"Power hungry" speakers

Sean, I generally listen to my Scintillas at levels around 75db. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I believe my hearing will be better preserved. I've attended scores of live events, from intimate acoustic to stadium extravaganzas. I'm comfortable with my listening levels. I reserve 90 db and above for the likes of Led Zeplin once in a very great while. My seating a orchestral events is generally a third back, or balcony. 80 to 90db approximates the gestalt to my memory.

As for my speaker's ratings, you say, "1 watt should do." Am I listing it's specs wrong? Or are you being fecicious? ;) I am aware of successful powering of the Scinny with an 85 watt home made expressly for the Scinny. I had dissapointing results trying respectable amps of five times more power rating. Amp design is very important when pushing difficult loads.

Brand new class D amps are unfazed by the load. I'm thrilled by the results. The speaker playing field has been greatly leveled. I like to describe the sound as tubes on steroids.

Getting back to the question of efficiency, do you not agree large driver surfaces, resulting in minute travel, is a valid solution to speaker distortion? I can put my ear right to the ribbons, and hear the music as clear as fifteen feet away. There isn't any of that low level high frequency fuzz I've heard on domes and cones.

Sean, I'm not a techy. I just want to understand where your inverse equation (more efficient = less distortion) figures fit into my least efficient speaker's spectacular performance.

There must be some serious variables skewing the distortion versus efficiency equation. Take, for instance, the tweeter/mid ribbon array in my speakers. My speaker's 50' of naked aluminum ribbons, governing all signal above 700 hz, cost my speakers dearly in efficiency.

I have heard hundreds of vaunted systems at homes, and shows. I wouldn't trade my amp burners for any one of the speakers in those systems.

I honestly have never heard more true to life speakers.

Everything you had to say, Sean, left the science behind my speakers (.8ohm/76db) unscathed. The prodigious energy required of my amps (class D) goes into creating the huge force fields needed to move large surface area ribbon drivers. The ribbons don't move to the naked eye. Even the great bass panels merely shimmer under loud 30hz passages. All the negatives you list don't apply.

Your discussion about speakers being driven harder than they were designed for hit home. For my speakers, there have been few amps in the past that could take them past 70db.

I have briefly driven my speakers to a median 95db, leaving plenty of room for huge transients. Never have they lost their composure. When these speakers were built, such levels weren't possible.

It is the nature of large surfaces utilized to produce sound levels that enable the speakers to go far beyond their designer's target. it also allows this speaker to side step drawbacks that other drivers encounter.

Thank you, Sean. Perhaps the 76db rating of the Scintilla is not the limiting factor in it's compatability with amps. I should add that the Scintilla is rated .8 ohm, or neary a dead short, which is what nearly all amps choke on.

Yes, class D modules engineers are having success getting around the switching speed devil. I use amps utilizing B&O's ICE module. I can't say I understand the white papers, but I can attest to it's amazing delivery.

Somebody started a good thread recently exposing the purposefully cranked up bass response of recent ultra expensive speakers, the explanation being, "That's what the buyer wants."

Those of us looking for the Holy Grail of true fidelity are in a decided minority.

Yes, Sean, what is your take on it?