@rickmathis8590]

This has been a fascinating interview, Steve. The story of his journey and his take on building his speakers had me hooked! Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

[@mikeuk4130]

This guy knows what things should sound like! Steve, you have said before that we should try something completely different if our own system is not really doing it for us. This would be one good way to go. I'd love you to interview Devon some more, especially about all those cool items in his collection.

[@AudioElectronicsChicago]

It was a pleasure listening to Devon!

[@bobsmoot8454]

It’s good to hear the recognition that almost all music venues, clubs/auditoriums/large venues, employee sound reinforcement and how it presents the music. The energy, impact, presence and control of the room’s air play a huge part of emulating what a lot of people hear in their heads. Horns are in the room, Quads or some other speakers give you a window into the performance, it’s a matter of taste in the end.

[@robbes7rh]

Great discussion. I agree with Devon about the quality of sound, be it acoustic or electronic, when skillfully recorded, mastered, and played back on the right system is an experience to behold.

[@garysmith8455]

Nice two part series Steve. Having been a Klipschorn owner for 14 years, I can say they really get the LIVE and AMPLIFIED concert setting down pretty nicely. But a Chesky recording of an UN-amplified, acoustically 'mixed' live performance?, minimally miked orchestral concert? I think the Martin Logan e'stat is better suited, they CAN rock and jazz with the best of them - you CAN even hurt your ears if you so desire lol. But, those are just my experiences.

[@lukerabin5079]

Devon has got it in one. For me, I freely admit that’s since I started down the KZbin audiophile rabbit hole I lost sight of the essential aspect, which, I think is as follows. When I listen to music I want to feel like I’m in the performance space, not the recording space. As a film maker, in the Post world, I’ve spent more time in a recording studio/sound suite than most people do. I love it, I get the process and I respect the musicians, the engineers, the producers, etc. but, as many releases these days happen, it is that it’s all done piece meal and it’s the final assembly, the “performance” that counts and that’s what we should be remembering, not what that assembly does when pushed through your four amps, seven sets of speakers and 3 DACS. It’s “What does this music make me feel”? So, I’m going to try to get back to the feeling of being in the moment and turn off my desire to re-engineer or re-produce something, and just “be” with the final output. And what I save on gear, I’m going to spend on music, either at the event, or engaging with the recording. As lame as this sounds, I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

[@paulpavlou9294]

Good to see some passionate young blood developing and make waves in the hifi scene. Devon is definitely on the right track and cannot wait to see what he does in the future. Great interviews Steve.

[@Fluterra]

Emailed them to set an appointment to the showroom. No reply and it’s been about 2 weeks. And I design my own horns and have a very high end home system… as I said below- this is not a real store/real product. It’s his hobby, he sells a few things when he feels like it. Which means he will disappear when he also feels like it.

[@mikepaul2372]

Fantastic. I was so enthralled with the discussion and how his thoughts and dreams of tinkering with the speakers over and over to achieve a sound that he is proud of. Wish Devon the best of success. Thanks Steve for this video! Inspiring!

[@travislrogers]

Great interview Steve, thank you for putting this one out! I’m a huge fan of Devon’s work and the purity of his passion in exploring his craft. Very inspiring!

[@love2spinvinyl]

I’m sure this will be one of your most commented videos yet. Such an awesome interview. What a great human Devon is.

[@vorpane]

Devon's so young, how could he have accomplished so much already?! Immense respect.

[@TheMazo02]

He has a clothing brand

[@poserwanabe]

and so 80 yrs later not much has changed :-)

[@ralphm5840]

Fantastic interview, Steve! Thanks so much to you and Devon!

[@bruceberman8392]

A really interesting series of interviews with Devon! As an avid long-term audio homebrewer, and with a particular passion for directly heated triodes and horn-loaded loudspeakers, I would have liked to have seen more of the electronics that Devon designed and built.

[@DeAudiofilosyLocos]

Wow, amazing. His speakers would be great for a mono setup!

[@gaborozorai3714]

Great interview, just the kind of equipment/sound that I like. One comment: Yes, large, high efficiency speakers do have that very direct, live sound but whether the musicians are brought to your room or it is you that are transported to the recording venue depends on the recording. A close miked small ensemble, a studio recording of a rock band will be in your room but a rock gig recorded in a stadium or a symphony orchestra in a concert hall will not and should not be moved to your room. It would be a disaster. No, the point is that you get the scale, impact and immediacy of the sound on all types of recordings.

[@2Velociraptors]

Great time watching this video. Super interesting stuff from OJAS. Thanks Steve for bringing us this information.

