Herman = +150
Toddalin = -165
How important is the efficiency of a speaker to you?
I went to an audio meeting recently and heard a couple of good sounding speakers. These speakers were not inexpensive and were well built. Problem is that they also require a very large ss amp upstream to drive them. Something that can push a lot of current, which pretty much rules out most low-mid ( maybe even high) powered tube amps. When I mentioned this to the person doing the demo, i was basically belittled, as he felt that the efficiency of a speaker is pretty much irrelevant ( well he would, as he is trying to sell these speakers). The speaker line is fairly well known to drop down to a very low impedance level in the bass regions. This requires an amp that is going to be $$$, as it has to not be bothered by the lowest impedances.
Personally, if I cannot make a speaker work with most tube amps on the market, or am forced to dig deeply into the pocketbook to own a huge ss amp upstream, this is a MAJOR negative to me with regards to the speaker in question ( whichever speaker that may be). So much so, that I will not entertain this design, regardless of SQ.
Your thoughts?
Showing 9 responses by deep_333
The very good high efficiency speakers also require a serious amp, they can still be difficult loads. Flea watt amps are dumb for any kind of speaker, high efficiency or not. Nothing about the flea watt amp guarantees that it is the best design for the first watt or fractions of it. In fact, a lot of them are garbage. |
Huh?? @danager , what transient speed did you obtain with a flea watt amp paired with the high efficiency speaker that a meatheaded amp couldn’t do (with the same speaker)? Please elaborate. I have nothing against high efficiency speakers. I do have a problem with this flea watt miracle (supposedly). Essentially, they tend to gimp such speakers.
@antigrunge2 ....Again, no problem with high efficiency speakers. But, ugh, what the hell benefit did you get by pairing it with a flea watt amp?? A "true audiophile" like you knows of some mystery that an "untrue audiophile" like me doesn’t get perhaps?
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Any speaker that drops to 1 ohm was designed by a lazy low IQ individual. Such a speaker (his low IQ legacy) should be torn down and thrown in the garbage can. |
Flea watt SET tubes produce a lousy loose wet noodle bass, sounds like a sloppy fart. It's not a myth. But, guys who listen to Diana Krall @60db may not know any better. When the bar is set so low, loose fart SETs might indeed sound spectacular for such guys. |
Generally, high efficiency speakers have sounded unrealistic. What do the masses think of and come to conclusions when they’re thinking high efficiency? There it is, it can be attributed largely to bad actors like Klipsch, who’re all over the place and generally made plenty of flawed speakers with a couple of exceptions perhaps. It also seems like any other jester will come up with some horn speaker whilst tinkering in his garage, bring it to shows, etc and they’ve sounded stupid. Nevertheless, when you buy a high efficiency speaker from guys who really know what they are doing, they seem to sound truthful. ... |
? Only if your listening distance is 1 meter....SPL drops by 6 db, every doubling of listening distance. If your listening distance is 13 ft, a 90db (1meter) sensitive speaker will produce 78 db avg at your listening position (13ft) with 1 Watt of power. Headroom and the variables that play into it is a debated topic and it will tend to dictate higher powered amps. Higher powered high fidelity amps could get expensive.
P.S. Take a SPL meter with you to nightclubs, concerts, discotheques, etc. When you’re really enjoying the beat (having fun), take the SPL meter out and you will often note that it is higher than 90 db and a lot more...Or just go watch an orchestra. You’d be surprised at what your db meter reads.
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lonemountain... Scroll to about 5:50 and onwards on this Levinson demo...These are about 100db/1W/1M pro audio style of speakers. The demo is at @110+ db. This is the type of speaker that starts to laugh at all the Harbeths, panels, etc. No orchestra ever came home full tilt with the latter type of ’speakers with challenges", in comparison. But...for "Female Vocals" @ 65db (nap time)?? Ok, sure, anything and everything works for that stuff...comes down to your listening preferences.
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