2. speakers
  3. 188737-976

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?

128x128daveyf

Showing 2 responses by normb

normb's avatar
normb
145 posts
 

 

@ortodox 

 

I went from 87 db speakers to 94 db speakers. Much better sound at low volume and less power needed.

****

I had a similar experience with going from 85 dB sensitivity (84-86 depending on whose numbers one is to believe) Ohm-Walsh 4 speakers to 92-94 dB Klipsch Heresy IV. 

I WAS using an updated (by me) ADCOM GFA-545-II to drive the Ohms (GREAT for RAMMSTEIN!), got into a class AB 6CA7 tube amp - Willsenton R8, totally modified/updated by me - then got the Klipsch speakers and a Tektron TK2 2A3/50I-S amp running 300b tubes.

Just before selling the Ohms, I hooked them up to the class A Tektron and they BARELY sounded like anything but hollow, without presence, a very narrow soundstage, vague, muddy.

I connected the ADCOM amp for the buyer and he was sold on them within seconds of hearing “In Your Eyes.”

I’m using 2A3 tubes now and enjoying 50-60’s Jazz more than ever.

Sensitivity, power driving the right speakers, makes a YUGE difference.

 

addendum:

Funny, I can remember a conversation I had with the father of a girl I was dating back around 1974 who said “you only need about 2 watts to listen to music” when the stereo we were playing was something like 50 WPC and after 50 years, I’ve come full-circle to pretty much the same conclusion.

YMMV. 

normb's avatar
normb
145 posts
 

@danager 

Thanks for posting the link. 

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