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Lowther celebrates the Voigt 4ft horn’s centenary

Voigt 4ft horn by Lowther https://the-ear.net

Voigt 4ft Tractrix Horn loudspeakers

At the Phipps Brewery in Northampton last month Lowther proved they can organise much more than ‘a piss up in a brewery’. The tap room demonstration of the Voigt 4ft Tractrix horn was a revelation in all sorts of ways. Firstly holding the demonstration in a large bar was very brave, it was an enormous space in which most speakers would have floundered, but these Voigt horns are no ordinary beasts. Secondly the design is now 100 years old, uses only a few watts of power, but was (like Western Electrics), designed for cinema or PA, so excelled in this environment.

Voigt 4ft horn by Lowther https://the-ear.net

Being a lucky regular visitor to John Howes’ dem room I have listened many times to the originals. Until the Lowther Hegemans took up residence, the old 4ft design was a bit of a reference for me, so I did not know what to expect when asked to listen to this newly reproduced version. Cabinet maker Malcolm Williamson at Lowther has done a remarkable job, the finish is exemplary and the sound is superb. Driven initially with a pair of Williamson triode monoblocks the Voigts produced a very powerful and controlled sound. I felt though that Lowther’s own triode PX amp sounded sweeter. The image was enormous but very delicate when required. I’ve been many times to the Silbatone demonstrations of vintage Western Electric cinema horns at the Munich High End. The sound in the tap room was on par, and in many ways better (and not just because of the beer). If you went to the back of the room and stood, equally distanced between the speakers, the sound was just stunning. That’s not to say the off axis sound was not good. The cinema heritage was easily appreciated by everyone, no matter where they were seated.

Being a lucky regular visitor to John Howes’ dem room I have listened many times to the originals. Until the Lowther Hegemans took up residence, the old 4ft design was a bit of a reference for me, so I did not know what to expect when asked to listen to this newly reproduced version. Cabinet maker Malcolm Williamson at Lowther has done a remarkable job, the finish is exemplary and the sound is superb. Driven initially with a pair of Williamson triode monoblocks the Voigts produced a very powerful and controlled sound. I felt though that Lowther’s own triode PX amp sounded sweeter. The image was enormous but very delicate when required. I’ve been many times to the Silbatone demonstrations of vintage Western Electric cinema horns at the Munich High End. The sound in the tap room was on par, and in many ways better (and not just because of the beer). If you went to the back of the room and stood, equally distanced between the speakers, the sound was just stunning. That’s not to say the off axis sound was not good. The cinema heritage was easily appreciated by everyone, no matter where they were seated.

I suppose being around John Howes, his museum, and the hi-fi business has made me somewhat blasé about new products but this experience was truly humbling. The years dropped away, and I felt like a teenager at his first big PA powered gig. The sound is that big. This speaker system communicates in so many ways. The drivers used were Lowther PM4As as used in the lovely TP2 corner horn (a personal favourite). I dare not think how much more the Lowther field coils would have brought to this dem. I would love to hear that.

Being a lucky regular visitor to John Howes’ dem room I have listened many times to the originals. Until the Lowther Hegemans took up residence, the old 4ft design was a bit of a reference for me, so I did not know what to expect when asked to listen to this newly reproduced version. Cabinet maker Malcolm Williamson at Lowther has done a remarkable job, the finish is exemplary and the sound is superb. Driven initially with a pair of Williamson triode monoblocks the Voigts produced a very powerful and controlled sound. I felt though that Lowther’s own triode PX amp sounded sweeter. The image was enormous but very delicate when required. I’ve been many times to the Silbatone demonstrations of vintage Western Electric cinema horns at the Munich High End. The sound in the tap room was on par, and in many ways better (and not just because of the beer). If you went to the back of the room and stood, equally distanced between the speakers, the sound was just stunning. That’s not to say the off axis sound was not good. The cinema heritage was easily appreciated by everyone, no matter where they were seated.

This whole exercise might seem academic, but for their new owner, and anyone else who has the space and cash to afford them, the result is so exciting, it’s a real sonic revelation. Yes it’s a niche product, but if you can’t afford the mad second hand prices of good Western Electric speaker systems and have a bit of space, this design is affordable and a must for audition. I’d go as far as saying this speaker is still as relevant in 2024 as it was in 1924. It’s not every day you witness the rebirth of a classic. They are truly a mad lot at Lowther. First the Hegeman and now the Voigt 4ft. It just gets better and better. We are so lucky that Martin Thornton came along to save Lowther. Love life, love Lowther. Making an old man very happy!

The Voigt 4ft Tractrix horns with bass horns, PMC A Alnico full range drive units with silver voice coils and a choice of inner face veneer cost £65,000 per pair. For more information visit Lowther Loudspeakers.

Mike Blackmore

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