Are all dBs created equal?

@noske

That’s for speaker measurements. If the OP is talking about the sound pressure at his listening location that is different.

Efficiency is about output per watt, so 1w/1m is used.  The input voltage is adjusted based on the impedance.  It's also kind of a PITA to measure so often done at exactly 1 kHz.

Sensitivity is about output given an input voltage, so 2.83V/1m is used.  In this case the watts could be much higher or much lower than 1.  There's no guarantee.

The two are equivalent only if the speaker is exactly 8 Ohms, but in either case the SPL is measured the same way.

@erik_squires Efficiency is about output per watt, so 1w/1m is used.  The input voltage is adjusted based on the impedance. 

That's clear to everyone but me. 

I don’t see how speaker sensitivity or efficiency accounts for what the OP is claiming. It was my first thought as well but I think what he is saying is measured at his listening position 80dB sounded right with the Focal and the Tyler 70dB sounds right. The only thing I can think of is the Tyler frequency response is tilted in the bass and treble hence what I call the smiley face FR which could cause the sound to be perceived "louder" at lower A weighted SLP. Anyway that’s my 2 cents.

80db will present very differently depending on....

Measurement of loudspeakers output can be very difficult if you are looking for accurate numbers. In a live home environment, you are taking a measurement, but the reality is you don't know what you are measuring. Are you on axis with the active driver, are you measuring a reflection, are you in a null point or crossover point, etc? Too many variables to use those numbers. 

I am talking about dB measured at the listening position using the same method to measure with both sets of speakers. 
 

I believe @djones51 is correct in his smiley face theory.