Low-sensitivity speakers — What's special about them?

hilde45 OP2,229 posts02-13-2020 5:55pm

I’ve not bought any power yet. Thanks for the replies. I understand the technical trade offs better, now. If one had the bass covered by a subwoofer, it seems there’s no positive, specifiable, aesthetic reason to prefer low sensitivity speakers. I think that captured every remark so far, no?


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Yes EXACTLY

If one has a Scanspeak super woofer (retails at $500-$1500 EACH!!!) then you already have all the bass your dreams could ever dream.
There 100% pure rock solid bass, Done
Now we move on to 800hz-15k hz range
Here is where higher sensitivity speakers shine in all the glory over the muddling lower sensitivity speakers,
This is the range where the battle gets gutsy.
Higher sensitivity wide bansd will out shoot xover designs every time. well lets limit the highs, to say 10k, Although if you ck AER’s web site, they claim
80khz. top end, which we all know the ultimate top end is 15khz, and really there is not much above 10khz.
My tech geek mentioned we want a certain **ambience** to be present in the 12k-15k range, sort of like a sparkle and shimmering on cymbols and other percussion. , Piano’ high notes and such.
But I have no idea on how the new wide band’s voice the 12k=15k range.
The earlier designs had roll offs.
I am waiting to order a pair as i type. the newer wide bands that is,

So back to your point
Exactly, If one has a Scanspeak Super Woofer acting as sub,
There really is not need to use a  xover design traditional speaker for the 1k-10k range.
This range under lower sensivity speakers sound like a  wet blanket has been thrown over the front. 
vs the live soundstage of a newhigh tech wide band.
If you purchase a  wide band and you feel the low bass is a  bit thin, well go ahead and get a  super Scanspeak Woofer for extra bass. 
Bass that will beat out Wilsons' higher end  speakers.

QUESTION: What is the value in low sensitivity speakers? What do they do for your system or listening experience which make them worth the cost and effort to drive them? Has anyone run the gamut from high to low and wound up with low for a reason?

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I sure wish I had UNDERSTOOD 
These Q's way back when
And after grasping this high sensitivity vs low sensitivity issue, 
Made some honest answers to MYSELF IN all honesty. 
Its kind of like Jimi Hendrix's 
*Have you EVER been experienced?
WEll I have*

Most audiophiles do not understand what a  higher sensitity wide band driver is, does/how it works/how it sounds.
Second, they have noo interest to understand, NOR ask any Q's. 

Your Q's  show your ~~puzzle-ment~~ over how folks can continue down the xover/lower sensitivity path to musical reproduction. 
No doubt over the comming decades as new audiophiles enter this hobby, they will be asking more Q's , wider interest in whats avaliable Before they make a  purchase. 
Xover/lower sensitivity designs  sales will take a  hit, Most  labs will not survive the economic downturn. 

That advice — get a more efficient speaker — makes sense to me, but before I just twist with every opinion I come across (I'm a newbie, so I'm pathetically suggestible), I'd like to hear the other side. Viz.,

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Look the reason you seem to be a  bit skeptical about going towards the high sensitity speakers, is all due to 50 years of marketing ploys from The Industry.
Likea carrot ona stick we were all led down that path,, 
Look at homw many xover designs came out in the past 50 years, 
Hundreds. 
The odds of us ever comming across a  good quality high sensitivity speaker were  slim to none. 
All the audio shops jhad the box xover designs.
It too me 20 yrs to figure out that maybe xover low efficiency was not voicing my clasdsical music the wauy I REALLY wantedd to hear it. 
And so after some hesitations, I FINALLY began ordering several cheap chinese wide band speakers. 
After 4 months experiementations, pay off was nice.
It occured to me to jump  the xover ship forever.
Its takes some curiosity and guts to make this ship jumping.

I'm glad I do not ever again have to hear my classical througha  xover./low efficient speaker ever again. Its like my music is playing for the very 1st time via a  higher (91db) full range 4 inch cheapo chinese speaker. $20/pair, And you get what you pay for, = Not worth 1 cent more than $200 = Avoid all chinese full range = trash. 

When designing a driver, its a choice you make: efficiency or bandwidth.  This choice doesn't change if the driver will be used in a horn or infinite baffle,