Higher sensitivity - more dynamic sound?

@ditusa , one would expect that some advancements have been made in the last --- 60 --- years.

@atmasphere , I would think that the frequency effects of compression would be more worrying than a change in maximum output? Perhaps this is another case for active speakers.

Higher sensitivity is better as long as its not achieved by simply paralleling drivers, resulting in a lower impedance.

Lower impedance causes amplifiers regardless of type, to make more distortion.

If the speaker is low sensitivity, one common result is something called 'thermal compression' where the voice coils heat up with things like bass notes, causing the driver to be less efficient. This is quite audible and is why people with horn speakers often talk about how much more dynamic they are.

Benefits of higher sensitivity- other than loudness per watts available?

Lower distortion and better low level detail.

FWIW: See the article below the importance of speaker efficiency.

Mike

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/technical/efficiency.htm

Having owned less sensitive speakers and high powered amplifiers, e.g. 84db and 86db with up to 300 WPC, they could not match the dynamics and spontaneous pop of more sensitive speakers.  

Even with lower powered amps, e.g. 25 WPC, a set of 90db and 93db were significantly faster and more exciting.  

So yes, regardless of amplifier higher sensitivity can mean a more dynamic sound. 

In many cases more than 1% distortion compared with 0.01% in high power amps.

In the vast majority of cases these very low distortion figures are achieved by judicious application of NFB which can often result in other sonic compromises. I agree that some listeners may strongly prefer the 1% (Or higher) distortion (2nd order predominantly) amplifier with little or no utilization of NFB.

I believe that we can agree it’s purely a matter of what type of sound quality and presentation a listener seeks and desires. Choices abound for either direction. Which in my opinion is a good occurrence.

Charles

@realworldaudio 

"to reduce the errors made by the additional amplification" 

Nonsense.  Why should high power amplifiers have more 'errors'?  Presumably you mean distortion.

Fact is the flea-power single-ended single-figure watt valve amplifiers have far higher distortion than properly designed high power amplifiers.  In many cases more than 1% distortion compared with 0.01% in high power amps.

But some people don't mind listening to distortion and in many cases say they actually like it.

Feels nice to be seen as a teenager again after 3 decades 😆

the technology doesn't matter - the concrete result is important...
in general (if you listen to serious adult music) - you will get more result per dollar...
But there are features (short stroke) and highly sensitive speakers not for teenage music (rock, metal, techno and the like) ...
This is not like a missed liver punch by Eric Butterbean))

@johnk

+1, very logical.

Yet lower-moderate sensitivity speakers dominate the marketplace. These speaker manufacturers know that with the proliferation of affordable transistor wattage/power, an amplifier is readily available for the typical 85-87 db sensitivity 4 ohm impedance speaker. It seems the path of less resistance. Thus the default choice. 200-300 tube watts gets expensive relatively speaking.

I get the sense that good quality high sensitivity and easy to drive speakers may be more involved/complex and harder to get right. However when executed properly they can be quite the special product.

Charles

I have been enjoying high sensitivity speakers and low powered tube  amps for a few years now.   It's a good combo with the right pairing 

Think of it this way, it is a combination of the loudspeaker and the amplifier that creates the dynamic range:

102dB/Wm sensitive speakers unpackage 102 dB range from 1W source material.

From the same 1W source material 82dB/Wm speakers unpackage only 82dB.

No matter how many watts we throw at it, the more sensitive is always giving us a wider dynamic range.

Now, if you need 102dB level with the 82dB/Wm speakers, then you need to bloat the 1W source to 100W, creating x100 distortion along the way compared to the 1W. To get the 100W reasonably error-free, to reduce the errors made by the additional amplification, we need feedback that removes not only the errors but substantially compromises the low level details as well, leading to a collapse of the low level of the dynamic range.

Uhm, never heard that one before, but ok....

MBL is a perfect example of not the most efficient ,But the low sensitivity is misleading ,for it disperses in 360 degrees sound evenly ,not just to the front 

and the tweeter,midrange  not being n a box and direct coupled have exceptional 

transient response, micro,and macro dynamics as well as dynamics ,

at a cost in  power required, and $$ cost. That’s why. Am forced to save to buy their excellent 126 model used with dual SVS 4000 SB subs. 

More dynamics if the speaker is of proper size better transient response less thermal compression in a home environment the ability to use almost any amplifier type made. Can sound better at low and high SPL levels.

dynamic sound is a benefit, yes

but there are negatives too

complex set of tradeoffs in speaker design, many many variables