I will attempt to break it down to understandable terms.
Through the years, the standard for rating speaker sensitivity has always been how loud a speaker plays with 1 watt of input power with a microphone measuring 1 meter away (on axis)
This is a VERY inaccurate way of measuring. Why?
Impedance is not flat, that is why we call them impedance curves. I have seen speakers rated at 8 ohms have 3 ohm dips...
Remember Solid State amplifiers normally put out more power at lower impedances. (tubes are more consistent) So to get consistent power output to a speakers varying impedance can be tough.
So, yes 2.83 volts is 1 watt to 8 ohms, but 2 volts is 1 watt to 4 ohms and 4 volts is 1 watt to 16 ohms.
So as you can see, applying exactly 1 watt to any speaker is nearly impossible as impedance strays.
This is why I believe their should be a standard for all speakers to be measured at 2.83 volts regardless of impedance. With this, we will know how the sensitivity any speaker compares with a reasonable degree of accuracy. The only thing that we would have to make sure of in an amplifier purchase would be: Can my amplifier drive this speakers impedance curve or for tubed amps (capacitive phase angles).
In my speaker builds, I believe in impedance compensation circuitry. This has always produced a better sounding speaker for me and a much more stable load, which amplifiers seem to appreciate also.
Through the years, the standard for rating speaker sensitivity has always been how loud a speaker plays with 1 watt of input power with a microphone measuring 1 meter away (on axis)
This is a VERY inaccurate way of measuring. Why?
Impedance is not flat, that is why we call them impedance curves. I have seen speakers rated at 8 ohms have 3 ohm dips...
Remember Solid State amplifiers normally put out more power at lower impedances. (tubes are more consistent) So to get consistent power output to a speakers varying impedance can be tough.
So, yes 2.83 volts is 1 watt to 8 ohms, but 2 volts is 1 watt to 4 ohms and 4 volts is 1 watt to 16 ohms.
So as you can see, applying exactly 1 watt to any speaker is nearly impossible as impedance strays.
This is why I believe their should be a standard for all speakers to be measured at 2.83 volts regardless of impedance. With this, we will know how the sensitivity any speaker compares with a reasonable degree of accuracy. The only thing that we would have to make sure of in an amplifier purchase would be: Can my amplifier drive this speakers impedance curve or for tubed amps (capacitive phase angles).
In my speaker builds, I believe in impedance compensation circuitry. This has always produced a better sounding speaker for me and a much more stable load, which amplifiers seem to appreciate also.