dB effeciency vs speaker configuration

What impedance and what sensitivity sounds the best?
From an amplifier point of view, the less distortion the amp has to make to do its job the better. To this end, higher impedance followed by higher efficiency will result in smoother more detailed sound, all other things being equal.

The reason this is so is that quite simply all amps have less distortion driving higher impedances. Amps also tend to make less distortion when not having to make a lot of power within their power envelop.

There are some excellent 4 ohm speakers out there! But the simple fact is that if they were 8 ohms or even 16 while otherwise being the same design, they would sound smoother and more detailed with greater impact simply because the amplifier would be making less distortion. Put another way, just because an amplifier can drive a difficult load is not the same as saying its also sounding its best while doing so!

 Best answer is not answer to you question , One speakers with 85db can sound better them speaker 95 db,   Another brand with 95 db will overperform speaker 85db  , same thing with impedance and box enclosure design.    

Not to hijack the thread, but what determines speaker efficiency? Is it the materials used, or is it something else?

what determines speaker efficiency? Is it the materials used, or is it something else?

At a fixed frequency, how it is loaded (i.e. horn or not), magnet size, strength and structure, moving mass and radiating surface, as well as suspension.


You'll notice the speakers with ridiculously high efficiency (i.e. 100 dB+) are almost always horn loaded, and/or or very large bass drivers.

Focal has recently (last 10 years) reintroduced the electro magnet. That is, instead of using a permanent magnet, their subs use a second coil to generate a startlingly strong magnetic field against which the voice coil pushes. This gives the subs amazing amplifier efficiency measured from the amp side alone.

Of course, the total driver efficiency is now different, since the speaker itself has a power supply, but it’s a great example of how the strength of the magnetic field affects efficiency.