Is the most efficient speaker the best speaker?

Been looking at drivers lately.

Let's say we want 30-40 Hz capable woofer. Generalizations. Argue about speaker specs, excursion, quality and range in another thread. If you don't believe me, look at the pro drivers at Parts Express.

At 84 dB W/m, that will probably require a 6.5 to 8 inch driver in a 1 to 1.5 cu ft box. Double up the drivers (half the impedance) and the box size and you get another 6 dB.

At 90 dB W/m, that would be a 10 to 12" in a 3 cu ft box.

At 96 dB W/m, that's 15 or 18" in a 6 cu ft box.

Okay, active subs have made the bass aspect less critical but then, you have to balance control and different kinds of distortion and there's compromises either way.

Are you saying that an amplifier will have to have fixed current to sound good on horns ... ?

Weseixas, No. A constant power characteristic seems to be adequate, although Nelson Pass has shown that constant current amps work well for this as well. Your comment about transformers seems to be a red herring; if you are talking about an output transformer, they occur in amps that are constant voltage, constant power and constant current. IOW an output transformer has no bearing in this discussion.

Unsound is correct in his surmise that I was referring to peak levels. Those who say that hearing damage is an issue at volumes like this are correct, however those same people should keep in mind that a real orchestra can reach these peaks with similar consequence. However an orchestra will sound real doing it, and most audio systems that are capable of that sound pressure don't, usually because of artifacts generated by the amplification. I was simply pointing out that a horn system would allow peaks like that to happen without said artifact, if you use the right amp. Unsound and I part ways in the matter of horns that can sound like real music: I have heard some that he has not and so have this opinion.

Weseixas mentioned something about a planar magnetic and a very high powered amp doing the same sound pressure. Its true that it can, but you would not want to be in the same room due to the artifacts I alluded to earlier. Now if a magnetic planar had the same sort of efficiencies they might be worth a try. IOW this points directly to the issue of why efficiency is so important! In a nutshell, the only amps that are capable of sounding like real music don't make anywhere near 2000 watts- you need the efficiency.

Hi Ngjockey,
My experience with pro parts is not what you are referencing above.
6 inch are usually 93 to 99 sensitivity, next doubling 8 ohm drivers will add 3 db, but if your amp does not double its power to 4 ohms, you won't get a 6db gain. Same with the drivers you have labled from 10 to 15 inch. Typically the price paid for sensitivity is low end extention.
If you will look at a few parts from Eminence (they make some hi eff stuff for bag end), Audax PR series, some B&C, PHL & others you'll find plenty drivers that are mid to upper 90's in a single driver. I have participated in a few threads on Agon on this subject. I hope this helps,
Tim

Atmasphere, are you referring to some horn speakers you've heard that are so exclusive that I couldn't have possibly heard them?

Timlub,

The 84 to 90 dB drivers would NOT be pro drivers. More typical of brands like Scanspeak, Morel, etc. Mentioned "pro" to illustrate higher sensitivity drivers in a separately listed category.

You're right about the gain for 4 ohm. Wasn't being specific.