Need some advice on removing the fins from a pair of 811's.....or rather, why I should remove them. I've been trying to come up with a valid reason why this would make them sound better, but my head keeps saying "why is this so".

I assume Altec fitted them to make them stronger for possible pro applications but wouldn't they also provide bracing from the top to the bottom of the flare? Much the same as you would brace a speaker cabinet from front to back or from side to side. In the speaker cabinet scenario this prevents resonances from occurring, so why doesn't the same apply to the 811? Wouldn't the fins brace the top & bottom together making the whole assembly more rigid.

I've read posts where the fins are broken at the weld with rubber wedges inserted or black silicone applied....wouldn't this make the horn less rigid?

MAybe I'm way off here but I just can't seem to make sense of this.