[@nikhilji]

Brooklyn is the Silicon Valley of Audio!

[@bobb.9917]

LOVED THIS! Devon…just a guy from "the neighborhood"..😎👍🏼….SO…NOW…I would like to hear Steve review Devon's Horn/Kit-Build Speaker as he would any other speaker to give us more of a sense what they are all about. PLEASE!!! 🔊😍

[@michaelvaladez6570]

Really enjoyed this interview..greatly appreciated the interest in the sound of horns for home system..Thank you Steve Guttenber work.g again..keep up the good

[@danacrooker1282]

Playing sound is so much better than talking sound, let's hear it!

[@riccitone]

This is SO great. Wonderful perspectives and equipment/listening philosophies relative to Devon's super-interesting background and design approach. Can really inspire while simplifying tonal purity in many ways, as I see it. I'd love a kit like this.

[@3dimensionsofmusic3D]

Thanks for letting us participate. We are blessed that people like this exist and their passion is our reward. Cheers. Greg

[@2WheelsGood]

Devon/Ojas rules. Would love a pair of the DIY speakers. Beautiful

[@bradmodd7856]

DIY speakers = do it yourself

[@2WheelsGood]

Total “Brad” comment. You make us proud.

[@rotaks1]

Very cool episode. Thanks 🙏

[@miguelbarrio]

Amazing interview, Devon is a cool cat! My experience with horn speakers vs box speakers is that horns project sound into the room whereas dynamic drivers tend to produce a soundstage that is behind the speaker plane. This is especially noticeable with centered vocals - horns put the singer right in front of you.

[@westernartifact580]

Miguel absolutely knows what he’s talking about. I’m hoping more music lovers will learn about the experience of this kind of sound.

[@tonymckay6556]

dwarf performer from a short speaker. not lifelike

[@pkats9093]

Very cool! I’m not even into horns - until now! Nice work Steve and Devon

[@dave-1446]

This is a great story. I'm after the kind of sound described by Steve and Devon. I currently have large horn speakers in my apartment but haven't quite achieved this type of presentation. I suspect there are two reasons for this: being in an apartment I don't play my system above 87dB; I live in a loft so the sound goes everywhere rather than being reinforced by the boundaries of a typical listening room.

[@thingone62]

Now we're talking - horn DIY!!

[@veniceog]

The ASR crew had one look at the Ojas website, and had a stroke. They were still mumbling “snake oil” as the gurney was wheeled away.

[@stephenstevens6573]

Wow! Would love to hear your impression of the sound of these speakers on a home setup. The price of 1950. DIY is not prohibitive. We would like to hear more!

[@garyalexander5686]

Agreed. Steve, please review the smaller speakers in your home with familiar electronics.

[@stephenstevens6573]

I'm rockin' Magnaplanar MGlla so its not exactly a small speaker! Lol

[@robertyoung1777]

Horn speakers are great for the elderly! Last week my audiologist told me my hearing drops off a cliff at 4kHz. I hear next to nothing above 8kHz. I’m 62 years old. All you youngsters- protect your hearing and your children’s hearing. No more tweeters for old folks!

[@BicycleJoeTomasello]

I have seen the future but I'm still here

[@kloss213]

Nice to see the younger guys into horns he has opened a giant can of worms it's going to take him a lifetime to even partly discover what's out there

[@DQ-su6qf]

Way back when loved building my SpeakerLab Super 7’s, Dynaco pat 5 bi get & 75 watt power amp…

[@tmdillon1969]

I tried to replicate this using the 321C driver. Unfortunately, the eBay seller had no idea what they had and I ended up buying the JBL 2152H drivers. They refunded most of my money but now I have two coax drivers that can't be disassembled and have completely different specs than either the 321 or the 328. I guess I'll peter around with them and see what I can make. I would be curious to hear a set of Artbooks with upgraded crossovers. They really didn't put much money into the crossover components but I suppose the effect might be negligible.

[@sandeepmohan5770]

Had it not been for your channel, I would have never heard of Ojas. My Blumehofer Genuin FS5 loudspeaker uses a compression driver fitted onto a horn for the mid and high frequency. I can relate to what Devon says. The difference being my speaker is real small compared to what he has going on so there will be a difference to the sound

[@andrewgillis8572]

OK that's what happened when ToP came to our big shed nightclub in January 1981 - they loaded the room and yup it was crazy good - strong Leslie ro-ro sound happening much of the time via the great Chester T - like Mahavishnu or Santana, or for some, The Dead, just a natural thing for a thrilled concert -goer to try to get, back at home

[@azoique]

Very inspiring stuff.

