Round the Horne

The most recent Lowther Open Weekend was dedicated to the historic and exceptional Voigt 2ft and 4ft Tractrix Horn Loudspeaker Systems. Those who attended were treated to a jaw-dropping, eye-opening feast of the senses.

I have been very fortunate, to be around, from the beginning of the modern conception and birth of both these magnificent horn speaker systems. I therefore feel their back story needs telling. It really is a story of the phoenix rising from the ashes. It’s just as magical and breathtaking as that magical bird and no other Hi Fi Company, except new Lowther, could have pulled it off. They really are dedicated to audio excellence.

Back in the distant past, in the days when genius Paul Voigt was the go to British audio engineer, there were no permanent magnet loudspeaker drivers or much in the way of amplifiers with any power. Valves provided a few watts of energy and the only way to really hear sound was with a horn speaker. Recording in the early days was initially acoustic and electrical recording was then the new fangled technology. John Howes of the Lowther/Voigt museum is best placed to tell you all about those fascinating times and this particular era will be covered in his forthcoming book on Paul Voigt. I can’t wait to read it.

Audio visual has been a preoccupation of engineering from the start of the twentieth century (driven by cinema) and Paul Voigt was in my view the best in this field. There was no stereo so mono acoustic and then early electrical recording was the prevalent technology. Cinema was the darling of mass audiences. Working people could not afford the expensive delights of the live classical concert hall or theatre. A very occasional trip to the music hall was then a great, but expensive, treat for the ordinary person. The need for public address was also a pressing problem for all audio engineers as was the size of the big cinema premises. Remember no “talkies” till 1927. Into this AV minefield comes audio genius Paul Voigt who knows that his mathematically advanced Tractrix horn design can offer an elegant solution and competition to Western Electric.

The 4ft was mainly for cinema use, whilst the 2ft was designed for public address (although they were inter-changeable if very large auditoriums were a problem). Along side these horn designs Voigt had developed his efficient full range field coil drive units. There was even a waterproof version for outside PA use. The Lowther/Voigt museum is the place to go for a hands-on experience of these old systems. It’s a private museum but access is available by invitation.

As a frequent visitor to the museum I have been lucky enough to hear an original 4ft Voigt horn driven by an original Voigt field coil drive unit. Like the equally superlative Voigt Domestic Corner Horn Loudspeaker it’s an incomparable sound that once heard is unforgettable. The museum had an original 4ft Voigt which, after some luck and some reconstruction, miraculously turned into a pair for use in stereo. These are often found in the museum’s main listening room and it’s clear I was not the only one smitten with their fabulous sound qualities. Other discerning and wealthy music lovers felt they needed these mystical beasts, in their life, but unlike the later Domestic Corner Horn originals are very rare finds. This is where modern new Lowther comes into the picture.

John and the museum had the original Voigt plans for the 4ft (including the clever quarter wave bass reinforcement unit). Lowther, however, had on hand their amazing new field coil drivers for the use in the flagship Lowther Hegeman reproduction design. New reproduction 4ft’s were therefore possible and Malcolm Williamson, the Lowther chief technician and cabinet maker, was up for the job. It was only the matter of Lowther MD Martin Thornton giving the development go ahead. To his credit he was also enthusiastic. This was helped by a firm order from a music lover and audio enthusiast who had already acquired an original pair. Production then took place.

Reproducing a 100 year old speaker design is a far from an easy job. Malcolm however is no ordinary cabinet maker and although, he might say otherwise, I believe he relished the challenges involved. Please do have a look at the video interview on the Lowther website, featuring both John and Malcolm, discussing the challenges of bringing this centurion back to life. The modern reproduction is a somewhat different beast from the old one due to modern materials and manufacturing techniques.

Those who have visited Lowther in Northampton know the premises are over the magnificent Phipps Brewery which is all part of the attraction of a visit. On ground level is the enormous open Phipps tap room and Lowther decided to launch the new 4ft Voigt Horns at a special one-off event in 2024. This was to commemorate both their reproduction and the 100 year anniversary of the old speaker. I was lucky to be invited to this launch and now legendary evening.

The sound was amazing and effortlessly filled the big room. The sound stage was enormous and the imaging spectacular. You immediately realised why cinemas were well-served by the design. The common view seemed that the most exceptional sound could be found just outside of the room by the door to the ladies toilets! The only comparison I could make was the sound produced by vintage Western Electric horn speakers. However in my view the Voigt sound is superior.

Two things are unique about this resurrection. No company, but present day Lowther, would have been able to reproduce them to such a high standard and, in their construction, this love shines through. Old Lowther would not have countenanced their reproduction. In their day it represented an old design that represented the old times best left behind. The modern future was small horn speakers with permanent magnets. I understand this but feel now times are different with wealthy buyers interested in such designs. The rise in listening bars and cafes means the 4ft design has a future along with the more petite 2ft Voigt Horn. It’s only a matter of time before they will appear in this environment.

Driving the 4ft Voigt Horns is best done using field coil drivers. Either the Grand Opera Permalloy/Soft Iron or the Philharmonic field coils but, over the recent open weekend, a pair of premium PM4A’s were utilised to very good effect.

Unlike the 4ft Voigt reproduction the Voigt 2ft Horn speakers came very much about by chance. A friend of Lowther was looking to him to build a pair of standalone high/midrange frequency horns to use with his Klipsch Corner Horns. Malcolm discussed this with John Howes who suggested the Voigt 2ft Horn speakers would be ideal. John again had the original Voigt plans, but not an original speaker Malcolm could examine. John therefore suggested Malcolm make two pairs, from plan, as he would like a pair for his own personal use and also for the museum collection. Having worked on the previously challenging 4ft Voigt Malcolm was again up to the challenge and produced the first two pairs last year. I believe, in some respects, reproducing the 2ft Voigt was more difficult than the 4ft. The horn cabinet work was more intricate due to the smaller size.

I was keen to have a listen and right from the start realised how important a design they were. Originally designed as a public address speaker it was astonishing how good they reproduced music. Not only that but their size allowed for domestic or small commercial use (again great for jazz bars and cafes). Like the 4ft the 2ft gives you a big three dimensional sound really holographic in presentation in a much smaller package. They are small enough to hang from the ceiling or a frame making isolation from surrounding interference a possible. This feature also makes them ideal for a sound bar or cafe and they look stunning either veneered or painted to match the decor. I love them but felt my domestic circumstances prevented me from hanging them from the living room ceiling. If you have a dedicated listening room this is by far the best way to use them. It really is a great option.

Drive unit matching is no problem. Field coils are a great option but they will also work beautifully with Lowther’s premium permanent magnet designs. At the recent open weekend Malcolm had installed one pair with premium PM7A full range drivers. They sounded beautiful and worked very nicely with Lowther’s DXT super tweeters and some specially built bass bin cabinets.

Both the sets of Voigt Horns show what is possible with designs that originally appeared in the 1920’s. Their sound quality is exemplary and in my view puts many current so called state of the art speaker systems to shame. The mathematics and engineering were right then and are right now. Modern building techniques and materials make them a viable choice for the discerning listener in the 21st Century. How can this be? Well it’s all down to a 20th Century genius who goes by the name of Paul Voigt. Next time you get an opportunity to hear them do so. I bet you won’t believe your eyes and certainly not your ears. I for one would love to hear them in a well appointed jazz bar with a glass of single malt in hand. It’s really a case of the “good old days”.

Mike Blackmore
Lowther/Voigt lover and aficionado.