Question concerning db sensitivity

Jim,

Here is an example.

Take a classic famous well respected "hall of fame" type speaker like the Wilson Watt Puppy 7.

Look at the two distortion plots at 90 db SPL and at 95 db SPL (top curve is output SPL and bottom curve is THD+N SPL)

Notice that as the sound level is raised by 5 db SPL the distortion components increase by much more (8 or 9 db SPL)....this is always the case, even on great speakers such as this. The higher the output levels (towards realistic live sound) the relatively greater distortion ...until eventually the distortion becomes audible (and perceptively very loud). This point will vary for each system of amplifier and speaker but generally even small systems can be made to be perceived as sounding very loud (but in a small system it is mostly the harshness of distortion and not ACTUAL SPL level that gives the impression of loudness)

shadorne is right on

Shadorne Horns are used in studios I have built a fostex system with such for a known studio. I see lots of TAD horns in studios but most of the small monitors are still cones and domes keep in mind a good studio doesnt just use the small monitors, ussualy on the wall a set of compresion horns with BR bass will be in use.

I never had any real reason or knowledge to think this way but I always assumed less effecient speakers in high end models were probably better but harder to support with power.

Nearfield monitors are typically not prosound equivalents of high-end speakers. Natural sound is not necessarily a high priority for a nearfield monitor.

Main monitors on the other hand do place a high emphasis on sound quality. While it's true many studios use B&W or ATC speakers (the ATC midrange is short-horn loaded), TAD monitors are still in use in many studios. Genelecs use waveguides, which are a type of horn.

Horn loading of some type is more common than you may realize.

The coaxial units in speakers by Gradient, Tannoy, KEF, Pioneer (Model One, S-1EX and S-2EX), and others use the midbass driver's cone as a horn or waveguide for the tweeter. I'm presently learning more about this format, and have a coaxial-based speaker or two under development.

In many cases, the device or cabinet feature called a "waveguide" could just as well be called a "wide-pattern conical horn". Examples of such waveguide speakers include models by Amphion, Genelec, YGA, GedLee, SP Technology, Emerald Physics, and yours truly.

Finally, many modern horns are very low in coloration compared with earlier generation horns. Tractrix, hyperbolic, Le Cleac'h, oblate spherioid, bispherioidal, elliptical, quadratic, whatever the Oris is - these are some examples. Johnk, do you know what type of profile the Oris uses?

Once upon a time I administered a blind listening test involving a modern horn-type speaker. One of the listeners owned electrostats. In his notes, this listener commented that he suspected the speaker was an electrostat. I have demonstrated modern "waveguide" (wide-pattern conical horn) designs to literally hundreds of people, and not one has commented that he or she heard any cupped-hands or other horn-like colorations, and often I've specifically asked.

Duke