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Speaker sensitivity vs SQ

My first thread at AG.

Millercarbon continues to bleat on about the benefits of high sensitivity speakers in not requiring big amplifier watts.
After all, it's true big amplifiers cost big money.  If there were no other factors, he would of course be quite right.

So there must be other factors.  Why don't all speaker manufacturers build exclusively high sensitivity speakers?
In a simple world it ought to be a no-brainer for them to maximise their sales revenue by appealing to a wider market.

But many don't.  And in their specs most are prepared to over-estimate the sensitivity of their speakers, by up to 3-4dB in many cases, in order to encourage purchasers.  Why do they do it?

There must be a problem.  The one that comes to mind is sound quality.  It may be that high sensitivity speakers have inherently poorer sound quality than low sensitivity speakers.  It may be they are more difficult to engineer for high SQ.  There may be aspects of SQ they don't do well.

So what is it please?

128x128clearthinker
alexberger
905 posts
 
Hi @atmasphere ,

There are a lot of examples when amplifier has mixed SE and PP stages.
For example some SET amplifiers have first stage SRPP and PP amplifiers have SE first stage before phase spliter.
Another example - SE preamp and PP amplifiers.
Do all these amplithis have a prominent 5th harmonic in addition to a 2nd and a 3rd ?

Regards,
Alex.
jwmorris
46 posts
 
Great conversation. I think some of you would really be interested in JTR speakers. They were mentioned earlier in the thread. JTR does pro audio as well as some high sensitivity home speakers and subwoofers. I am looking forward to hearing them because of the great reviews I have read.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,806 posts
 
There are a lot of examples when amplifier has mixed SE and PP stages.
For example some SET amplifiers have first stage SRPP and PP amplifiers have SE first stage before phase spliter.
Another example - SE preamp and PP amplifiers.
Do all these amplithis have a prominent 5th harmonic in addition to a 2nd and a 3rd ?
In P-P amps what is concerning is what circuits are in the feedback loop. They will affect which harmonics have more prominence. IOW the topology affects the distortion signature. IMO a single-ended preamp can work alright with a balanced amp, but I'm not sure that is what you are asking as P-P amps cover quite a range of circuits!
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,975 posts
 
Large size costs more in all ways more to build, ship, store more materials used more finish applied. It's just the way it is. Size is one of the most costly parts of horns.
jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 
Quad 57's still sound more like real music than most of today's overpriced offerings! I own two pairs! 
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