[@ProgRockKeys]

Great interview. I wish I had a volume control for the horns on my JBL 4433. As I’ve gotten older the horns have taken over the spectrum just a tad.

[@cruzingrsx4484]

Hi Steve, I’ve noticed a Technics 1500C in the background on a few videos, hopefully a review will be forthcoming. Thanks you for all you do, for one Brooklyn Knight to another

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Thanks, yes review is in the works

[@markhusbands6132]

Thanks Steve..I could have listened to that conversation for hours.

[@DC-xx4kv]

Steve , yes my thought every time this notion of “live performance” is mentioned is nearly moot. Unless you’re in Paul McCartney’s living room all music is run through a PA system. That’s life, thanks Frank, my point being there is no such thing as “you are there” replication. Etc etc. it’s music that’s been recorded, produced, mixed, mastered. Nothing live about that. Quality speakers is about the best we can hope for in the end. My opinion. ☮️

[@Ziamira]

Tbh I feel why he loves horn speakers and Klipsh are my first pair that I own but I love the sound. I need him to make me some custom speakers one day 👏 I wish I could win the lotto to get me my own house so I can get a big surround setup. The first people I want to listen the setup first would be the three of us. A last tis only a dream but a beautiful dream I would love to have come true.

[@robertyoung1777]

Haves💲💲💲💲💲💲💲 and have nots.

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

Would be interesting to hear your thoughts of the large horns vs the kit. Also the amps used and your thoughts on the sound of the overall system. I think there is an opportunity for you to create a part III. Even though your visit may not have captured that, you could do this as an addendum with just you speaking over pics that you captured. I think you'd have a good uptake given the interest in this interview.

[@joedeegan3870]

I read that the bowed string has the most complex overtones. Could this be why we don't tire of the sound of Violins, cellos, and bowed string basses as soon as other instruments. It seems this is also true of recorded bowed strings if reprocuced without distortion and with full frequencies present. I like a violin to sound like a violin so I guess I am mostly interested in accuracy of the reproduction.

[@kevinzerr3924]

Been following Devon and his brand OJAS for about a year. I know time was probably a issue but I would like to hear his story regarding his SET and the T amp. I have a few 25 watt T amps, they are pretty amazing for the cost. He has an issue like many and that's upscaling production when you have a great product, the do I or don't thing. Nice interview Steve, job well done!

[@johngordon1175]

It’s possibly like being in a room that through technology can make it sound like you are in another room with all its attributes and people and things in the targeted room, the amount of that other room that is experienced is depended upon the quality of the technology used to recreate the sonic experience

[@FOH3663]

That beautiful lens flare is metaphorically appropriate... Good work Steve, refreshing.

[@bozersgal]

Has he developed an add-on kit for the horn? (smelling 200K coming....)

[@scottengh1175]

Cool. Crazy awesome.

[@josefbuckland]

Echoes Floyd Pompeii WEM stacks and horns recreated here now sign me up for some splayed horns!

[@scottyo64]

Wow being a horn nut myself, although I can and do appreciate other types of speakers, this was an enjoyable journey through his journey. Thanks to Devon for sharing and you for doing such a wonderful interview

[@rickg8015]

I really like the Hammertone finish of those baffles on the JBL kit..

[@andreasbaumer5682]

Best interview ever!

[@mag4633]

Devon, your speaker kit sounds very interesting. Curious if you compared that JBL driver to Eminence's? They also make a concentric with compression driver. Quality drivers, made in the USA too

[@seangray3730]

What's his preferred hammertone paint?

[@rcpmac]

Is it important to put the amplifier in the middle between the speakers? Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[@morayjames92]

is there going to be a video where you play music and let the speakers speak for the system/room?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Sorry, I do not see how that is possible to record the sound of speakers playing in a room! I have never heard a video demo of speakers that I know that in anyway reproduced the true sound of the speaker. Not even close.

[@morayjames92]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I won't argue your point but listening to a recording taken from the sweet spot is more enlightening than listening to a description of how a speaker performs/sounds. I should say though that a verbal account along with a sound clip is the best possible way to make use of a video like this.

[@johnsimmons5056]

So where do we find a link to buy his speakers if were interested....seems like you should include something or some way to get more information

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

OJAS NYC

[@stillastillsfan]

He might want try a pair of Stephens 80FR 8” full range for his kit if he can find a pair, and compare against the JBL.

