What is your take on high efficient speakers vs. low efficient speakers?

@phusis we have to disagree about something. Try driving an ESL with a SET amp. Do I smell something burning?

You can get good sound with passive systems and I have heard one passive system that got very close to the absolute sound but, you can take any passive system and make it better within the limits of the equipment and room. 

@larryi , you can get reasonable sound out of a SET amp with efficient speakers but you will never get to the absolute sound. It is a path with a dead end. 

What is the Absolute Sound? Go to Boston Symphony hall and sit 10th row dead center. Got to a small Jazz club and sit up front. Close your eyes and listen to each instrument. That is the Absolute Sound. This can be done in a home environment and there are several paths to this result but there are certain approaches that simply will not get you there. They may have a pleasing result but not a chance at Absolute Sound. 

If you can close your eyes and feel like you are at a small jazz club you are on the right path. Cable elevators excluded

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If you can close your eyes and feel like you are at a small jazz club you are on the right path. Cable elevators excluded

This is precisely what led me to SET. Very frequent attendance at local jazz venues for the past 30 or so years.We all find our own paths. I respect everyone’s road to Rome.

Best wishes 

Charles

I am a fan of the low power / high efficiency pairing.    I also feel that most higher efficiency speakers sound like live music and can be more dynamic.  I think they often sound better at lower volumes.  Just went from a pair of 40 watt Push Pull amps to a 300b and it's plenty of power for my space and listening habits.    

Interesting question because it puts two legitimate concepts in opposition. One is the view that the less you mess with the signal, the better the sound. Therefore, simple, well-designed amps are “best.” And those are going to tend to be low power. You could argue that means high-sensitivity speakers must follow, so you’ve got the perfect pairing. Except speaker sound is totally subjective (“it’s all in your head!”), and the variations in speakers are vast compared to electronics. After decades of close listening, what if you learn you prefer a low-sensitivity speaker, like Magnepan in my case? Then I say you find the electronics to drive it and just enjoy it. 

@jfuquay 

After decades of close listening, what if you learn you prefer a low-sensitivity speaker, like Magnepan in my case? Then I say you find the electronics to drive it and just enjoy it

Pure logic and experience clearly confirms this. Stubborn dogma isn’t persuasive or necessary. Choose what works and sounds best to you and pursue to the best of your ability.

Your approach is the opposite of mine. Does not matter, we both have found what individually suits best.👍

Charles