Hi samandnoah,
Horn loading of speakers is universally used for outdoor sound reinforcement (concerts of all kinds) as well as in movie theaters for the main and center channels behind the screen because of the efficiency of horns at filling big commercial spaces with high-volume sound without having to use enormous amplifiers.
If EQ'd with care by somebody who knows what he/she is doing, horn-loaded speakers can sound reasonably smooth and non-screechy (they never sound as natural as well-designed non-horn-loaded speakers) but especially with outdoor concerts and some touring bands, they are often awful--strident and aggressive.
If you want to do a simple demo for yourself of how horn loading colors and negatively changes sound quality, just have someone talk to you while they cup their hands around their mouth as if they were about to make their voice heard at a greater distance. What they are doing is horn-loading their own voice. The tonal (timbral) character of the person's voice will immediately change and will sound more nasal and sharp, which is exactly what happens to vocals and dialog with horn-loaded speakers if sophisticated equalization isn't used. If you can live with that outside, then perhaps a horn will be acceptable.
Horns will fill outdoor or indoor spaces with high-volume sound on relatively few watts but if you are looking for uncolored, natural and neutral sound, you won't get it from a horn-loaded speaker.
Regards,
