What is your take on high efficient speakers vs. low efficient speakers?


Consider both designs are done right and your other equipment is well matched with the speakers.  Do you have any preference when it comes to sound quality?  Is it matter of economic decision when it comes to price? - power amps can become very expensive when power goes up, on the other hand large,  efficient speakers are expensive as well.  Is your decision based on room size?  I'd love to hear from you on the subject. 

tannoy56

Showing 1 response by rolox

My speakers are home-brew, look like Klipsch Lascala on steroids, average sensitivity is 105dB and I tri-amp with an analogue active crossover (subs, bass/low mids, mids/treble)

 

For me the micro and macro dynamics associated with high sensitivity (100dB+) is something I could never do without, and being able to use very low power amps is a definite advantage

BUT

-big horn systems image differently, you either love it or hate it

-ANY noise or distortion will be MAGNIFIED and unbearable - this is real - any RFI / EMI, any noise on the AC lines, anything from the outside world (or from your electronics) that would mostly stay hidden on a low sensitivity system will be exposed and you will have to deal with it or live with it!

-caution with gain structure is important, otherwise say hello to noise (see above remark) and hello to all the issues some preamps can have when used with the volume potentiometer at the lowest settings (bad stereo tracking, loss of dynamics and definition, etc) YMMV depending on the quality of your preamp(section), but shouldn’t be overlooked