How important is the efficiency of a speaker to you?


I went to an audio meeting recently and heard a couple of good sounding speakers. These speakers were not inexpensive and were well built. Problem is that they also require a very large ss amp upstream to drive them. Something that can push a lot of current, which pretty much rules out most low-mid ( maybe even high) powered tube amps. When I mentioned this to the person doing the demo, i was basically belittled, as he felt that the efficiency of a speaker is pretty much irrelevant ( well he would, as he is trying to sell these speakers). The speaker line is fairly well known to drop down to a very low impedance level in the bass regions. This requires an amp that is going to be $$$, as it has to not be bothered by the lowest impedances.

Personally, if I cannot make a speaker work with most tube amps on the market, or am forced to dig deeply into the pocketbook to own a huge ss amp upstream, this is a MAJOR negative to me with regards to the speaker in question ( whichever speaker that may be). So much so, that I will not entertain this design, regardless of SQ.

Your thoughts?

128x128daveyf

@atmasphere   Thank you. If you would have told the dealer exactly what you posted, he would have belittled you just the same. Some folk have agendas, and in this case, the guy was only interested in selling this speaker....not in discussing in any way the potential downfalls that this design elicits. OTOH, that was his job that day.

@lonemountain I couldn't agree with you more, it is absolutely important that one match their desired speaker to the space/room that it is going to be listened to in. However, the efficiency and the very nasty load that the speaker in question presents to the amp is a factor that IMO should not be overlooked, regardless of the room size. Personally, i am not that concerned about speakers that present a moderate efficiency, only those ( like the design in question, and others) that present basically a short to the upstream amp! 

 

 

 

Dear @daveyf  : IN any case and not so expensive you can find out the  Parasound JC 1+ monoblocks that when you listen it in any speaker at any SPL you did not ask if you are listening tube or SS amp but only enjoying MUSIC.

John Curl is a very low profile Master Designer Electronics Engineer.

 

Parasound Halo JC 1+ monoblock power amplifier | Stereophile.com

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

 

@rauliruegas Funny you bring up the Parasound amps. A fellow a'phile whom I know well, decided to buy a pair of very expensive and very difficult to drive speakers, reasoning like you, that the Parasounds would be the answer. His budget was limited a little, so he spent the $$ on the speakers and left himself with only one option for the amps...based on his budget. Let's just say that the speakers went onto the used market within a few months, and he was forced to sell them at a considerable loss. I believe what @atmasphere noted above is the whole reason.

 

PS. He no longer owns the Parasounds either.