What is the benefit of low efficiency speakers?


I know 8 ohm speakers are easier to drive than 4 ohm speakers, and most decent amps can drive nearly anything, but why are some speakers made with loads that drop down to two or one ohms?

Are they designed to cause, or allow some certain aspect of the sound to come through that would not otherwise be heard? What's the point of making a very difficult to drive speaker? Did that sentence make sense?
uppermidfi

Showing 1 response by andy2


At least in theory, a 4 ohm load can source twice as much current as a 8 ohm load given the same amp. Twice the amount of current mean into a 4 ohm load means the speakers can handle twice as much power in wattage.

Nowaday, a lot of speakers manufacturers want their speakers to have impressive power handling specs to impress their potential customers therefore you see a lot of 4ohm speakers. Someone told me back in the old day, most speakers were in the range of 8 - 16 ohm. And at least in theory, a 4 ohm speakers can potentially play louder.