Driver efficiency vs. overall speaker efficiency


If a speaker uses a driver that has an efficiency of, let's say 87.5db/2.83V/m, then theoretically the speaker can never have an efficiency of greater than 97.5db?
andy2
Here we go again. One thing we modern folk oft do is to use the WRONG terminology. 'Efficiency' is different than 'sensitivity'. Speaker-system efficiency normally is measured 1 meter from the speaker/driver when driven with exactly 1 watt of power measured into the speaker's rated impedance. IOW, a '4-ohm' speaker system's output is measured while being driven by TWO volts into 4 ohms (which equals ONE WATT). Decades ago, with the increasing popularity of solidstate amps*, the audio industry started publishing sensitivity ratings, and not all of them do it correctly.

Sensitivity is measured with a signal created by driving an 8-Ohm load resistor with 2.83 volts. That does happen to be 1 watt into 8 ohms, but it's not 1 watt into 6 or 4 or 3 or 2 ohms. The correct way to state this is 'sensitivity at 1M using 2.83v. into 8 Ohms' or something like that. And BTW, it's not PER meter, it's at 1 meter.

*--Solidstate amplifiers are constant-voltage devices and not constant-current devices are as most tubed amps. That is, because a SS amp's output impedance is so low, it will maintain its output voltage into decreasing loads until it reaches its maximum current output. A tubed amp generally will NOT increase its current output much as the load impedance decreases.
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"Efficiency"???...The only thing I see quoted in specs is SPL in units of dB at 1 meter for 2.83 volts. This is 1 watt for an 8 ohm load.

Power = Volts squared divided by ohms.

(2.83 * 2.83) / 8

For 4 ohms it's 2 watts.
""Efficiency"???...The only thing I see quoted in specs is SPL in units of dB at 1 meter for 2.83 volts. This is 1 watt for an 8 ohm load.

Power = Volts squared divided by ohms.

(2.83 * 2.83) / 8

For 4 ohms it's 2 watts."

What's your point? I already did that math.

My point is that there's a difference between the 2 terms, and those of us who aren't aware and careful, including several members who posted above, tend to mix them.
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Jeffreybehr....My points are:

1. The term "Efficiency" is just confusing. I don't see it quoted by manufacturers.

2. You gave the answer, but did not "do the math" so that others could understand where you are coming from. I am not disagreeing with you. Just making a clarification.
Okay, so "efficiency" deals ONLY with how much volume a speaker can put out? And has nothing to do with the quality of sound reproduced?

I'm learning here... ;-)