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

A lot of my listening is at low to moderate volume levels.

In my experience, high efficiency speakers sound better at such levels, especially in the bass.  Low efficiency speakers seem to lose bass impact at less than high volumes.

There are many low efficiency speakers that are quite good sounding, but, that is despite being low efficiency--there is nothing favorable about that attribute.  For example, Soundlab electrostatics, Magneplanar planar magnetic/ribbon, Falcon LS3/5A small box speakers sound pretty good, but, because they are low in efficiency, they are more limited in the ability to use amps such as single ended triode tube amps or lower-powered pentode/tetrode tube amps like those employing the 6L6 tube.  Everything else being equal, I will take a high efficiency speaker any day over a low-efficiency one.

Most high efficiency speakers take advantage of very big boxes to deliver higher bass volume.  When stereo came along, it became harder to fit two big boxes in a room, which is why smaller, less efficient speakers were favored.  The use of transistors made it easier and cheaper to provide the necessary power for these less efficient boxes.  These practical considerations played a big role in low-efficiency speakers taking over.

@larryi Do you hear inherent distortion/coloration from the larger speaker enclosures in comparison to smaller enclosures? Is there, therefore, any overall effect on the sound characteristic?

 Everything else being equal, I will take a high efficiency speaker any day over a low-efficiency one.

I agree 100%!

Mike

I can see how it would be harder to control resonance of larger boxes.  But, many of the designs that employ heroic measures to control resonance tend to sound a bit sterile, lifeless and lacking in "weight" (thin and anemic sounding).  I have no idea if this is because of the resonance control or some other design choices, but, I will say that I don't look at ANY design choice as being dispositive of whether the sound will be good or bad and I don't rule out any speaker just because it is designed or built in a particular way.  I've heard some really nice speakers with big cabinets with thin, almost flimsy looking walls that have to be resonating--whether they sound good because of the resonance or despite it, I cannot say for certain.