Is the most efficient speaker the best speaker?

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.

Unsound, I don't know. I can tell you this- one of them got "Best Sound at Show" at CES a few years ago, from Jonathan Valin of TAS. He followed up at the succeeding RMAF by saying that the new version of that same speaker (being played at that show) was the biggest improvement he had ever heard in any speaker!

I can add that I had an opinion similar to yours in the past- I thought all horns sucked. Boy was I wrong. Now I am of the opinion that horns, like all other speaker technologies, have unique pitfalls which can be avoided. If this is done they can be as musical or more musical (without coloration) as any of the best of competing speaker technologies.

Given your stance, I have to conclude that if you are being truthful about your position then you simply have yet to hear the speakers I'm talking about.