Speaker Efficiency Question?


My system consists of Quad 988 electrostatics, powered by
Thor Audio TPA-150 tubed monblocks, TA-2000 Thor tubed
preamp, and I am currently looking for a speaker priced no more than $15,000 per pair. The quesiton is about speaker efficiency. When I was looking at the Tyler Acoustic Woodmere as well as the Reimer Grand Teton GS, the efficiencies were 93-94, but both speakers are 4 ohms.
I was told that if a speaker is of the 4 ohm variety that you have to reduce the efficiency rating by 5 dbs. Therefore a 93db and a 94db speaker which looks like it is very efficient is really 88 and 89 db respectively. Is this reasoning correct? I currently own the Quad 988 which
are 88 db efficient and I want to improve upon that number.
Am I on the right track with this 4 ohm vs. 8 ohm theory that a 4 ohm speaker if db ratings are equlavalent are not nearly as efficient?
kjl

Showing 1 response by eldartford

Assuming that your tube amp has output taps for 4 ohm speakers, it will deliver the same power(watts)into 4 ohms as in to 8 ohms. But that is not really good, because the typical ss amp would deliver twice as many watts into 4 ohms. Loudspeaker SPL ratings these days are usually given for a certain voltage applied to the speaker. The voltage used is 2.83 volts and this corresponds to 1 watt for a 8 ohm speaker and 2 watts for a 4 ohm speaker.

So, to answer your last question...4 and 8 ohm speakers with the same SPL spec will play equally as loudly if driven by a ss amp, because the ss amp will deliver the extra current required for the 4 ohm speaker. If a tube amp is used, the extra current must be provided by using a lower tap on the output transformer, which means that output voltage swing has been traded off for current. Therefore the output voltage capability, which defines how loud the speaker plays, is reduced. So, in your case, you will see lower SPL with a 4 ohm speaker. But it might be ok anyway.