ResonantLive Sound Archive

Equipment file · Exponential horn loudspeaker

13-A horn

Western Electric · 1926–1927

Evidence status · documented

Identity and core specifications are documented; some historical fields remain unavailable.

The Western Electric 13-A was a large curved exponential horn for the 555 receiver developed by E. C. Wente and A. L. Thuras, with multiple throats for more than one driver. Prototype horn-and-driver systems of this kind served the Vitaphone premiere of Don Juan in New York on 6 August 1926.

Introduced
1926–1927
Category
Exponential horn loudspeaker
Intended use
Theatre sound with the 555 receiver
Production
Western Electric

Equipment photographs · 1

Patent drawing for the Western Electric No. 555 receiver used with the 13-A horn

1 / 1 · Acoustic Device Patent Drawing

Acoustic Device Patent Drawing·Edward C. Wente·Public domain

Why it mattered

  1. 01

    The efficient 555 driver let amplifiers of a few watts fill a theatre.

  2. 02

    It ties directly to the birth of talking pictures.

Engineering record

Driver pairing
Curved horn for the 555 receiver, with multiple throats[1]

Original pricing

No reliable period price located

2026 equivalent

Not calculated without a reliable original price.

Public price evidence was not sufficient to publish a defensible original figure.

Use in the field

Prototype system at the Don Juan Vitaphone premiere, Warner's Theatre, 6 August 1926[1]

Manuals & original documents

No authoritative manual or original document has been located for this profile.

Sources

  1. 1Western Electric 13A Horn – Sound by Westernwe13a.com · reference

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