[@westernartifact580]

This guy is inspiring Steve. Have you considered bringing Herb into this discussion? Herbs ideas about amplification and sensitive speakers (the salt cave article/column comes to mind) seem like they align really well with what Devon is doing. I also love how my Corner horns play “in the room” and really (truly, actually) make my room into the speaker. The whole room is playing music. Love it and can’t wait for part 3.

[@sub_annihilation9645]

Stephen Curry in the Audiophiliac

[@adamk4716]

Is that a Well Tempered turntable?

[@devonojas]

I have two turntables in the room right now: a Garrard 301 and a Technics direct drive, both in wood plinths of my design.

[@barbaroja.mp3]

love the interview and what Devon does, but the DIY kit is too expensive for the prices you see in that spectrum of the market

[@jjjtung]

Agreed.

[@barbaroja.mp3]

@@gregmiller3630 that's my main issue with the pricing, there's a huge gap that feels greedy for a DIY endeavour that aims to be an entry point and a project to learn. I don't have a big problem with the "Made in USA" claim, because this is not an indicative of the quality and usually a lie given the globalised nature of the market...ergo, that has never been a driver for me to buy something in HiFi.

[@barbaroja.mp3]

Despite my negativity on the Kit pricing, his mindset about sound and his dedication does resonate with me. I'm glad to see this new breed of HiFi enthusiasts getting some recognition.

[@barbaroja.mp3]

​@@gregmiller3630 by dedication I meant the other efforts such as the "listening room" account and other products, the DIY kit is certainly not one that falls into that category...with Abloh in the mix I have my reservations even moreso.

[@dougg1075]

Interesting

[@frederickbuhr8765]

I call this type of huge speakers and horns set up "The Divorcinator"... Not sure Devon is married...

[@helthuismartin]

Where is part 2 ????????????????????????????????????????

[@manuelpriethernan]

Muy interesante.

[@TobyIKanoby]

Virgil Abloh sadly is gone, I just found out.

[@johnsweda2999]

Interesting does he have a KZbin channel

[@Fluterra]

Problem with most of these guys is they are not serious about running a business. Went to website today, nothing available. Nothing.

[@yeahright3733]

The future is not DIY as the great majority just want simple, easy to use audio that sounds great. Systems with a hub that connect wirelessly to speakers that have amps built-in, together with DSP and room correction, are the future.

[@westernartifact580]

Some of us would disagree about what we want in our own future. The market is already mostly how you describe the future, de-humanized. Some of us want to preserve a more direct and unaltered sound with class a, triodes, OTL, concentric and horn gear. I hope for your sake you will experience these things and learn to hope yourself for a more real and humane future for audio.

[@yeahright3733]

@@westernartifact580 Just saying that the reality of where the mass market is headed. The great majority want the best sound with minimal work involved and at a great price. DSP, wireless, room correction and class D is the future.

[@jdavis234]

That’s always been the case for the low to mid fi market since the beginning. There will always be a market for high end separates because they simply sound better.

[@yeahright3733]

@@jdavis234 That is no longer true as well designed systems with amps designed specifically for each driver, with minimal interconnects, sound superior. Eventually, most ultra high end systems will gravitate to this design, but there is still a lot of momentum behind separates because that has been the focus for the last 50 years. Peter Thiel was already making progress toward integrated systems before he died and gave very solid reasons as to why it is a better approach, namely avoiding physical crossovers as well as minimal interconnects. Bang and olufsen make ultra high end integrated speakers that are superior to many systems that use separates. Bouchard makes integrated power speakers that sound like a component system costing ten times more in price. KEF is moving in this direction as well, and many others.

[@jdavis234]

@@yeahright3733 I don’t disagree with you there but there will always be a steady market for DIY and separates.

[@carlitomelon4610]

Good interview guys! I'm pretty sure this type of speaker would overwhelm my 13x19.5 listening rooms! My experience with Live amplified music has been mostly bad. I don't have any desire for a system that will cause damage to my precious ears! I'd rather try to recreate an admittedly smaller version of the live hall acoustic. Close mic'd instruments are "in the room" still. But a speaker that distorts the perspective on all recordings isn't my cup of tea. That co-ax 8in driver looked interesting...wonder if it can be transmission line loaded? 🎶🤫🎶

[@arkman8109]

I listen to Altec A7's in a close listening format, they are wonderful. Powdered by a dynaco st70, you don't have to blast them to get the effect.

[@jlmain5777]

You need to introduce Devon to Joe the Cop. The cosmos may open up.

[@danacrooker1282]

Goodbye.

[@arte2arquiteto]

Inches away from 200k...