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Default standard for speaker "sensitivity" measurement listings? Anechoic? In-room? Other?

I’m researching speakers which will play nice with tube amps.

I recognize that a number of factors are at play, not least sensitivity and  impedance. Too low an impedance dip and/or too many wild swings in the graph and they tube amps may find driving the speakers a challenge.

So...some companies list BOTH in-room and anechoic sensitivity for speakers. Others just say "sensitivity."

QUESTION: When a company ONLY lists “sensitivity” is it understood to mean in-room or anechoic? Or something else? Or is there no standard one can assume?

128x128hilde45

Showing 2 responses by decooney

decooney
1,906 posts
 

It's my understanding fewer are anechoic than in-room measurements. And, when revisions are made in subsequent versions of a speaker, one needs to ask if they truly went back and retested both anechoic and in-room measurements again.  

Sensitivity listed on a line item ad seems to be more of a general guideline at a selected frequency range noted on basic tech spec sheets. Seems to vary from one manufacturer to the next on what frequency they are sharing with you. Gotta look at the actual graphs across the entire frequency range to get a better handle on what's actually taking place with a speaker; where the dips and peaks are. 

decooney
1,906 posts
 

Look closely at the graph, box#1 (83.3db) at 500hz, and box#2 (83.7db) at 1kHz.

@russ69 "Except that is where we all end up listening to their products."

 

Yep, the bottom line is how do they sound in your room, on your system.

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