Is the most efficient speaker the best speaker?

The best is whatever you prefer. There is no intellectual way to establish actual factual superiority without measurements and these forums generally decline that pathway when it is presented. This is an emotional experience that cannot be assessed and evaluated by cold, unfeeling machines.

So -- we pirouette endlessly basking in polysyllabics and wielding cliches and formulae to no end whatsoever.

I prefer the comfort afforded by stable and manageable impedance and high efficiency. It allows for easier amplifier matching and vastly broadens the number of amplifier options I can consider. Likewise, it reduces the amount I have to spend to purchase the horsepower necessary to drive my speakers.

But don't get me wrong. I haven't forgotten the other option. I remember all too well how I could have a big name speaker which sometimes drops to 1 ohm impedance and requires 600 watts of Class A power to move it's constricting and elaborate passive crossover network. Naturally I give that option the exact amount of consideration it deserves every time I consider changing my system.

So far, I have not seen fit to return to a choke box. Maybe I'll have a panel speaker again someday but it seems unlikely to happen as of now.

Nonetheless, tastes change --- even if practicality and common sense do not.

Macrojack, plenty of good 400-600 watt SS amps available from $1500 - $5000 new and used. I paid $1500 for mine. No need for all Class A power either.

I like the comfort and ease of no tubes in my power amps plus the fact that they can stay on 24/7 and always sound their best. My SS amp never even gets warm - always running cool.

My panel speakers are really a one driver - point source (Soundlab) speaker that uses one capacitor, one inductor and one resistor in the crossover (slightly modified by me). Sure they also have transformers also, but so do your tube amps.

Seems like a pretty simple, practical and common sense system option for many.

Okay! I'm not using tubes either although I have a pair of tubed monos stashed. The topic really is speaker efficiency and whatever advantages it provides.

Macrojack, I agree and I just gave a different opinion to your wise crack remarks about what others deem to be perfectly reasonable and rationally put together systems. Just wanted the reader to have a fair and balanced read :-)

Please don't use the phrase "fair and balanced" if you want to be taken seriously. I have been conditioned to expect partisan lies to follow whenever I see or hear that slogan. Southern accent is another flag.